Vargas Llosa's travelling legacy

15-04-25

Mario Vargas Llosa, who died on 13 April 2025 in Lima at the age of 89, was not only a giant of Spanish-American literature and winner of the Nobel Prize in 2010, but also a tireless traveller who turned tourism into a tool for knowledge, empathy and freedom. For him, travelling was a way of overcoming prejudices and understanding the complexity of the human being.

From his earliest years, Vargas Llosa understood that literature and travel were deeply intertwined. His work reflects a living geography: from the streets of Lima in ‘Conversation in the Cathedral’ to the Amazon jungle in ‘The Talkative’, passing through international settings such as the Dominican Republic in ‘The Feast of the Goat’ or the Congo in his essay on Roger Casement. Each destination he visited fed his narrative and his vision of the world.

The writer considered tourism to be the best defence against the caricature of others. In an interview, he stated that ‘tourism is the best defence against the caricature of others’, emphasising how direct contact with different cultures helps to break down stereotypes and foster mutual understanding. This philosophy led him to explore places like Brazil, Tahiti and the Congo, not just as a tourist, but as an attentive and respectful observer.

His passion for travel was also reflected in his personal life. He lived in countries such as Spain, France and the UK, and his love of cities such as Paris and Madrid was evident in his writings and public statements. In 2023, he announced his retirement from writing and journalism, but continued to travel and participate in cultural events until his final days.