Cheltenham Literature Festival

Whether you want to hear a big-name author in conversation or just wander a festival village full of pop-up bookshops, live music and free family activities, Cheltenham's literature festival gives you permission to spend a whole day just reading, listening and talking about books. It's the kind of event that rewards turning up solo as much as with company — nobody blinks at a single seat in the audience.

The gardens setting makes it feel more like a garden party than a lecture hall, and with ten days of programming there's always something to build a day out around, from headliners to under-the-radar debut novelists.