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The most beautiful Bookshops in the UK & Ireland
From historic venues and pioneering publishers to special editions and unique ‘book spa’ experiences – Dream Escape uncovers the best bookshops and festivals to make any literary lover’s trip unforgettable…
BEAUTIFULLY BOOKISH SPACES IN LONDON, ENGLAND
London is the ultimate page-turner – from the storied hangouts of the Bloomsbury group – of which Virginia Woolf and EM Forster were both members – to Charles Dickens’ townhouse museum in Holborn.
The iconic British Library has 150 million-plus books (including Jane Austen’s childhood notebook), but best of all is the city’s incredible selection of independent bookshops.
Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street is an original Edwardian bookshop with imposing oak galleries and stunning skylights. Originally specialising in travel books, it still offers hundreds of guidebooks and travel-related tomes, plus modern fiction, historical and political books, too.
Hatchards in St James is the oldest bookshop in the UK – first opening in 1797 – and you can pick up a host of signed, rare and first-edition titles here.
Also in Notting Hill, Books for Cooks is a haven for foodies, crammed with thousands of recipe books and offering regular cookery classes.
Finally, venture east to Spitalfields to Libreria. This contemporary bookshop is small but full of creativity and character. The booksellers arrange books into broad themes like ‘wanderlust’ or ‘the city’ to help readers discover new titles.
UNIQUE READING EXPERIENCES IN BATH, ENGLAND
One of Bath’s earliest literary mentions is in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and everyone from Jane Austen to Mary Shelley was inspired by the city’s historic streets and sweeping crescents.
Mr B’s Emporium on John Street is not only a stunning bookshop with impeccably stocked shelves, but it also offers a unique book spa experience. Over tea and cake, you can chat about your favourite books and genres with one of the bookobsessed team members. Then, your ‘bibliotherapist’ handpicks a selection of books just for you, including new suggestions and related titles to take home.
Other bookish spots include Persephone Books in Bath’s Edgar Buildings. They reprint previously overlooked fiction and nonfiction titles by women writers. Topping & Company is another indie spot set in the city’s historic hall building, and the booksellers love talking books over pots of coffee and cake.
QUIRKY HISTORIC SPOTS IN EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
Scotland’s capital was the first city to receive the UNESCO City of Literature destination when the program launched in 2004. Aside from being the birthplace of many famous writers (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, for one), it’s also home to the world's oldest library as well as the Edinburgh International Book Festival (10-25 August this year) – the largest literary festival on the planet.
McNaughtan's is the oldest secondhand and antiquarian bookshop in Scotland (pictured below), and Innerpeffray Library was the first lending library in Scotland. Typewronger Books on Haddington Place is a must-visit. It’s an Aladdin's cave of new books and zines, and the booksellers are full of passion and spot-on recommendations. In Stockbridge, you’ll find Golden Hare Books, an indie bookshop with an incredible selection of new fiction titles and a cosy wood-burning stove. Nearby is Ginger & Pickles, a children’s specialist with an impressive collection to inspire young mind
While you’re there, why not try one of Dream Escape’s unique experiences? Take a private tour of the National Library of Scotland, browse the Scottish Poetry Library’s collection in the city’s Old Town or get lost in the Writers’ Museum, which honours three Scottish greats – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.
INCREDIBLE LITERARY HERITAGE IN BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND
The birthplace of the inimitable Seamus Heaney and the old stomping ground of novelist and playwright Samuel Beckett, Belfast has major literary leanings.
The Belfast Book Festival (6-13 June) is the country’s leading literary festival. Or, for an unforgettable experience, opt for a private visit to the Armagh Robinson Library with Dream Escape You can delve into the pages of Irish history and a treasure trove of rarities, including a first edition of the classic Gulliver’s Travels corrected in Jonathan Swift’s handwriting.
For your secondhand bookshop fix, head to North Street. Belfast Books specialises in Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’ books and has a great selection of war, sci-fi, horror and epic biographies. Keats and Chapman is nearby, with 30,000 secondhand books at very low prices.
Don’t leave without a trip to No Alibis Bookstore on Botantic Avenue. This community bookshop is a friendly creative hub for new book launches and poetry readings, specialising in Irish literature, history, mystery and crime fiction.
