Bookshops
100 Best Bookshops Around the World
Bookshops keep the written word alive in this modern digital age. The wonder books take us on enchanting trips transporting us through lands and time, educating and entertaining us. These 100 best bookshops are remarkable in their variety and individuality. There are so many unique bookstores around the world this list should be much longer! We would love for you to share your favorite bookstores via the "submit a shop" link at the bottom of our home page.
1. Hatchards
London's oldest bookshop established in Piccadilly in 1797.
London Store 187 Piccadilly, St. James's, London, W1J 9LE, UK
2. Word on the Water
A 100 year old Dutch barge is home a unique bookshop, also known as The London Bookbarge.
London Store Regent's Canal Towpath, London, N1C 4PQ, UK
3. Cecil Court
London's new Booksellers Row is a charming Victorian pedestrian alley.
Cecil Court Cecil Court, London, WC2N 4HE, UK
4. Watkins Books
London's oldest and largest esoteric bookshop established in 1893.
London Store 19-21 Cecil Court, London, WC2N 4EZ, UK
5. Marchpane
London's premier specialist in rare children's and illustrated books.
London Store 16 Cecil Court, London, WC2N 4HE, UK
6. The Notting Hill Bookshop
The iconic bookshop made famous by the romantic comedy Notting Hill.
London Store 13 Blenheim Crescent, London, W11 2EE, UK
7. Daunt Books
Historic London bookstore with bookshelves lining long oak galleries and a walk-in safe.
Marylebone Store 83 Marylebone High Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 4QW, UK
8. John Sandoe Books
Iconic bookshop occupying three adjoining eighteenth century shops established in 1957.
London Store 10 - 12 Blacklands Terrace, Chelsea, London, SW3 2SR, UK
9. Hurlingham Books
One of London's oldest independent secondhand bookshops.
London Store Ranelagh Gardens, 91 Fulham High Street, London, SW6 3JS, UK
10. Persephone Books
Bookshop and publisher specializing in mid-20th century women writers.
Bath Store 8 Edgar Buildings, Bath, BA1 2EE, UK
11. Scrivener's Books & Bookbinding
Victorian building housing over 40,000 second-hand titles.
Buxton Store 42 High Street, Buxton, SK17 6HB, UK
12. Honesty Bookshop
A 24-hour second-hand open-air bookshop tucked into historic Hay Castle walls.
Hay-on-Wye Store Hay Castle, Oxford Road, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DG, UK
13. Armchair Books
A family-run secondhand and antiquarian book shop in Edinburgh's West Port
Edinburgh Store 72 - 74 West Port, Edinburgh, EH1 2LE, UK
14. McNaughtan’s Bookshop
Edinburgh's oldest second-hand and antiquarian bookshop.
Edinburgh Store 3a & 4a Haddington Place, Edinburgh, EH7 4AE, UK
15. Golden Hare Books
Award-winning design-led indie bookshop with new titles for kids and adults.
Edinburgh Store 68 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, EH3 5AQ, UK
16. Leakey's Bookshop, Scotland
Second-hand bookshop in a converted 17th Century Gaelic church.
Inverness Store Church Street, Inverness, IV1 1EY, UK
17. The Mainstreet Trading Company
Award-winning bookshop, cafe, delicatessen, and home store.
Scottish Borders Store Main Street, St Boswells, Melrose, TD6 0AT, UK
18. Librarie Jousseaume
Historic bookshop located in the spectacular Galerie Vivienne.
Paris Store 45-46-47 Galerie Vivienne, 75002 Paris, FR
19. Bouquinistes
Historic bookseller's stalls along the banks of the River Seine.
Paris Stalls Quai des Grands Augustins, 75006 Paris , FR
20. Shakespeare and Company
World-famous English-language bookshop on the Seine in Paris' Latin Quarter.
Paris Bookstore 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris, FR
Paris Café 35 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris, FR
21. Atlantis Books
A bookshop with one of the most beautiful sea views in the world.
Santorini Store Nomikos Street, Oía, Santorini, GR
22. New Mags
A thoughtfully curated lifestyle books, magazines, and accessories.
Copenhagen Store Ny Østergade 28, 1110 Copenhagen, DK
23. Boekhandel Dominicanen
A former 13th century Dominican church repurposed as a bookshop.
Maastricht Store Dominicanerkerkstraat 1, 6211 CZ Maastricht, NL
24. Boekhandel Den Boer
Bookstore established in 1887 in a gorgeous Art Nouveau building.
