Jane Austen 250: A World Book Day Celebration with Travel Inspiration

World Book Day is always a treat. But — as any Jane Austen fan will tell you — this year’s celebrations are extra special. That’s because 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of a woman who would go on to become one of the most famous English-language novelists of all time. If that thought alone inspires you to pick up a copy of “Sense and Sensibility” or “Emma,” wonderful! But just know that — thanks to the phenomenon of literary tourism — travellers can bring the places and spaces of Austen’s England to life, celebrating this momentous occasion from World Book Day and beyond.
 

Of page and screen: exploring the destinations with an Austen connection

In that famous opening line of “Pride and Prejudice,” Austen wrote, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” But by the same token, we can surmise that a traveller in possession of a good book must be in want of a holiday.

For Jane Austen fans — whether they want to visit the places connected with her life and novels or see the locations used as backdrops to the many screen adaptions of her works — England’s south and west is the place to go. Yet for those who truly want to walk into the world of Jane Austen, the English county of Hampshire is where to start.

After all, Austen was born in the village of Steventon, wrote some of her most famous works at nearby Chawton, and was buried at Winchester Cathedral after her death in 1817. For Andrew Bateman, Tourism Manager at Simpleview client Visit Hampshire, the county is “the original location for Jane Austen.” Eager to help visitors explore the region’s strong connections to this literary star, Visit Hampshire has created a standalone page with itinerary suggestions for those who want to celebrate each and every place associated with some of the most important moments in her life.

A new visitor location will open in Winchester this summer especially to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, No.8 College Street. This is the house where Jane Austen spent the final weeks of her life in 1817 and, in a few months’ time, it will be open to the public for the first time. Commenting on the excitement that this milestone has generated, Bateman said, “With many of our Jane Austen-related visitor products, we are encouraging pre-booking of tickets to assist in managing visitor numbers.” The goal, he explains, is to ensure that the visitor experience remains a positive one throughout the whole of 2025.

But Hampshire isn’t the only place (or the only Simpleview client) that can claim a connection to the author; after all, Austen lived in Bath for five years, with the elegant town — today home to the Jane Austen Centre — serving as the setting for the novels “Northanger Abbey” and “Persuasion.” Moving even further afield, Austen went to school in Reading and — joy of joys for Austen fans — we’re pleased to reveal that visitors can even set foot inside the very room where she and her sisters received their educations.

The life and novels of Austen aside, TV buffs will be delighted to know that Simpleview clients Plymouth and Devon served as the filming locations for many of the screen adaptations of her work. Indeed, as Bateman explains it, the celebration of the life and work of this author involved multiple destinations, which is why Visit Hampshire has collaborated with the likes of Simpleview clients Great West Way and Visit Bath to help visitors to this region understand the true story of this great writer.
 

Solo travel: another take on the appeal of Austen

Literary tourism is a natural way to celebrate this momentous occasion. Yet it also enables both destinations with an Austen connection — as well as individual Austen fans — to tap into one of 2025’s top trends: solo travel. After all, from the perspective of an individual traveller seeking the big, “main character energy” that is part of the solo trip phenomenon, the smart features — such as the interactive maps, embedded planners, and themed itinerary suggestions — found within the sites of Visit Hampshire, Great West Way, and Visit Bath offer endless options for exploration. Not only that, they serve as a great example for other destinations looking to tap into the solo travel trend, especially those who — like Hampshire — want to play up the authentic experiences they offer, a move that’s very much in keeping with the solo vibe.

However you chose to explore her life or words, let the places and spaces connected with Jane Austen inspire your thoughts and travels, from this World Book Day and beyond.