Years later, when I finally stood in the very rooms where Jane Austen wrote her novels… walked the same cobblestone streets as Shakespeare… and sipped coffee in the Parisian cafés where literary giants once gathered—something clicked. The stories I’d cherished my whole life suddenly existed in three dimensions. The scent of old books, the crunch of gravel underfoot, the exact shade of twilight over the Seine—it was all real.
As a shy, introverted child raised by my grandmother, books were my first passport to faraway places—long before I ever held a real one. From the misty moors of Brontë’s England to the sun-drenched streets of Hemingway’s Paris, I wandered through pages like a well-worn atlas. Each novel drew a map in my mind—a promise of places I swore I’d one day see for myself.
i traveled the world through pages
before i packed my first suitcase...
That moment of connection—when fiction and reality beautifully collide—is what I now create through Lumina Travel Co. For fellow book lovers and thoughtful travelers, I design immersive, book-inspired journeys that bring your favorite stories to life.
Books saved me long before I ever imagined turning them into travel experiences.
As a teenager struggling with depression and anxiety, I found sanctuary in fictional worlds when real ones felt overwhelming. The characters became my closest companions. The settings—the wind-swept cliffs, candlelit libraries, hidden gardens—felt more real than the hallways of my school.
I excelled in academics, eventually earning a degree in Literature (among others), but the disconnect between my external success and internal struggle followed me into adulthood. It wasn’t until my grandmother passed—the woman who first placed books in my hands—that I paused long enough to ask: What actually brings me peace?
The answer was simple: books and travel.
Visiting the places I’d only read about quieted my anxious mind in a way nothing else could. Standing in the heart of a story—whether at Austen’s writing desk or in a quiet Parisian café—gave me a rare, grounding sense of connection. Friends noticed the shift. They began asking me to plan their own literary escapes.
What started as helping fellow readers turned into Lumina Travel Co.—a place where my literary education and lived experience come together to design journeys that transform how you experience both the books you love and the world itself.
MY STORY
Lumina Travel Co. isn’t a travel agency
—it’s a love letter to story-driven souls who crave depth, meaning, and main-character moments.
I don’t just book flights and hotels. I design immersive, personalized journeys that make you feel like you’ve stepped inside your favorite novel. Whether you dream of writing poetry on the Cliffs of Moher, walking through a Provençal village that feels like it’s straight out of a fairy tale, or sipping espresso in a tucked-away corner of Rome with a Murakami book in hand—I’m here to make it real.
Every itinerary is handcrafted for your pace, your preferences, and your passions. Because thoughtful travelers deserve more than cookie-cutter vacations. They deserve stories.
Return home with more than photos—with deeper connections to the books you love and new stories of your own to tell. Many travelers find themselves rereading favorite books with fresh insight, or discovering new authors inspired by their journey.
Ongoing: Your literary perspective will be forever enriched
CHERISHED MEMORIES
Experience the places that inspired the stories you love, guided by my network of local literary experts. Walk the same paths as beloved characters, visit authors' homes, and discover hidden locations that bring your favorite books to life in meaningful ways.
Timeframe: Your travel dates (most journeys range from 7-14 days)
LITERARY MAGIC
I'll design a customized itinerary that weaves together the settings, history, and culture behind your favorite books. Each journey includes exclusive literary experiences, thoughtfully selected accommodations, and personalized recommendations that you won't find in any guidebook.
Timeframe: 1-2 weeks for your custom proposal
CRAFTED EXPERIENCE
Tell me about the books that have shaped you, the authors who inspire you, and the literary worlds you're longing to step into. Whether you're drawn to Austen's English countryside or Hemingway's Paris cafés, your literary passions will guide our planning conversation.
Timeframe: 30-minute complimentary consultation
SHARE YOUR STORY
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"Kate didn't just listen to my rambling about my favorite books—she understood exactly why they mattered to me and translated that into experiences I never could have found on my own." — Rachel M.
"The attention to detail in our itinerary was remarkable. Kate included a private tour of a library that housed first editions of my favorite poet's work—something I didn't even know was possible!" — Michael S.
"Standing in the actual room where Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice brought me to tears. It wasn't just visiting a place—it was connecting with a story that had shaped my life." — Elizabeth T.
I've read 'Wuthering Heights' a dozen times, but after walking the Yorkshire moors with Kate's carefully planned itinerary, I feel like I'm reading it for the first time again." — Thomas W.
LET'S WRITE YOUR TRAVEL STORY →
If you’ve ever cried at the end of a novel because you didn’t want to leave the world behind… imagine what it would feel like to step inside it.
Whether you're planning your first solo trip or a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to the settings that shaped your favorite books, your story is waiting to be written—and I’d be honored to help you write it.
Let’s turn your dream trip into your next chapter.
Schedule a Story Session
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