It is the autumn of 1925. Hermann Hesse starts a train journey from his home in Ticino to Nuremberg, where he has promised to participate in a literary event.

The author, who does not particularly enjoy traveling, will take his trip slowly, making as many stops as possible to meet friends and enjoy their company with a good glass of wine, see sights, and read a few more books. From Locarno to Zurich, Blauburgunderland, Ulm, Augsburg, and Munich, Hesse narrates the moment he decided to become a poet, talks about the art of storytelling, the models for his characters, and painting.

By the time he reaches Nuremberg, we will have had a chance to catch a glimpse of the soul of this reluctant traveler, who does not yet know that he will become one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, be awarded the Nobel Prize, and continue to be read around the world to this day.