June 2027 · Turkey
Birds Without Wings in Turkey
June 2027 · 7 nights · Ölü Deniz
Spend a week in beautiful southern Turkey with Louis de Bernières' Birds Without Wings at the heart of the trip. Read by the pool, explore the surrounding area and share the book with a group of fellow readers.
Turkey through a book
A reading retreat in the world of Louis de Bernières
Birds Without Wings is a sweeping historical novel set in a small Turkish village during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the birth of modern Turkey.
The area around Fethiye and Ölü Deniz provides the setting for a reading retreat where the book is only part of the experience. There is time to talk about the novel, read beside the pool, explore the coast and enjoy the company of other book lovers.
At a glance
Your Turkey reading retreat
The book
Birds Without Wings
Birds Without Wings is an epic historical novel set in Anatolia during the final years of the Ottoman Empire and the upheaval that followed.
Through the lives of the people of a small Turkish village, the novel explores love, friendship, war, religion and the changing world around them.
Like Captain Corelli's Mandolin, the novel combines a powerful sense of place with the lives of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary historical events.
The place
Ölü Deniz and the Turkish coast
Ölü Deniz is one of southern Turkey's most spectacular coastal destinations, surrounded by mountains and famous for its turquoise lagoon and beautiful beaches.
Although the novel is set further inland, this is the landscape and region of Turkey that gives the book its sense of place. It is a wonderful base for a week of reading, swimming, exploring and relaxing.
The Blue Lagoon is nearby, while Fethiye and the atmospheric abandoned village of Kayaköy can also be reached from Ölü Deniz.
The experience
A week to read, relax and explore
Read by the pool
With just 19 rooms and a generous swimming pool, the Forever Hotel has the feel of a relaxed private villa. Find a sun lounger, open your book and settle in.
Time to yourself
There is no need to fill every day. The pool, gardens and poolside bar make it easy to spend a morning or afternoon simply reading and relaxing.
Discover the Blue Lagoon
The famous Blue Lagoon is close by, giving you the chance to spend a day beside the turquoise water or simply explore the coast at your own pace.
Books in Places
The book is at the heart of the week
One evening we'll come together to discuss Birds Without Wings and the extraordinary history behind the novel.
There will also be our relaxed “A Book I Love” evening, where everyone can bring a favourite book to share with the group.
And throughout the week there is plenty of opportunity to talk about the books you've brought with you, discover what everyone else is reading and swap recommendations beside the pool.
Where you'll stay
The Forever Hotel
The Forever Hotel is a small hotel with just 19 rooms, surrounded by pretty gardens and with a swimming pool, pool bar and dining area.
It has a deliberately relaxed atmosphere, making it a particularly good fit for a reading retreat. There are sun loungers around the pool, shady areas and hammocks where you can disappear with your book.
Rooms have a king-sized bed, modern shower room and hairdryer. Air conditioning and a safe are available locally at an additional charge.
Travelling alone?
Come on your own. You won't be on your own.
Most guests on Books in Places trips travel alone, and a shared love of books makes it easy to start conversations.
You can join the group for meals, book discussions and exploring, while still having plenty of time to yourself.
Spend the afternoon reading beside the pool, join everyone for dinner and then carry on the conversation about the book. The week is sociable without requiring you to be with the group all the time.
What's included
Your week in Turkey
- 7 nights at the Forever Hotel
- Double room for sole use
- Buffet breakfast every day
- 4 evening meals during the week
- ATOL-bonded flights
- Regional flight options available
- Return transfers from Dalaman Airport
- Books in Places hosted reading experience
- Book discussion of Birds Without Wings
- "A Book I Love" discussion over dinner
- Time to explore Ölü Deniz and the surrounding area
June 2027 · Turkey
Ready for a week in Ölü Deniz?
Join Books in Places for seven nights of books, sunshine, Turkish landscapes and relaxed company.
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