Literary Places
Düsseldorf Airport · Terminal B
EL&N Café
This year, I was travelling to Spain with my family. Before our flight, I had a little time to spare at Düsseldorf Airport. I sat down at the EL&N Café in Terminal B, ordered coffee and a slice of cake, and read a few more pages. Perhaps the journey began right there – not in Málaga, but with that first quiet moment between setting off and slowing down.
Benalmádena, Spain
A sweeping view of the sea
Once we arrived at our holiday destination, I soon realised how many little places to read you discover along the way. In Benalmádena, it was above all those moments looking out to sea: an open book, palm trees, water and that wonderful sense of space. Even a few pages feel like a small break from everyday life there.
Benalmádena, Spain
Benalmádena – on the beach
Later, the beach itself became a place to read. Under a parasol, with a book in my hand and the sea right in front of me, reading suddenly became more than a way to pass the time: it became part of the place.
Mijas, Spain
Ermita-Santuario de la Virgen de la Peña · Mijas
In Mijas, I discovered a very different reading spot: old walls, an intricately decorated bench and the distinctive stillness of historic spaces. I paused, sat down for a moment and read. Places like these remind us that reading does not need much – sometimes a bench and a little time are enough.
Mijas, Spain
Secret Garden · Mijas
The Secret Garden was different again: lush greenery, hidden corners and small tables. A place where you almost automatically stay a little longer. There, too, I opened my book and enjoyed a quiet moment to myself.
Marbella, Spain
Marbella – “Hemingway was never here”
In Marbella, I encountered literature with a knowing wink. On this house are the words “Aquí nunca estuvo Hemingway” – “Hemingway was never here”. I loved this ironic nod to all the places that adorn themselves with Hemingway’s name. Literature lives not only in books, but also in the stories, traces and little allusions we come across on our travels.
My journey continues to the world’s most beautiful reading places – and I would love to take you with me: to special literary hotels, remarkable libraries, welcoming bookshops and those almost enchanted places you were not looking for, yet somehow find.
Which reading place do you think I should make sure to visit?
Suggest a reading place