Monday I returned from a trip to London — Eric, two of our kids, and I spent 2.5 weeks there with 16 students on study abroad. It was a great time to explore — and for me to teach in a compressed timeframe, but what I wanted to share with you today is some of the delightful bookshops we explored while we were there. There were other bookstores we explored, too. We love Waterstones, and Oxford had several fun shops — I just didn’t grab photos. I’ll probably do another post with inside photos. There are an abundance of creative people who have designed some wonderful spaces to linger over books. These are a few worth investing time in while you’re in England.
Alice Through the Looking Glass is one of the shops on Cecil Court, otherwise known as Bookseller’s Row. The street itself was a disappointment with only a few bookshops and many of them of no interest, but this one was small and dedicated to Alice. So fun! It’s around the corner from Trafalager Square, the National Gallery, and Leicester Square, so pretty central. Well worth strolling into.
Not too far away near Covent Garden is this amazing travel bookshop — it’s also next to a wonderful gelato shop. The art on the side of Stanford’s and the other buildings in this little alley is what actually attracted me — and then we came back because the shop was closed the first time we walked by. Oh. My. Goodness. I could have spent so much money in the shop. It’s a perfect travel shop. The basement is light and airy and filled with maps and travel books. The ground floor definitely continues the theme but has such delightful travel themed gifts too. I loved this shop! (And the gelato in the neighboring shop is fresh and tasted like Italy. It was so good we went there twice — and we don’t do anything twice when we’re traveling.)
Notting Hill is a fun area to stroll, and it was very near to where we stayed between the Gloucester Square and South Kensington tube stops. Last time we were here I don’t remember going to the Bookshop, but Notting Hill with Julia Roberts is one of my favorite rom-coms. This time we made a point of going in. On. my. It was packed by perfect. Iconic and I could have spent so much money. I came out with a bag and some postcards…I was very aware of how much space I didn’t have in my suitcase, but it was PERFECT (and not a travel bookshop!).
We ended our trip with two days in Bath. This was a first for us, and I am SO glad we went. Bath is beautiful with the Georgian architecture and the Roman baths. So very beautiful and wonderful to walk around. But the book shops. Oh my goodness. We spent so much money in Bath, and Topping & Company is the large reason why. This indie had so many autographed books. It was our third visit where I took them up on the offer of the complimentary tea while Eric was deciding on which books to ship home and I discovered A.A. Milne wrote adult books as well as Winnie the Pooh. You can’t get those in the States, so two hopped into the box…I can’t wait to try those. I did buy one book here: it’s on Agatha Christie and her writing process…Fascinating! The store is beautiful and the service wonderful. It’s also the only way to see a Georgian townhouse, so you have to wander through it. Total hardship duty 😉
While this is the last one I’m showing you today, the design features may have been my favorite. One wall going up to the first floor was decorated with Tin-Tin comics. The ceiling of the basement was covered with book bags. The ceiling above the cash registers had the coolest display to represent the authors who had signed there. So many reading delights truly all over the store. It was also another store swarming with customers.
After wandering through all these stores, I would not be surprised if I had a book with a very cool bookstore soon. Just saying…though a bookstore does feature prominantly in my novella from Christmas in Mistletoe Square, Silver Bell Secrets.
When you travel do you have something you always explore, like we explored these bookshops?
GIVEAWAY LINK: I’m also giving away a copy of Nancy Naigle’s latest book. You can enter the giveaway by popping over to my blog here. You’ll also see a photo of the Emporium’s ceiling covered with book bags.
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Oh my… I would have needed an entire suitcase to fit everything I couldn’t have resisted had I visited those stores! LOL I don’t have anything that I particularly seek out when I travel, but when I stumble upon a bookstore, it’s usually a must stop.
Bookshops are the best on trips — books make great souvenirs. 🙂
Ohhh! Loved this post, Cara. We’re returning to Bath in a few weeks and will check out these shops. Can’t wait!
The bookshops in Bath were AMAZING, Julie. Take an extra suitcase. You’ll need it. And ask for the complimentary tea at Toppings immediately. 🙂
Fascinating! I love bookshops. Thanks for sharing.
Discovering new bookshops is one of my favorites things to do.
What fun, Cara! Bookshops are just so charming and welcoming. A great place to visit while traveling. When my daughter and I visited British Columbia we visited a bookstore that was situated next to a tea shop. We could have spent far too much time in each place.
Thank yoy for sharing your adventures. I look forward to seeing some of the interiors. 🙂
Tea shops are another favorite to explore for us too! I remember you talking about the teas you found on Book Talk!
When I was in London in 2019, I made sure to stop by Hatchards. It’s an English bookshop claiming to be the oldest in the United Kingdom, founded on Piccadilly in 1797 by John Hatchard. Of course, I bought something there and had it stamped.
That’s so cool! We’ll need to go there the next time we’re in London, Amy. Thanks for the recommendation.
So fun! We always explore bookstores when we travel! In fact, we did a whole day in Edinburgh that was just seeking out bookstores! If I ever get back to London or Bath (it’s been 20 years since I’ve been there, but oh, so lovely!), I’ll definitely search out some of these! Glad you had a good trip.
We’d hoped to go to Edinburgh…but Taylor was there 😉
😂
MORE reasons to visit the UK! Ahhhh.
More great reasons!
Wooowwww ..Cara… What a wonderful time, visiting bookstores. What a dream!
I would love to hear about A. A. Milne’s adult books that you bought, if you can write about it here sometime.
Oh! I’ll have to do that once they arrive.
What a fun post, Cara! Loved reading about your adventures and seeing those amazing bookstores (it just so happens my WIP I’m about to finish revising has a bookstore central to the story’s theme!). 😉
We don’t travel much, but when we do, my husband knows if there’s a bookstore in the area, we must stop for a visit! 🙂
Bookstores make the best settings for books, don’t they, Patti Jo?
What fabulous bookstores!! Love!
One never finds “An Emporium of Reading Delights” in the US but many of the small towns have delightful small and often quirky in selection and architecture indie bookstores. My husband stops for Harley Davidson dealers and I stop for small bookstores. My all time favorite though was a many-generation shop, now sadly gone, in Salisbury England across from the library. It smelled of antiquity and ancient wisdom and magic.