Where to Travel If You Want to Live Inside ACOTAR
If you’ve read A Court of Thorns and Roses, you already know the feeling. You finish a chapter set in Velaris and look up from the page, a little disappointed that your kitchen doesn’t have a view of starlight on the river.
Good news: Prythian isn’t real, but the places that feel like it are! We’ve been planning trips for 20 years, and more and more of our clients are asking for travel that feels like stepping into a story. So we mapped each court to a real destination you can actually visit, with the kind of hotels and experiences that would make even the High Lords a little jealous.
No major spoilers ahead. Promise.
The Spring Court: France’s Loire Valley
Endless gardens, roses climbing old stone walls, and a grand manor estate that feels frozen in a perfect season. The Loire Valley is the closest thing to Tamlin’s lands you’ll find on Earth.
Walk the gardens at Château de Villandry, cross the river at Château de Chenonceau, and spend your evenings at a château hotel where dinner lasts three hours and nobody minds. Go in late May or June when the roses peak. We’d arrange a private guide who knows the history behind each château, plus a driver so you can enjoy the wine tastings properly.
The Summer Court: The Greek Islands
Adriata is a city of white stone rising out of turquoise water, and the Greek islands deliver exactly that. Santorini gives you dramatic cliffs and sunsets that always live up to the hype. Hydra, where cars aren’t allowed, gives you something quieter and more timeless.
The best way to experience this court is by water. A private yacht day between islands, a swim in a cove only reachable by boat, and a seafood lunch at a taverna the captain loves. Travel between June and early October.
The Autumn Court: Kyoto in November
Red and gold forests, ancient traditions, and an elegance that hides a lot beneath the surface. Kyoto in autumn is breathtaking, and the maple leaves turn the temple grounds into something that looks painted.
Stay at Aman Kyoto, tucked into a private forest garden, and it will feel like you’ve wandered into the Autumn Court’s woods (minus the Vanserra family drama). A private guide can get you into temples early, before the crowds, and arrange a tea ceremony or a kaiseki dinner that’s a true performance.
The Winter Court: Finnish Lapland
Snow that sparkles under a pale sun, silent frozen forests, and a certain icy grandeur. Lapland is the Winter Court come to life.
Octola, a private wilderness retreat, is where we’d send you. Think husky sledding through untouched snow, reindeer, ice fishing, and a private chef cooking dinner while the northern lights appear overhead. December through March is ideal, and the holidays here are magical for families.
The Night Court: Arctic Norway
This is the one everyone asks about. Velaris sits where mountains meet the sea, and the Night Court is all starlight and sky. Northern Norway, especially the Lyngen Alps and Lofoten Islands, delivers both.
Jagged peaks drop straight into the water, and from September through March the aurora dances across the sky in a way that honestly feels like Starfall. Lyngen Lodge is small, remote, and exceptional, with guided aurora hunts, fjord cruises, and evenings by the fire. Bring your Inner Circle.
Illyria: The Scottish Highlands
Rugged mountains, wild weather, and warrior culture. The Illyrian camps belong in the Highlands.
Drive through Glencoe, hike trails that make you feel very small in the best way, and try your hand at archery or falconry. Stay at Inverlochy Castle, a Relais & Châteaux property at the foot of Ben Nevis. Want the view Cassian and Azriel get? Book a private helicopter flight over the lochs.
The Day Court: Rajasthan, India
Golden palaces, a celebrated library, and a court devoted to knowledge and light. Rajasthan glows, literally. The sandstone of Jaipur and Udaipur turns gold at sunset.
In Udaipur, stay at the Taj Lake Palace, which seems to float in the middle of Lake Pichola, or The Oberoi Udaivilas across the water. Private guides can open doors to palace collections and old manuscripts, and your driver handles everything in between. October through March brings the best weather.
The Dawn Court: Cappadocia, Türkiye
A court of inventors and healers, with soft pastel skies and a palace carved into cliffs. Cappadocia is dawn itself.
The magic happens before sunrise, when hundreds of hot air balloons rise over fairy chimneys and cave villages. We book a private balloon basket so it’s just your group, then breakfast back at your cave suite at Museum Hotel or Argos in Cappadocia. Spring and fall are gorgeous.
The Hewn City: Matera, Italy
Carved into rock, ancient, a little dark, and undeniably dramatic. The Hewn City has a real counterpart in Matera, where people lived in caves for thousands of years.
Stay at Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita, a cave hotel lit by candlelight, and explore the Sassi with a local guide at dusk. It’s moody in the best way, and paired with the Amalfi Coast or Puglia, it makes an unforgettable Italy trip.
Want to Visit More Than One Court?
You can. A few combinations that work beautifully:
- Night and Winter: Arctic Norway and Finnish Lapland in one winter trip.
- Hewn City and Summer: Matera paired with the Amalfi Coast or a Greek island hop.
- Spring and Illyria: The Loire Valley and the Scottish Highlands, connected by a short flight.
This is also a fun one for book clubs, girls’ trips, and milestone birthdays. Imagine planning a trip around your favorite series with the friends who’ve been texting you theories for years.
Let Us Handle the Details
You don’t need to figure out which month the roses bloom or which hotel has the best aurora views. That’s our job. We’ll design a trip around the courts you love, with private guides, door to door service, and hotels that actually deliver.
Ready to find your court? Reach out here and let’s start planning.
