📅 SAVE THE DATE #TheIlseSchwepckePrize 2026 shortlist will be announced on 3 September. We’re so excited to celebrate the women defining travel writing.

It’s only five days to go until submissions for the Ilse Schwepcke Prize close on 31 March. The prize is open to works of travel writing by a woman writing in English. Submissions are welcome from any country or place of residence. Translations are not eligible.

📚MEET THE JUDGES This #InternationalWomensDay, we are excited to reveal that writer Jacky Colliss Harvey will be joining Fiammetta Rocco and Arabella von Friesen on the 2026 Ilse Schwepcke Prize jury.

📚 MEET THE JUDGES Joining Fiammetta Rocco on the jury is continuity judge and John Sandoe Books bookseller Arabella von Friesen.

📚 MEET THE JUDGES Introducing the first of our brilliant judges, we are so pleased that Fiammetta Rocco will Chair the jury for the 2026 #IlseSchwepckePrize

Who will win the next #TheIlseSchwepckePrize?📚🌍 Submissions for the 2026 Ilse Schwepcke Prize for women’s travel writing are open.

Need a gift for your globetrotter this Christmas? We’ve got you covered!📚🎄🎁 Shop the 2025 Ilse Schwepcke Prize winner and shortlist on @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social (link in our bio).

Prize co-founder Dr Barbara Schwepcke sat down with Sarah Hemens (@newgermanbooks.bsky.social) to talk about the Prize in its inaugural year. Read here: www.new-books-in-german.com/ilse-schwepk...

Shining a light on travel writing in English and German – the Ilse Schwepke Prize – New Books in German

New Books in German promotes German-language literature for translation into English

new-books-in-german.com

Missed our prize ceremony at the Frankfurt Book Fair? Watch here as Ursula Martin and Millay Hyatt are awarded the inaugural Ilse Schwepcke Prize: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI13...

Verleihung der Ilse-Schwepcke-Preise für Reiseschriftstellerinnen

YouTube video by Kurt Wolff Stiftung

youtube.com

✍️ NEW BLOG POST We had the pleasure awarding inaugural Prize winners Ursula Martin and Millay Hyatt at the @buchmesse.de. Read more about the ceremony here: www.ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/news/awardin...

A MASSIVE congratulations to Ursula Martin! One Woman Walks Europe has won the Ilse Schwepcke Prize for Women's Travel Writing 2025! An exhilarating journey into the wild nature of land and her own spirit. One Woman Walks Europe is out now by @honnopress.bsky.social

The Ilse Schwepcke Prize@theisprize.bsky.social · 10mo ago

We are delighted to reveal that Ursula Martin is the winner of the inaugural #TheIlseSchwepckePrize for her book, ONE WOMAN WALKS EUROPE (@honnopress.bsky.social). This is what she said about winning the Prize ⬇️

We are delighted to reveal that Ursula Martin is the winner of the inaugural #TheIlseSchwepckePrize for her book, ONE WOMAN WALKS EUROPE (@honnopress.bsky.social). This is what she said about winning the Prize ⬇️

🌟SHORTLIST SPOTLIGHT Our final shortlist spotlight is ONE UKRAINIAN SUMMER, Viv Groskop‘s enthralling memoir of her time spent in post-Soviet Russia and Ukraine.

🌟 SHORTLIST SPOTLIGHT Next on our shortlist spotlight is ONE WOMAN WALKS EUROPE – Ursula Martin’s extraordinary, captivating story of walking 5500 miles from Eastern to Western Europe.

🌟SHORTLIST SPOTLIGHT Victoria Whitworth’s moving and courageous memoir, DUST AND POMEGRANATES, entwines recollections from her youth with explorations of Greek myth and legend.

✍️ NEW BLOG POST We had a wonderful evening celebrating the announcement of the English and German shortlists at John Sandoe Books on Saturday. Read more about it here: www.ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/news/celebra...

The shortlist for the Ilse Schwepcke Prize has now been announced. Congratulations to Kapka Kassabova, Ursula Martin, Viv Groskop (@vivgroskop) and Victoria Whitworth, It is an annual award, administered by the SoA, for women’s travel writing in the English language.

We are thrilled to announce the shortlist of the inaugural #TheIlseSchwepckePrize for women’s travel writing. Congratulations to our shortlisted authors! Read more about the shortlist here: ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/2025-shortlist/

A reminder that submissions for the inaugural #TheIlseSchwepckePrize will close on Monday 31 March. To see the full eligibility criteria, and to apply, visit the link in our bio.

✍️ NEW BLOG POST In this post, we highlight some of our favourite women travellers and explorers to celebrate Women's History Month. Read here: www.ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/news/womens-...

📚 MEET THE JUDGES Our third and final Juror is Stephanie Yeboah [📸: Kaye Ford]

📚 MEET THE JUDGES Our second juror is, Arabella von Friesen.

📚 MEET THE JUDGES Introducing the first of our three brilliant jurors, Helena Attlee.

📆 SAVE THE DATES Submissions for #TheIlseSchwepckePrize will close 31 March. A shortlist, chosen by our judges, will be announced in September. The winners of The Ilse Schwepcke Prize, and Der Ilse Schwepcke Preis, will be announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October.

Submissions for #TheIlseSchwepckePrize have opened! Open to works of travel writing by a woman writing in English, submissions are welcome from any country or place of residence. Translations are not eligible. To see the full eligibility criteria visit the link in our bio.