The Best Private Trips to Book For Your English Class

When Unesco began curating their prestigious Cities of Literature programme in 2004, the first place they honoured was Edinburgh. With good reason, too. From legendary wordsmiths like Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns, to the edginess of Irvine Welsh’s unique working class voice and the global phenomenon that is J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, this city has never stopped producing greats written works. It’s also one of the best cities in the world for bookshops, so be sure to pop into Blackwell’s and the Golden Hare, or plan your visit during August to take in the annual International Book Festival. The Scottish capital is the final destination on our weeklong Rail Trip, which actually starts in another great literary city, London, where we catch the Caledonian sleeper train to Fort William. Ride on the Jacobite steam train – AKA the real-life Hogwarts Express, explore the artsy city of Inverness and get inspired by the beauty of the Isle of Skye en route to the storied gothic streets of Edinburgh.