Last updated on January 7th, 2026
Book festivals showcase hidden gems
by Tina Hartas
Literary festivals take place in the most amazing venues, allowing women travellers to experience some hidden gems that perhaps aren’t normally open to the general public. These annual events allow book lovers to spend time among fellow literary enthusiasts and enjoy panels and author talks in a friendly and welcoming environments.
Venice Noir 2025 in November was held at the Ateneo Veneto, a beautiful building with glorious frescoes in the Campo San Fantin. At one point in its history, the building served as a last place on earth that condemned citizens could feast their eyes on the achievements of depicted mortals and consider the world into which they would shortly be sent. A truly sumptuous place to house a festival with an incredible sense of history.
Author panels at Venice Noir
There were panels in both English and Italian, with translation facilities. Featured authors included guest ‘superstar’ writer Ian Rankin (one of the most down-to-earth and genuine people I have ever met) plus a range of top authors including Anna Mazzola, Barbara Nadel, D V Bishop, Erin Kelly, Essie Fox, Lisa Hilton, John Bleasdale, Tom Benjamin, and Venice expert Alberto Toso Fei.
Panels included a discussion about the iconic film “Don’t Look Now,” and there were mixed feelings on how well it worked. Then, the life of Casanova came under scrutiny, posing the question whether he is a victim of rewritten history, someone who used his position to commit heinous crimes against society, or whether his actions were typical of his era and class.
The panel Write About What You Know with Anna Mazzola, Erin Kelly, Barbara Nadel and Essie Fox focused on how to set about researching and portraying a location in their work. It was generally agreed that there is not a single preferred way to establish location – it all depends on the individual author.
Ateneo Veneto is one of Venice’s most iconic buildings/ Photo by David Hewson “Ateneo Veneto”
All the panels were free to attend, and it is hoped that this will continue into 2026, but that very much depends on funding; most book festivals, however, do charge a relatively small amount to attend events and it is important to register before attending.
Other events incurred a charge. I was delighted to meet Ian Rankin, who, in my home country – UK – is one of the most famous and well-respected authors, known for his Rebus novels. He proved to be a wonderfully personable raconteur.
A cocktail for Venice Noir had been created by the team at Il Palazzo Experimental Hotel and interestingly comprised of Whisky, Cherry/Almond liqueur, Red Beet, Orange, Absinthe, and Spicy Bitters.
The closing ceremony (where Ian Rankin was awarded the Barovier & Toso Arte Glass Dagger Award) was held in Casanova’s Casino in the Hotel Monaco.
JourneyWoman book recommendation: Read Tracy Chevalier’s “Glassmaker of Venice”
Side trips from Venice
I planned out my visit with Venice Noir as a focal point in my trip schedule. Starting in Bergamo, which is an underrated entry point to Italy, the train easily connects to Vicenza and Padua. One could include Brescia and Verona, and those destinations will perhaps feature at a later date. From Venice, it was easy to hop over to Mestre and pick up a Flixbus, which is a bus company that runs really cost-effective, new buses around Europe (you can recognize them because they are bright green and are often better value and have better connections than the rail network).
Four hours later, I arrived in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. This is a city that is off the beaten tourist track. I, of course, included a visit to Lake Bled, which in the late Autumn sees few tourists and still holds a magical charm.
Other literary festivals in 2026
If my experience has whetted your appetite to attend a book festival as part of your travels, then there are many and varied events around the world that would offer interesting and diverse experiences in 2026:
- Jaipur Literary Festival / Rajasthan, India: 15-19 January
- Tucson Festival of Books / USA: 14-15 March
- Hay Festival / Wales: 21-31 May
- Sydney Writers Festival / Australia: 18-24 May
- Edinburgh International Book Festival / Scotland: 15-30 August
- Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) / Canada: dates to be announced, usually October -November)
- Brooklyn Book Festival / USA: dates to be announced (usually in the fall)
- Berlin International Literature Festival (ilb)/ Germany: 3–16 September
- Cheltenham Literature Festival / UK: 9–18 October
- Venice Noir / Italy: 13-15 November
- Singapore Writers Festival / Singapore: 7-16 November
Disclaimer: Tina Hartas covered the cost of her own travel to Venice and was not compensated for this article by the organization.
Make your trip to Venice happen
Take the train to Venice: From within Italy or Europe, check train schedules on Trainline.
Check flights on Skyscanner before booking.
Where to stay in Venice: Women recommend these options: Palazzo Dei Dogi, Hotel Flora, Hotel dell’Opera, Ca’ Sant’Angelo, Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo, Residenza Ca’ Rava, Hotel Saturnalia. Find more in our Women’s Travel Directory.
Find a day trip in Venice with Get Your Guide or Viator.
Extend your stay with a tour or river cruise to Italy with vetted companies in our Women’s Travel Directory, or search for tours here with our partner TourRadar.
Tina Hartas
Tina Hartas studied History of Art and German at University and went on to do an MA in Conservation of Fine Art. She has always loved reading and travel and has delighted in reading novels set in any given location. On a trip to Vienna 15 years ago it proved virtually impossible to trawl the internet and find a book set in the city. Thus the concept of TripFiction was born.
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