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America has a fine tradition of travel literature that is often put down to the simple size and geography of the place. Since the distances to be travelled are large and people spend a lot of time travelling it becomes an important part of their lives. The advent of the car in the twentieth century continued the trend and we are now left with a glittering array of literary options to indulge it.

From the 15^th to the18th of September the annual Brooklyn Book Festival will take place in the vibrant eponymous New York district. The long weekend will see a wide range of literary themed events taking place catering to a broad variety of tastes and preferences. As well as meeting like minded book lovers, visitors will also get the chance to meet some of their favourite authors, from up and coming new hopes to global superstars. The obvious attraction of the festival to connoisseurs of a good book is equally matched by the appeal to general readers. The festival events have been specifically designed to cater to as wide a range of interests as possible, including for young children, making this a potentially excellent family weekend.

The bygone capital of mother Russia, St Petersburg, is the star of Russian literature as we know it. The city founded by Peter the Great on the Neva River has been the cultural hub of the Russian empire until the Soviet rule. So, while visiting the muse of the great Russian writers, why not let yourself be guided by the city’s rich history and colorful descriptions, by reading their masterpieces? Here is a list to get you started.

While it may not be possible to take children on any and every adventure they dream of, one of the joys of literature is that they can discover the world around them from the comfort of home. This is a great way to inspire youngsters about travel before a trip or simply increase their awareness of other lands and cultures. Here is my pick of travel books for kids, with notes on the appropriate age group for each.

The Tintin series of books is possibly the best series for kids yet written. read full article

Literature can be a great way to get a sense of the atmosphere of a place before you travel, or remind yourself of the good times once you return home. Here is an entirely subjective list of novels that, for me, best capture the character of the countries of Western Europe.

The Sun Also Rises is thought by some critics to be Ernest Hemingway’s greatest work, even though it was his first novel. The book is set in the aftermath of World War I and is narrated by a journalist living in Paris, although the central characters later travel to Pamplona in Spain. read full article

Stockholm Archipelago is a mosaic of numerous skerries, islets and islands scattered in the Baltic Sea. However, only 1,000 are populated.

Photo: Getty Images

These serene landmasses are accessible by boats (classic white archipelago boats) or cars. Some islands are tiny while others are huge. Most of the islands are not affected by tides. The archipelago, the home of fishermen and farmers, has inspired many Swedish writers and artists. read full article

TV Travel Documentary

Heather on her Travels posts an article on how to make travel films including some tips  from two experts in adventure documentary making.

Solo Travel

On Solo Traveler, Janice blogs about the high number of people from… read full article

For the true bookworm, one’s reading environment can make or break a book.

This article is for the university student in Turin, Italy, who wants to get out of her dorm room or other unattractive, standard study space, and/or for… read full article

‘Angels and Demons’ Tour in Rome

Planning a holiday in Rome? If you enjoyed ‘Angels & Demons’, you might want to visit the locations of the Hollywood movie starring Tom Hanks and based on Dan Brown’s book.  Europe a la Carte… read full article

• H10 hotel chain tempts you to unwind in Lanzarote.

• NDTravel recommends you not to miss Scandinavia’s ultimate scenic thrill article on the breathtaking Norwegian fjords.

• April Fool’s Day tweet: SheilaS gives you some tips on Hair Care Tourism.

1. A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

An obvious one to start with but well worth a mention never the less. This book could be thanked but also accused of changing the face of the beautiful southern French region of… read full article

Here are five of this week’s travel tweets that caught our attention:

• Wanderluster gives away free copies of Wanderlust and Lipstick.

• Visit_Rimini invites us to attend the Tiki 26 Beach Festival (April 1st – May 10th).

For all the students studying in Florence this year you will be need of books. I have a list of the bookstores that can assist you in purchasing an art history book and/or a verb dictionary for your Italian language course. As your school might… read full article

Any epic journey or unforgettable adventure deserves a well-loved travel journal, doesn’t it?

Following the trip, you can share your travel journal with family and friends and revisit the destination again and again. Unfortunately, not all travelers keep up their travel journal while they’re on-the-road.

Here are a… read full article

Instead of buying a last-minute, ill-researched pulp-fiction paperback from the airport, it’s often good to spend some time beforehand and buy what will really suit you.

Here are some books I’d really recommend:

1. Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe

Other than being written years ago… read full article