Follow the footsteps of Patrick Leigh Fermor - Greece from £645 pp with Sunvil Holidays
● This year sees the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor - one of Britain's most loved travel writers. Mani and Roumeli are his twin odes to Greece, a country where he spent a large portion of his life. Mani documents Fermor's travels around the Southern Peloponnese and the Mani peninsula, focusing on the coastal village of Kardamili, which became his home. You will see the inspiration behind his work when stay at Anniska Apartments, set in the heart of the village.
How much: A seven-night stay costs from £645pp based on two sharing including flights from Gatwick and transfers. www.sunvil.co.uk
The Jungle Book – India from £3,695 pp with Naturetrek
● This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rudyard Kipling, and filming begins on a Disney remake of his timeless classic, The Jungle Book. Set in India, we see a variety of animals through a series of endearing tales. Discover India's diverse wildlife on the 17-day Best of India and Nepal tour,
How much: from £3,695 pp (two sharing) with flights from London, most meals, accommodation and expert guides.
www.naturetrek.co.uk
Pen your own Fifty Shades of Grey - Tuscany from £1,345 pp at The Watermill at Posara
● Take inspiration from E.L James' bestseller and hone your romance writing skills under the Tuscan sun. Learn from Sharon Kendrick, who has written numerous Mills & Boon books. She will show how to write sizzling scenes and sell your completed masterpiece to a publisher. Your steamy tome may be the next global phenomenon.
How much: from £1,345 pp based on two sharing including tuition, seven nights' accommodation, all meals, drinks, transfers from Pisa, local transport and a mid-week excursion. Flights extra.
www.watermill.net/writing-holidays
Burmese Days in George Orwell's Katha – Cruise the Irrawaddy from £3,745 pp with Voyages Jules Verne
● Visit colonial Katha, where George Orwell lived and set his novel, Burmese Days, on a ten-night Irrawaddy River cruise. Sailing aboard a small, shallow draft Pandaw vessel - specially designed to navigate the river's more remote reaches - tick off Burma's oldest capital, Tagaung, the world's largest working bell, in Minguin, and Mandalay.
How much: Book by February 25 and save £250 pp on prices from £3,745 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, 10 nights' full board cruise accommodation, three nights' B&B in Rangoon, excursions and the services of guides and local representatives. www.vjv.com
Strindberg's Stockholm – stay at Berns and visit The Red Room from £173 pp
● Sweden's most celebrated author, August Strindberg (1849-1912) is indelibly associated with Stockholm's boutique Berns hotel, "an oasis for curious cosmopolitans". Then a gathering place for bohemians and free-thinkers, Berns' Baroque-style Röda Rummet (which you can still visit today) inspired his debut 1879 novel, The Red Room. Strindberg adored Berns for its fine food…and its Absinthe. With an award-winning Asian fusion restaurant and special Absinthe cocktails, he'd love it just as much today.
How much: During March, two nights' B&B cost from SEK 2,200 - around £173 pp based on two sharing. Flights extra.
www.berns.se/en/hotel
Bring Morpurgo to life for children - Devon from £63 pp with Classic Cottages
● A collection of six heart-warming stories, Best Mates is penned especially for World Book Day by acclaimed author - and former children's laureate - Michael Morpurgo. Any animal-loving child will be delighted by these tales of dogs, cats, horses and dolphins (and parents will be happy with the price - just £1).
In Morpurgo's native Devon, there are myriad animals to pet at Pennywell Farm. Stay at Wisteria Cottage, a converted barn that can sleep five, near Totnes.
How much: A three-night stay costs from £63 pp.
www.classic.co.uk
Heidi Hi – Family fun by rail in Switzerland from £3,050 for four with Ffestiniog Travel
● Written in 1880 by Johanna Spyri, Heidi remains a classic of children's literature, bringing the unspoilt charms of the Swiss Alps to the Kindle generation. Step into Heidi's world in Maienfeld - the area on which the book was based - where the Heidi Village promises visits to Heidi's House, a Heidi Trail and a petting zoo. Enjoy it as a day trip from Chur.
How much: An eight-night holiday to Switzerland costs from £3,050 for four (two adults, two children under 12 sharing a family room) including return Eurostar to Brussels, onward rail travel to Basel, seat reservations, Swiss Pass (unlimited travel on trains, lake steamers and buses) and B&B.
I60th anniversary of Hillary's High Adventure – Everest Base Camp Trek from £2,099 pp with Discover Adventure
● Published in 1955, High Adventure is the story of Sir Edmund Hillary's pioneering expedition to find a new route to Everest's summit, and the awe-inspiring moment he became the first person to conquer the world's highest mountain. Experience some of his epic journey first hand on a trek to the base camp, where many a brave climber has set off for this final treacherous ascent.
How much: Departing October and November 2015, the 19-day trip costs from £2,099 pp (two sharing) including accommodation, flights (London), transfers, most meals and Discover Adventure support team.
www.discoveradventure.com
If it's good enough for Agatha Christie - Istanbul from £879 pp with
Kirker holidays
● Written in room 411 of Istanbul's impressive Pera Palace hotel, Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express sees her fictional Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, commence his train journey from this Turkish city.
And, while much may have changed since the book's publication in 1934, Istanbul still retains its blend of European and Asian influences.
How much: Three nights at the Pera Palace - with the aptly-named "Agatha'" restaurant - cost from £879 pp (two sharing) including flights from London, private transfers, accommodation with breakfast, Turkish visa, Kirker guide notes and concierge service.
www.kirkerholidays.com