Baarn Store Laanstraat 67-69, 3743 BC Baarn, NL
25. Zabriskie
Books and magazines on nature, ecology, countercultures and magazines.
Berlin Store Reichenberger Straße 150, 10999 Berlin, DE
26. She Said
A female and queer authors bookstore and specialty coffee shop.
Berlin Store Kottbusser Damm 79, 10967 Berlin Berlin, DE
27. Livraria Lello
Stunning bookshop boasting intricate architectural features and a sweeping red staircase.
Porto Store Rua das Carmelitas 144, 4050-161 Porto, PT
28. Grande Livraria de Santiago
An eighteenth century church serves as a bookshop in Portugal's Literary Town.
Óbidos Store Largo de São Tiago do Castelo, 2510-006 Óbidos, PT
29. Livraria Ler Devagar
A bookshop in a former printing factory is home to one of the world's tallest bookcase.
Lisbon Store Rua Rodrigues de Faria 103, 1300-501 Lisbon, PT
30. Cook and Book
A vast bookshop with various different sections and restaurants.
Brussels Store Place du Temps Libre 1, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, 1200 Brussels, BE
31. Tropismes
An impressive French language bookshop in one of the oldest arcades in Europe.
Brussels Store 11 Galerie des Princes, 1000 Bruxelles Brussels, BE
32. Librería Miguel Miranda
Third-generation antiquarian bookshop in Madrid's Literary Quarter.
Madrid Store Calle Lope de Vega 19, 28014 Madrid, ES
33. Antica Libreria Cascianelli
One of Rome's oldest bookshops is a treasure chest of rare books & objets d'art.
Rome Store Largo Febo, 15, 00186 Rome, IT
34. Libreria Acqua Alta
A unique bookshop on a Venetian canal that houses its inventory in boats and bathtubs.
Venice Store Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, 5176b, 30122 Venice, IT
35. Libreria Palazzo Roberti
A seventeenth-century Italian Palazzo is home to this elegant bookstore.
Bassano del Grappa Store Via Jacopo da Ponte, 34, 36061 Bassano del Grappa Vicenza, IT
36. Cuesta de Moyano
A pedestrian book market established in 1925 featuring 30 booksellers.
Madrid Shops Calle Claudio Moyano, 28014 Madrid, ES
37. Cărtureşti Carusel
A stunning six-storey bookshop in a renovated former bank headquarters building.
Bucharest Store Strada Lipscani 55, 030167 Bucharest, RO
38. The Winding Stair
Established in 1970, a bookstore with an iconic view of the Ha'penny bridge.
Dublin Store 40 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin , D01 R9Y5, IE
39. Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop
More than 10,000 new, bargain, secondhand and antiquarian books.
Galway Store The Cornstore, Middle Street, Galway, IE
40. The Bookshop at the American Colony Hotel
Iconic bookshop at American Colony Hotel with a focus on the region's history & culture.
Jerusalem Store Louis Vincent Street 1, Jerusalem, IL
41. Librairie des Colonnes
Founded in 1949, Librairie des Colonnes is the oldest bookshop in Tangier.
Tangier Store 54 Boulevard Pasteur , Tangier, MA
42. A Novel Idea
Book and gift shop founded in 1992 with a view of the Indian Ocean.
Dar es Salaam Store The Msasani Slipway, Dar es Salaam
43. Clarke's Bookshop
A bookshop specializing in Africana on Cape Town's famous Long Street.
Cape Town Store 199 Long Street, Cape Town, 8000, ZA
44. Page One
Contemporary bookstore with a minimalist interior featuring international titles.
Beijing Store 100600, Beijing, 19 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang, CN
45. Librairie Avant-Garde
A bookstore located in a repurposed underground car park.
Nanjing Store 210024, JiangsuNanjing, 173 Guang zhou Lu, Gulou, CN
46. ARC N BOOK
Arched book displays symbolize the connection between books and people.
Seoul Store Seoul, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, KR
47. The Booksmith
Charming bookstore offering a selection of titles in Thai and English.
Chiang Mai Store 5, 7 Nimmana Haeminda Road, Tambon Su Thep, Chiang Mai, 50200, TH
48. Jetlag Books
A modern bookshop featuring international books and magazines.
