The Rise of Digital Detox Escapes (and Why You’ll Want One Too)
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According to the summer 2025 Pinterest report, it’s a digital detox summer, with Gen Z specifically looking to step away from the screen in favour of real-life experiences and taking in the world around them.
One trend that particularly stood out from the report was book retreats, with Pinterest searches up 103% and Google searches up 163% in the UK over the past month.
To learn more about book retreats and what they offer, global travel booking site Omio has spoken to Megan Christopher, a 34-year-old woman from the UK who hosts ‘Ladies Who Lit’, an online book club and book retreats business.
Megan hosts book retreats all over Europe, including Italy and Spain, as well as in other countries and continents worldwide, like the Caribbean and Morocco.
When asked why she wanted to start up a book retreat, Megan stated, “I started Ladies Who Lit to connect with other like-minded people who share the same interest in different and beautiful parts of the world. Reading can bring people together, and I wanted to create a fun and safe space for us all to indulge in something we’re passionate about.”
According to Megan, the island of Sicily has been her favourite retreat so far: “I loved Sicily as it had rich food and an even richer culture, making it perfect for exploring, reading and basking in the sunshine, all while making new friends and creating memories that will last a lifetime. That being said, all my retreats have a special place in my heart, and I feel extremely lucky to have a job that allows me to travel the world and meet amazing women from all different walks of life.”
It’s clear Megan’s retreats are not shy of happy moments. When asked to share a special one, she said: “For a standout memory, I’d share the time we were in France. We were discussing Everything’s Fine by Cecilia Rabess, and it sparked such a lively debate about race and politics. It was wonderful to see everyone so engaged and passionate, and the women taking part in the discussion being so respectful and fostering a judgement-free space.”
With book retreats rising in popularity, we asked Megan why she thinks more people are looking to connect over books. She said: “I believe that the trend of reading is growing exponentially, certainly thanks to the likes of BookTok. But it’s more than that. I think we are far enough out of COVID now that we are all craving human connection, and I think as modern women, it can be hard to line up friends to go on holiday with due to overcommitments or life priorities. This gives you a chance to meet other like-minded women who share your interests.
Additionally, I think women revel in the opportunity to not make any decisions and just have it all done for them. It’s not often as a woman you get that opportunity, and to be in a beautiful setting and not worried about what you’re going to eat or have the kids’ school clothes washed, it gives you a real chance to actually relax. We see women go home a different person from the one who arrived, and they often say how calm and relaxed they are.”
It seems there are no signs of slowing down for Megan and Ladies Who Lit, as she has plenty of retreats lined up for the rest of the year:
“Ladies Who Lit has proved extremely popular so far, and things are going really well. I have at least one a month planned for the next year, and plenty more plans in the pipeline. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Ladies Who Lit and where in the world it will take us next.”
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