RARE AND FASCINATING TOMES IN DUBLIN, IRELAND
James Joyce is usually the first name that pops into people’s heads when they think of Irish writing, but Dublin is also the birthplace of Oscar Wilde (you’ll find his house in Merrion Square), WB Yeats and Bram Stoker.
Books Upstairs is Dublin’s oldest independent bookshop, located on College Green set in a beautiful building opposite Trinity College. Two friends opened the shop to highlight the positive role of books in society and Irish culture.
Then there’s the famed Ulysses Rare Books on Duke Street, specialising in 20th-century Irish literature. The selection of rare editions is unrivalled and there’s a beautiful mural depicting Dublin’s most celebrated writers.
Marrowbone Books is tucked away in one of Dublin’s coolest neighbourhoods, The Liberties. This quirky secondhand bookshop has a huge selection of paperback fiction and is the ideal place to widen your tastes.
For the ultimate literary experience, opt for Dream Escape’s trip to see The Book of Kells at the Old Library in Trinity College (pictured above). This 9th-century gospel manuscript is worldrenowned and illustrates the four Gospels of the Bible.
EPIC STORIES IN CONWY, WALES
Conwy is an unsung literary spot on the beautiful North Wales coast. An epicentre for Welsh storytelling, it’s also the home of Conwy Castle – crowned a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Check out Bys a Bawd on Denbigh Street. This old bookshop is packed with the latest reads for adults and children, and focuses on Welsh books and books from or about Wales. Or, visit Hinton’s – a small indie book and giftshop in the historic centre. There’s a cosy children’s room crammed with childhood classics and a range of Welsh-language children’s books.
Lastly, Junction Bookshop has sold antique, rare and collectable books for over 50 years. Look out for great Welsh writers like poet Dylan Thomas and travel writer Jan Morris, and the shop’s specialist collection of Victorian maps.
The most unique book festivals to visit this summer
1. HAY FESTIVAL, HAY-ON-WYE, WALES
When: 23 May–2 June
At Hay, the world's greatest writers, thinkers and performers come together. This year’s speakers include Anthony Horowitz, Ruby Wax and Tim Spector – all set against the rolling Welsh countryside.
2. BALLYSCULLION PARK BOOK FESTIVAL, BELLAGHY, NORTHERN IRELAND
When: 11–12 May
The first Ballyscullion Festival will celebrate all things literature and art in the heart of Seamus Heaney country. There’ll also be a special focus on WB Yeats, as it’s been 100 years since he received the Nobel Prize for Poetry.
3. BLOOMSDAY FESTIVAL, DUBLIN, IRELAND
When: 11–16 June
This uniquely Irish festival is a celebration of James Joyce’s epic Ulysses . Held on the anniversary of the day featured in the book – 16 June 1904 – it takes place across the streets of Dublin, which inspired his many works.
4. BORDERS BOOK FESTIVAL, MELROSE, SCOTLAND
When: 13–16 June
Across four fun-packed days, you can immerse yourself in literary talks, comedy and live music. Leading authors and speakers include One Day author David Nicholls, broadcaster Louise Minchin and Scottish writer Alistair Murray Moffat.
5. BRADFORD LITERATURE FESTIVAL, BRADFORD, UK
When: 28 June–7 July
This North Yorkshire festival will celebrate its 10th year with 10 colourful days of literary, musical and cultural events. Expect family-friendly workshops and plenty of Brontë-inspired celebrations.
Did you know? Hatchards, London is said to be the UK's oldest bookshop, having been established by publisher and antislavery campaigner John Hatchard in 1797.
ROSIE PEATTIE CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
One of my greatest pleasures in life is visiting bookshops, and they come in all shapes and sizes: in repurposed buildings, in tiny side streets, and often with fascinating names. Secondhand bookshops are treasure troves that bring back memories of years gone by. My favourite bookshops are those with cosy nooks, soft carpets, and inviting armchairs where you can enjoy the warm atmosphere as you linger over the books with a cup of coffee. It’s easy to let the rest of the world fall away as you enter the bookshop; that certain distinctive smell of books, promising lots of new adventures, envelops you. Another world is waiting for you, welcoming adults and children alike.
Words | Amy Bonifas
