Romantasy travel turns fantasy novel escapes into real-world trips

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Romantasy travel gives readers a new way to follow the plot, and this time, it comes with a passport in hand and a castle on the itinerary. The trend influences tourism planning, with fans looking to relive the scenes they once imagined on the page. In response, tour operators design trips that transform the traveler's imagination into real-life experiences.

Social media fuels romantasy-inspired trips, with around 71% of global travelers expressing interest in visiting destinations that capture the genre's mood. On TikTok, the BookTok community has helped propel romantasy titles into mainstream popularity, while creators increasingly point audiences toward lesser-known settings with dramatic interiors that their followers may not be aware of.

Romantic-fantasy storytelling meets tourism

Romance-driven fantasy novels now influence travel plans as readers shift from standard travel planning to story-led destination choices. Romantasy blends a central love story with a magical setting, which often includes castles, wild mountain terrain and ancient kingdoms. About 39% of travelers said they would consider trips built around fantasy-inspired activities or themed experiences tied to the genre.

Readers are drawn to settings that make fictional worlds feel within reach. Mountain scenery, forests and castle settings bring to mind the fae courts in "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas or the kingdom-driven setting in "From Blood and Ash" by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Tourism planners have begun to recognize this travel interest as literary fandom starts influencing where fans choose to go.

Real landscapes behind fantasy worlds

Fantasy romance books often take place in imagined realms filled with powerful rulers, supernatural figures and elaborate systems of magic. Plots frequently include court politics, legendary predictions or rival characters whose relationships evolve. These elements create vivid settings that readers easily picture while following the story.

Parts of Scotland and Ireland draw attention because their scenery evokes the dramatic settings found in many fantasy novels, where medieval fortresses stand along rugged coastlines while fog settles over hills and valleys across the countryside. The combination of preserved landmarks and striking terrain gives travelers places that capture the atmosphere readers associate with these fictional worlds.

Killarney in southwest Ireland offers several locations that match this setting. Reenadinna Woods, for example, contains dense tree cover and thick moss across the forest floor. Nearby, Muckross Abbey features stone archways and centuries-old ruins that remain largely intact, while Torc Waterfall adds a powerful cascade surrounded by woodland inside Killarney National Park.

Scotland's Isle of Skye also attracts visitors searching for dramatic natural scenery. The Old Man of Storr rises high above the surrounding land with towering rock formations, while the Quiraing stretches across the island's northern landscape with steep cliffs and winding ridges.

Other historic sites across Europe also draw travelers who want dramatic architecture tied to centuries of history. Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany stands above the Bavarian countryside with tall towers and fortified walls, while Mont Saint-Michel in France rises from a tidal island with stone buildings and narrow streets that date back to the medieval period.

Themed trips follow fantasy worlds

Travel companies have begun creating itineraries based on popular fantasy and literary series as fan interest grows. These trips connect readers with destinations linked to the worlds they followed in books, often through themed activities and group discussions during the journey.

EF Ultimate Break offers several tours inspired by stories popular on BookTok. One itinerary visits Cairo, Athens and Rome through themes connected to the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" books by Rick Riordan. The route appeals to travelers who grew up reading the series and want to visit places linked to the mythology behind the story.

Another itinerary takes inspiration from "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas. The trip moves across Switzerland with stops in Geneva, Lausanne, Zermatt, Lucerne and Zurich. Activities include a themed dinner in Zermatt, castle visits and a walk across a glacier suspension bridge. The schedule also includes book discussions so fans can talk about the series while traveling together.

Social media fuels fandom

Online book communities have played a major role in bringing romance fantasy titles to wider audiences. On the video platform TikTok, posts tied to the BookTok and romantasy tags have helped move several novels onto bestseller lists. Readers often share clips from castles, wooded paths and historic towns that match the settings described in their favorite books.

Travel creators have also begun pointing followers toward locations that match the atmosphere of fantasy stories. TikTok creator @halfpackedhannah recently featured the Admont Abbey Library in Austria as a destination for readers drawn to dramatic interiors. The site includes long, ornate halls and a concealed doorway that remind visitors of scenes often imagined in fantasy fiction.

Other influencers have started planning travel routes built around similar visual themes, with some organizing small group tours that visit historic landscapes associated with fantasy settings. TikTok creator @cobblestonesandcastles organizes trips focused on this idea, including a women's group tour in Ireland promoted in a recent video.

Niche trends reveal new destinations

Mainstream landscapes linked to fantasy imagery continue to draw visitors each year. At the same time, readers searching for that same mood may begin exploring places that share the same scenery but receive far less attention. This movement from famous landmarks to quieter regions could gradually expand the range of destinations connected with fantasy-inspired travel.

Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she's also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller's perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.