Beijing Store Beijing, W1-5, Taikoo Li Sanlitun West, Chaoyang, CN
49. Hirakata T-Site
Bookshop featuring an awe-inspiring seven-meter high bookcase.
Osaka Store 〒573-0032, 12-２ Okahigashicho, Hirakata, JP
50. Higginbothams, Chenai
India's oldest bookstore established by an English librarian in 1844
Chennai Store 116 Anna Salai, Chennai 600113, Tamil Nadu, IN
51. Champaca
A tree-house like bookshop and café that blends nature with books.
Bengaluru Store 7/1 Edward Road, Off Queens Road, Bengaluru 560051, IN
Goa Store 1111 Mazal Waddo, Anjuna Arpora Road, Anjuna 403509, Goa, IN
52. Little Bookshop
Bookshop founded on the principles of diversity, acceptance, and multiculturalism.
Squamish Store 38041 2 Avenue, Squamish BC V8B 0C3, CA
53. Munro's Books
A bookstore housed in a neoclassical building formerly a bank building.
Victoria Store 1108 Government Street, Victoria BC V8W 1Y2, CA
54. Strand Bookstore
New York City's biggest bookstore with 18 miles of books established in 1927.
New York Store 828 Broadway, New York, NY 10003, USA
Columbus Avenue Store 450 Columbus Avenue , Upper West Side, New York, NY 10024, USA
Central Park Kiosk 60th Street & 5th Avenue , Upper East Side, New York, NY 10065, USA
55. Bart's Books
The world’s largest outdoor bookshop set in pretty Ojai Valley.
Ojai Store 302 W Matillija Street, Ojai, CA 93023, USA
56. City Lights
A literary landmark founded on classics of modern literature and progressive politics.
San Francisco Store 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
57. Pillow-Cat Books
The first and only animal-themed bookshop in New York City.
New York Store 328 East 9th Street, New York, NY 10003, USA
58. Three Lives & Company
An iconic West Village corner bookshop established in 1978.
New York Store 154 West 10th Street, West Village, New York, NY 10014, USA
59. Albertine
A French and English language bookstore in a landmark gilded-age mansion.
New York Store 972 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10075, USA
60. The Mysterious Bookshop
Founded in 1979 the world's oldest mystery specialty bookstore.
New York Store 58 Warren Street, Tribeca, New York, NY 10007, USA
61. Brattle Book Shop
A giant No.2 pencil marks the entrance to one of the oldest antiquarian bookshops in the US.
Boston Store 9 West Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA
62. Rodgers Book Barn
A book barn with more than 20,000 second hand titles in upstate New York.
Hillsdale Store 467 Rodman Road, Hillsdale, NY 12529, USA
63. McNally Jackson
An independent bookstore with five New York City locations.
Seaport Store
Williamsburg Store
SoHo Store
Downtown Brooklyn Store
Rockefeller Center Store
64. Beacon Hill Books
Beautifully designed charming bookstore on an historic Boston Street.
Boston Store 71 Charles Street, Boston 02114, USA
65. La Increíble
A beautifully designed art and cultural bookshop in Mexico City.
Juan de la Barrera Store Juan de la Barrera 112, Condesa, 06140 Mexico City, MX
66. Cafebrería El Péndulo
Popular combined coffee shops and bookstores with striking architecture.
Polanco Store Alejandro Dumas 81, Polanco, 11550 Mexico City, MX
67. Liberia Puro Verso
A bookstore located on the the ground floor of a 19th century mansion.
Montevideo Store Avenida 18 de Julio 1199, Montevideo 11100, UY
68. E. Shaver
Savannah's oldest bookshop specializing in new and regional books.
Savannah Store 326 Bull Street, Savannah, GA 31401, USA
69. Old Town Books
Independent general interest bookshop with an eye-catching mural.
Alexandria Store 130 South Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
70. Argosy
New York's oldest, family-run bookstore founded in 1925.
New York Store 116 E 59th Street, New York, NY 10022, USA
71. Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks
Bookstore specializing in out-of-print and antiquarian cookbooks.
New York Store 28 East 2nd Street, East Village, New York, NY 10003, USA
72. Talk Story Bookstore
The westernmost bookstore of the United States founded in 2004.
Hawaii Store 3785 Hanapepe Road, Hanapepe, HI 96716, USA
73. Dashwood
An independent bookstore in specializing in photography books.
New York Store 33 Bond Street, New York, NY 10012, USA
74. El Ateneo Grand Splendid
A former 1919 opulent theatre, complete with ceiling frescoes, converted into a bookshop.
