Book Club Travel Ideas: Why a Reading Retreat Abroad is Perfect

Stories are better when we live them together.

If your book club has ever daydreamed about sipping wine in Tuscany while debating which Little Women sister was truly the most relatable (spoiler: it’s still Jo), or lounging in a Parisian café while pretending you’re in an episode of Emily in Paris, then it’s time to take your stories off the page and into the world.

Here are the top reasons your book club should pack those paperbacks, grab your passports, and head off on an international reading retreat.

1. Because your book club deserves a main character moment.

Let’s be honest: half the fun of book club is channeling your inner heroine. On an international reading retreat, you don’t just read Eat, Pray, Love. You get to live it (minus the awkward Julia Roberts bathroom scene, thankfully). Whether you’re wandering cobblestone streets, eating pasta that would make Stanley Tucci cry happy tears, or journaling in a seaside villa, you and your book club get to step into the story yourselves.

2. Deep discussions need dreamy backdrops.

Sure, you can chat about The Midnight Library in your friend’s living room, but imagine unraveling its big “what ifs” while watching the sun set over Santorini. Suddenly, the themes of fate, regret, and possibility hit a little differently. Plus, let’s face it. Philosophical conversations feel far more profound when paired with rosé and a Mediterranean breeze.

3. Shared experiences make the best stories.

Every book club has its lore, like the time someone admitted they never actually finished the book (we see you, Rachel). But traveling together takes that shared history to a whole new level. You’ll be laughing years later about “that one night in Lisbon when we got lost following Google Maps” or “the morning we all journaled by the Amalfi Coast and accidentally turned it into a group therapy session.”

4. You’ll read more, scroll less.

One of the magical parts of a reading retreat is slowing down. You’re away from work emails, household to-do lists, and the endless scroll of TikTok. Instead, you have uninterrupted time to curl up with a book in a hammock, talk about it with women who get it, and actually finish that novel that’s been on your nightstand since the Obama administration.

5. Celebrity book clubs would totally approve.

Oprah didn’t build an empire on just reading books—she built one on the power of reading together. And if Reese Witherspoon has taught us anything through Hello Sunshine, it’s that books and travel are the ultimate empowerment combo. Imagine the group photo of your book club in front of the Eiffel Tower, novel in hand. Reese would definitely double-tap.

6. It’s self-care with a passport stamp.

Life is busy. Jobs, families, laundry that never ends. It’s a lot. A reading retreat is a way to slow down, recharge, and nourish your mind while experiencing the world. Call it a mental health break, call it a soul reset, call it your “Eat, Pray, Love” era. It all counts. And your book club is the perfect squad to do it with.

Your Club, But International 

Books are about connection. Connection to stories, to ourselves, and to each other. Taking your book club abroad for a reading retreat is about deepening those connections in the most memorable way possible. Think of it as the ultimate plot twist: your book club isn’t just reading the story… you’re living it.

At Slow Travel Co., we believe every woman deserves the joy of a story-filled journey. That’s why we create Reading Retreats not only for book clubs, but also for solo female travelers who want to meet new bookish friends along the way. Whether you’re gathering your entire club for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure or packing your favorite novel and joining us on your own, we’re here to make sure the pages you turn abroad become memories you’ll carry forever.

Ready to turn the page on your next adventure? At Slow Travel Co., we design Slow Travel Retreats and Reading Retreats for women who want more than just a vacation, they want a story worth telling. Contact us today.