Inside the Scottish town where visitors pay to become booksellers for a week

For many book lovers, the dream is a familiar one- leaving behind emails, meetings and deadlines to spend days surrounded by shelves of books, helping customers discover their next great read.

In Wigtown, a small town in southwest Scotland known as the country's National Book Town, that dream can become reality.

Through a unique initiative called The Open Book, visitors can rent a working second-hand bookshop, live in the apartment above it and take charge of the store for a week or longer. What began as a creative literary experiment has grown into one of the world's most unusual travel experiences, attracting readers from across Europe, North America, Australia and Asia.

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What exactly is The Open Book?

Launched in 2014 by the Wigtown Book Festival, The Open Book is not a themed accommodation designed to look like a bookshop. It is a real bookshop with real customers.

Guests are handed the keys to the store and encouraged to run it as their own. They can arrange displays, recommend books, chat with customers, create themed sections and even host events such as readings, discussions or poetry evenings.

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The initiative was created to celebrate independent bookselling and introduce visitors to the literary culture that has transformed Wigtown over the past few decades.

The town itself has a population of around 1,000 people but is home to an impressive number of bookshops, making it a pilgrimage site for readers.

What's it like to stay there?

The accommodation consists of a one-bedroom apartment located directly above the bookshop. According to the Airbnb listing, it can accommodate two guests and includes a kitchen, workspace and living area.

But what guests often remember most is not the apartment itself.

Reviews frequently mention the experience of becoming part of the local community. Visitors talk about regular conversations with customers, recommendations exchanged across the counter and the simple pleasure of spending a day among books.

The Airbnb listing holds a rating of nearly 5 stars from more than 200 reviews, with many guests describing the stay as unlike any other travel experience they have had.

One guest wrote that running the shop felt like "living inside a novel", while others praised the opportunity to disconnect from digital life and embrace a slower rhythm.

An American couple who took part in the residency later described it as "an analog experience in a digital world", saying that conversations with customers became one of the highlights of their trip.

Why has it become so popular?

The residency gained international attention after early media coverage went viral, turning what was initially a local experiment into a global literary phenomenon.

According to organisers, hundreds of readers have now taken part, and guests have organised everything from author talks and book launches to quizzes and community gatherings.

The appeal lies in its authenticity. Unlike many tourism experiences, there is no script to follow. Visitors are not pretending to be booksellers; for a week, they actually are.

The experience also offers a glimpse into life in Wigtown, which hosts the annual Wigtown Book Festival and has built its identity around books and literary tourism.

How much does it cost?

The Open Book is listed on Airbnb and currently costs around £175 per night (approximately Rs. 20,000), though rates can vary by season.

Demand remains consistently high. Reports over the years have noted long waiting lists, with some aspiring booksellers planning their stays many months in advance.

For readers who have ever imagined owning a neighbourhood bookstore, The Open Book offers something remarkably close to the real thing: a set of keys, a shop full of stories and a week spent living among them.