Delegates and accompanying persons had the choice to go on a range of specially created tours celebrating children’s (and some adult) literature. The tours were offered by our partners International Friends and details can be found below.

IBBY Special Tours Celebrating Children’s Literature
 

A. Walking Tours in London

Shakespeare’s London

This tour begins at Sir Christopher Wren's Monument to the Great Fire of 1666, explores areas of London linked to Shakespeare and finishes at St Paul's Cathedral. On the way you will also catch glimpses of literary London from other times, walk over London Bridge, tread cobbled streets in Borough Market and see the replica of the Elizabethan ship The Golden Hinde and the new Globe Theatre.
 

Peter Pan’s London

This tour explores areas where J M Barrie lived and worked, and where he set his most famous work. A short tube ride is part of the tour, taking you to the Museum of Great Ormond Street Hospital, containing memorabilia of both Peter Pan and Barrie. Finally a short walk to the home of Wendy and the rest of the Darling family, and the theatre where Peter Pan first appeared.

Charles Dickens’ London

Starting in London's vibrant Theatreland, this tour takes in Covent Garden and the Victorian buildings of the Inns of Court, both places where Dickens once worked. Crossing Fleet Street, passing the Royal Courts of Justice, it takes Chancery Lane to the site of Furnival's Inn, Dickens' former home, where the tour finishes.

B. One Day Tours
 

Green Knowe and Tom’s Midnight Garden

This tour travels to Cambridgeshire to the manor house of Hemingford Grey, the setting for Lucy M Boston's Green Knowe books and the home of the children who lived there over the centuries. A tour of the house is followed by lunch in a country pub en route to the historic city of Ely. In the afternoon we see locations used in Philippa Pearce’s classic story, Tom's Midnight Garden, including the author’s former home in Great Shelford and Ely Cathedral.

Charles Dickens and Great Expectations

A day tour to Kent, the setting for many of Dickens’ books, including Rochester, his favourite town, where many buildings linked to Dickens can be seen. After lunch the tour moves to Chatham to see his home there, and then to Broadstairs where he would come for relaxation, and finishes at the Dickens House and Museum before returning to London.

Children’s Literature in Oxford

Visit the city which was home to some of the greatest children’s writers, including Lewis Carroll, C S Lewis, J R R Tolkien and Philip Pullman, and learn about these and other characters who have lived here. We include a walking tour of the University, a private 'behind the scenes' tour of Christchurch and a visit to the exciting new Story Museum.

Wizards and Wonka

Spend the morning at the most anticipated new attraction of the year, the Harry Potter Studio Tour in the former stage buildings at Leavesden. All the major sets are here and countless props along with costumes and exhibits such as Harry's Nimbus 2000 and Hagrid's motorbike. In the afternoon the tour moves to Great Missenden to see the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre where we can enter the world of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach. The museum contains Dahl memorabilia as well as various objects that gave the author his inspirations.

C. Overnight tours

Home of Children's' Books - two days

On this two day tour discover England's North East, visiting Yorkshire, including the Parsonage Museum in Haworth and its links with the Bronte sisters, and Newcastle to see Seven Stories, the national home of children's literature, with its fascinating collection of exhibitions and original artwork.
 There will also be a short stop in York on the return journey.

Swallows, Amazons & Peter Rabbit - 3 days

This three day tour heads to the beautiful Lake District National Park, beginning in Bowness on Windermere for a journey by boat across the largest of England's lakes, one of the settings for Arthur Ransome’s classic Swallows and Amazons books. We explore the National Park by coach, visit Hill Top Farm, the home of Beatrix Potter, and Coniston Water where an optional visit is to the Ruskin Museum. Finally we see Grasmere where William Wordsworth is buried and visit Dove Cottage or walk along the banks of the River Rothey from Grasmere to Rydal Water, Wordsworth's favourite lake.