Kindred book lovers: Picture yourself on holiday, and you probably envision blissfully cosying up with a good read or three.
But how would you feel about going one better than that, and staying in a charming apartment in the Scottish lowlands that has its very own bookshop downstairs for you to run?
Yeah, we thought that would grab your attention.
The Airbnb rules for The Open Book in Wigtown are that you play shopkeeper while staying there. And it means for £28 a night, you can holiday in a cute village near the sea. Dreamy.
Plus, you have a team of friendly volunteers ready to help you out with running the bookshop for the local community.
Set up by The Wigtown Festival Company, The Open Book’s aim is to celebrate books, independent bookshops and welcome people around the world to Scotland’s National Book Town. (Just to give you an idea of how unique this place is, the town has 10 bookshops and only 1,000 residents.)
In the description of the pad on the Airbnb website, it says: “Live your dream of having your very own bookshop by the sea in Scotland… for a week or two.”
And under the rather unusual house rules, you’ll spot the terms and conditions state: “Residents are expected to contribute to the unique literary community of Scotland’s National Book Town. You will be a part of Wigtown’s history!”
The hosts also write: “We are a friendly community, many residents have had a busy time joining local families for dinner or gatherings at the pub, other residents spend the holiday in the cozy apartment upstairs and out exploring.”
Guests are allowed to host readings, events and any activity biblio-related, and they’re also asked to blog regularly during the stay – something that all the residents have done in the past.
Yep, this is officially the cutest holiday idea ever.
If you’re worried your CV lacks any shopkeeping skills, don’t worry, because you have free rein when it comes to how you run the place. A little stalk on Instagram gives an idea of what previous residents have got up to while there.
Though we imagine it would be pretty easy to get lost in having your own bookshop, you’ll want to make sure you enjoy the free bicycles that come with the place – Galloway is one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland, with the sea and ancient woodlands nearby.
Plus, there are endless activities to do during your stay – we’re talking crumbling castles, a whisky distillery and nature preserves.
And did we mention the books?
