On Ernest Hemingway's birthday, travel the world in the footsteps of the literary titan

Tatler Asia

19 hours ago

Paris, France: write your story in a quiet sanctuary
Hemingway wrote parts of his breakthrough novel The Sun Also Rises while frequenting cafés such as La Closerie des Lilas, located in the lively Montparnasse district. He also rented rooms in the Latin Quarter, including areas near Rue Descartes, seeking quiet spaces to write away from the bustle of his flat. Find your corner table, order a café au lait and let the city's rich literary energy inspire your story. Key West, Florida: battle a marlin on the deep blue Gulf Stream
Above The literary titan spent countless hours on fishing adventures, hunting marlin, tuna and swordfish. (Photo: Slava. Jamm / Unsplash)
Few places captured Ernest Hemingway's passion like the deep sea. In 1934, he purchased his customised 38-foot fishing boat Pilar, and spent countless hours on the Gulf Stream and surrounding waters off Key West, Cuba and the Bimini Islands, hunting giant marlin, tuna and swordfish. These fishing adventures provided authentic detail for his novels , To Have and Have Not and his Pulitzer Prize-winning The Old Man and the Sea . Today, you can charter a boat from Key West's historic harbour and experience the thrill of battling these magnificent fish in the same waters that served as Hemingway's ultimate proving ground. Northern Michigan: find solitude on the trout streams of his youth
The pristine wilderness shaped Hemingway's earliest literary imagination. During summers at his family's cottage, Windemere, on Walloon Lake, young Ernest developed his lifelong passion for fishing in the crystal-clear streams of northern Michigan. This landscape became the setting for his semi-autobiographical Nick Adams stories, where characters first confronted life's harsh truths. Visit public access points on Walloon Lake or cast a line in Horton Creek, connecting with the natural world that was the wellspring of his writing. Pamplona, Spain: soak up the 24/7 energy of the San Fermín festival
The energy of Pamplona's San Fermín festival transformed Hemingway from observer to participant. He attended the festival numerous times, fully embracing the spectacle of dancing, drinking and the primal thrill of the bull run—even participating in the run himself. His novel The Sun Also Rises turned this provincial party into a global phenomenon. Experience the non-stop energy of the fiesta, from the Plaza del Castillo to the winding streets of the encierro route, and understand why this celebration became central to his artistic vision. Cuba: live the island life, from Old Havana to the fishing village of Cojimar
Above Hemingway spent over 20 years in Cuba, fishing and frequenting local spots. (Photo: Diego Gennaro / Unsplash)
Cuba defined Hemingway's most productive decades. For over 20 years, he made the island his home, fishing for marlin from his boat Pilar , which he docked in the small fishing village of Cojimar—the inspiration for the setting of The Old Man and the Sea . He was a well-known figure in Havana, starting a local baseball team and frequenting bars like La Floridita. Live like a local: fish the Gulf Stream, explore Old Havana's cobblestone streets and soak in the vibrant culture that inspired his Nobel Prize-winning work. Idaho: hunt for serenity in the 'high blue windless skies'
Ernest Hemingway sought the peace that eluded him in his final sanctuary. The writer found refuge in Ketchum, Idaho's rugged landscape, which reminded him of Spain's mountains. His passions here were hunting and fishing, finding solace in the outdoors. He wrote a moving eulogy for a friend, now inscribed on his memorial, celebrating the 'leaves yellow on the cottonwoods' and 'the high blue windless skies'. Explore the mountains and streams around Sun Valley, seeking the same tranquillity and connection to nature that he pursued in his twilight years.
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