Top 10 Bookshops You Have to Visit in the UK (A Book Lover’s Dream List)

Okay, this place is basically a cathedral for book lovers 😍 Oak balconies, stained glass, light pouring through the skylights — and the books are arranged by COUNTRY instead of genre, so you can wander the whole world just by browsing. I could happily get lost in here for hours. If you only visit one London bookshop, make it this one.

A bookshop inside a restored Victorian railway station, with little model trains chugging along overhead, open fires crackling and comfy sofas everywhere 🚂 It's the cosiest, most magical place to lose a whole afternoon — and fun fact, it's where the famous “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster was rediscovered. Genuinely worth the trip all on its own.

This one's more of an experience than a shop, and I'm obsessed 💜 They do “Reading Spas” where an actual bookseller sits down with you, chats about everything you love, and curates a personal stack of books just for you — tea and cake very much included. Honestly? Pure bookish heaven (and basically what we do in subscription form).

A small shop with the biggest heart 💚 Award-winning for its community spirit, with the loveliest, most thoughtful curation for grown-ups and little ones alike. It's the kind of indie where the booksellers genuinely know their stuff and you leave with three books you absolutely did not plan to buy. I adore it.

A bookshop. On a CANAL BOAT 🚤 Tell me that isn't the dreamiest thing you've ever heard. It's packed with new and second-hand treasures, hosts poetry nights, and sometimes there's live jazz drifting off the deck while you browse. Pure magic — I genuinely could have stayed all day.

Established all the way back in 1887 and tucked among rolling Lake District hills 🏞️ It's the kind of shop you stumble on almost by accident and then never want to leave. An absolute dream for poetry lovers (hello, Wordsworth country). Cosy, characterful and impossibly charming — exactly what a little countryside bookshop should be.

Quirky, independent and absolutely bursting with personality ✨ The selection is gloriously eclectic and the whole interior feels like stepping straight into a storybook. It's the sort of place that reminds you exactly why indie bookshops are the best thing in the world. I want to move in.

SIX FLOORS of books — the biggest bookshop in all of Europe 🏢 Fantasy, non-fiction, cookbooks, you name it, plus a bar with a view over London so you can sip something while completely surrounded by books. It's a little overwhelming in the very best way. Set aside a whole afternoon for this one, trust me.

Rolling library ladders, handwritten recommendation cards and FREE tea while you browse ☕ This gorgeous little chain of indies keeps all that old-world charm alive and stocks the most beautiful signed editions. Every single branch is a treat. I never, ever leave empty-handed (or with a light tote).

A dreamy little seaside escape with a lovely vintage feel and shelves full of literary treasures 🌊 The perfect thing to do after a wander along the beach and some proper fish & chips. Cosy, charming and exactly the kind of coastal bookshop that makes a whole day trip worth it.