5 of the best literary retreats

Award-winning novelist Ian McEwan calls this “the world’s best small literary festival”; not surprising when you think that Cliveden – with its heady mix of history, political intrigue, espionage and sex scandals – has attracted the great and the good of the literary world, from Alexander Pope to George Bernard Shaw and, most recently, Tina Brown. The latter returns to the hallowed staterooms of the historic mansion hotel alongside literary heavyweights such as Amanda Levete, Naomi Wolf and actress Ruth Wilson for the two-day event that covers a range of subjects from the secrets of a good marriage to great garden design. Sept 29-30, 2018; clivedenliteraryfestival.org

Writers including Isabel Allende and Salman Rushdie flock to Flip, on the heavenly coast between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, for this literary and photography fair (and the best caipirinhas in the world, served in banana leaves). For five days in August, it becomes party central, with the culturati descending to socialize and network on the backs of boats and in beach shacks dotting the surrounding coastline. Even when the festival ends, Flip remains a (relatively) quiet haven; a favorite of artists and writers with as many bookshops as there are postcard stalls. Book ahead for a room at the charming boutique Hotel Casa Turquesa. Aug 2019; flip.org.br

This magical estate in the northern corner of Mallorca has been inspiration and home to writers such as Robert Graves, Anaïs Nin and Gabriel García Márquez. The workshop, which embraces up to ten guests and focuses on the art of memoir, is headed by Allegra Huston, author of Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found, in which she explores her fragmented childhood as part of the dynamic Huston clan. The program involves talks, informal workshops and plenty of downtime for writing in this most relaxed of settings. Oct 28–Nov 2, 2018; allegrahuston.com

This landmark workshop has been going for over a decade, connecting the iconic Positano hotel with its literary past of writers and guests such as Gore Vidal, Norman Douglas and John Steinbeck (whose memorable travel article on the hotel remains a classic and sits on the bedside tables of the suites for guests to read). The mixed-genre workshops, taught by award-winning writers Alexander Chee, Hannah Tinti and Jim Shepherd, have since generated a wealth of published books, short stories and essays, oiled by long, lingering lunches on the terraces with vats of Prosecco and plates of spaghetti alle vongole. Mar 31–April 6, 2019; sirenland.net

Much of the charm of this mind-expanding weekend lies in visiting the quaint, meandering Irish town of Borris in County Carlow. The romantic stately house and sprawling grounds with the mighty River Barrow running through (and where the poet Ted Hughes loved to fish) provides a spectacular setting for ultra-chilled discussions with heavyweight writers such as Margaret Atwood and Donna Tartt, which might happen over a lobster roll in the garden or over a pint of Guinness at the local pub. While the festival’s talks can be pretty low-key, it has regular high-profile attendees, including actors Dominic West and Cillian Murphy, photojournalist Don McCullin, author Martin Amis and singer Florence Welch (who’s been known to perform in the chapel) so booking early is advised. June 2019; festivalofwritingandideas.com