Agatha Christie is among the best-loved authors of all time, with her books having sold millions of copies to generations of fans. Part of the enduring appeal of her work is the diversity of locations she used as settings.
If you’re a major fan of the Queen of crime writing, then you might want to take your passion into the real world, and visit some of the real-life places that inspired her. But exactly where might you visit?
The Orient Express
In the mind of Christie, the spectacular luxury of a train speeding across continental Europe made the perfect setting for a murder mystery. Today, there’s no shortage of services seeking to evoke the spirit of the classic story, with travellers taking a train from Venice to London that perfectly encapsulates the roaring twenties spirit.
The River Nile
An Egypt river cruise, inspired by Christie’s infamous Death on the Nile, is the perfect way to retrace the steps of the author. Discover the treasures of the ancient kingdom as you stop off awe-inspiring landmarks whilst experiencing the unique luxury of a river steamship.
A modern cruise along the river makes for an amazing combination of early 20th century decadence with cutting-edge facilities, as you sail back in time, experiencing Christie’s archeolgical inspirations along the way.
Petra, Jordan
Christie repeatedly found inspiration in the Middle East. Israel, Iraq, and Jordan have all shown up in various stories. In Appointment with Death, Poirot travels from Jerusalem to the famous ancient city of Petra, which is regarded among the seven wonders of the world. Pay a visit here, and you’ll instantly see what it was that so captivated the world’s most famous and prolific mystery novelist.
Torquay
The author’s birthplace, Torquay, is the perfect place to add to your Christie-inspired travel bucket-list, and every year it plays host to a festival in her honour. Among the activities to pursue here is the Agatha Christie Mile, which is a self-guided tour that will take you through some of the more significant Christie-related spots in town.
Burgh Island
This little island, off the coast of mainland Devon, provided a setting for two of Christie’s novels: Evil Under the Sun, and her most successful work: And Then There Were None. It’s a place with unique appeal, and an extraordinary hotel to match the island’s exclusivity. Every true Christie fan should visit the place – and those with deep pockets might even buy it!
Among the most famous of the hotel’s rooms is the beach house built for Agatha Christie in the 1930s, where the two novels in question were actually written. If you’re a budding novelist looking to capture some inspiration from one of the greats, this is the place to stay!