Buenos Aires Store Av. Santa Fe 1860, Buenos Aires, AR
75. Antiquariaat Brinkman
A beautiful antiquarian bookshop in the heart of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Store Singel 319, 1012 WJ Amsterdam, NL
76. La Bancarella dei Libri
A vintage bookseller's cart stock with secondhand books in the heart of Florence.
Florence Store Via de' Martelli, 41, 50129 Florence, IT
77. Libreria Brac
A bookstore for lovers of contemporary cuisine and art.
Florence Store Via dei Vagellai 18r, 50122 Florence, IT
78. Lutyens & Rubinstein
Notting Hill bookshop with an overhead suspended installation of flying books.
London Store 21 Kensington Park Road, London, W11 2EU, UK
79. Sweet Pickle Books
A Lower East Side bookshop that sells secondhand books and pickles.
New York Store 47 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002, USA
80. Shreeji
Modern newsagent with a diverse selection of magazines, newspapers, and editions.
London Store 6 Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7PT, UK
81. Casa Magazines
A specialty magazine shop with more than 2,500 titles from glossies to niche periodicals.
New York Store 22 8th Avenue, West Village, New York, NY 10014, USA
82. Murder & Mayhem
A bookshop specializing in detective fiction in the UK's town of books.
Hay-on-Wye Store 5 Lion Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5AA, UK
83. Addyman Books
A labyrinth of nine rooms filled with new and used books.
Hay-on-Wye Store 39 Lion Street, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford HR3 5AA, USA
84. The Old Bookstore
Fourth generation family bookstore established in 1914.
Flateyri Store 3 Hafnarstræti, 425 Flateyri Flateyri , IS
85. Books for Cooks, Melbourne
Award-winning culinary bookshop run by cooks and lovers of good food.
Melbourne Store Queen Victoria Market, 115-121 Victoria Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, AU
86. The Paperback Bookshop
New release and backlist titles covering a wide range of genres.
Melbourne Store 60 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, AU
87. Hordern House
A beautiful, modern space showcasing antiquarian books, manuscripts and paintings.
Surry Hills Store Level 2, 255 Riley Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010, AU
88. Berkelouw Books
Australia's largest and oldest new, second-hand and rare bookseller.
Paddington Store 19 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW 2021, AU
89. GOOD BOOKS
A bookstore with a focus on the joy of reading and discovery.
2/16 Jessie Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, NZ
90. The Corner Bookstore
A selection of current fiction and non-fiction books housed in a restored 1920's interior.
New York Store 1313 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10128, USA
91. Kitchen Arts & Letters
A bookshop specializing in books on food and drink, cookbooks, food history and culture.
New York Store 1435 Lexington Avenue, Upper East Side, New York, NY 10128, USA
92. The Center For Fiction
Independent bookshop offering writer's workshops, reading groups, story time, and events.
Brooklyn Store 15 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217, USA
93. Sweny's
A former pharmacy turned bookshop dedicated to James Joyce's Ulysses.
Dublin Store 1 Lincoln Place, Dublin, D02 VP65, IE
94. San Francisco Books
Paris bookstore specializing in English-language secondhand books.
Paris Store 17 Rue Monsieur le Prince, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 75006 Paris, FR
95. Housing Works Bookstore
Non-profit bookshop raising funds and support for those living with AIDS/HIV.
New York Store 126 Crosby Street, SoHo, New York, NY 10012, USA
96. Elliott Bay Book Company
Independently owned bookstore since 1973 with over 150,000 titles.
Seattle Store 1521 10th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
97. Minoa Books, Istanbul
Award-winning lifestyle bookshop in the historic 1896 Union Française building.
Akaretler Store Vişnezade, Süleyman Seba Cd. 52/A , 34357 Beşiktaş/Istanbul, TR
98. Books for Cooks
An international cookbook shop with a test kitchen that serves lunch.
London Store 4 Blenheim Crescent, Notting Hill, London, W11 1NN, UK
99. Books Are Magic
Best-selling author owned independent bookshop with two Brooklyn locations.
Cobble Hill Store 225 Smith Street, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, NY 11231, USA
Brooklyn Heights Store 122 Montague Street, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
100. Luddites
Bookshop and wine bar in an historic building in the center of Antwerp.
Antwerp Store Hopland 34, 2000 Antwerp, BE