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12 Delightful Bookstores Every Book Lover Should Visit In Edinburgh – OUR CROSSINGS
There is something magical about walking into a bookstore.
Being welcomed by shelves stacked full of books, all waiting to be picked up and read, is a joyful experience.
There’s the smell of books. There’s the sight of rows upon rows filled with stories that can spark a great deal of curiosity and a sense of wonder.
There’s the feel of the pages inviting you to discover new authors, genres, and ideas, and the general ambience that oozes comfort and evocativeness.
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For avid readers and book lovers, Edinburgh is an absolute dream.
Not only is it home to some of the world’s most influential writers and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, but the city is also teeming with a huge number of independent bookshops displaying fascinating reads.
It doesn’t matter what part of the city you are visiting, you are guaranteed to find bookshops on almost every corner, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Whether you love the scent of old books or the crisp, never-been-read feel of a new book, if your passion lies with adventure or horror, comic or classic, mystery or fantasy, there’s bound to be a book shop in Edinburgh that’s right up your street.
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Your Guide To Some Of Edinburgh’s Most Beautiful Bookshops
Having just returned from yet another trip to Scotland’s capital, where I spent as many happy hours discovering the city’s quirky second-hand bookshops as I possibly could in three days, I’ve compiled a useful guide to the best bookshops in Edinburgh.
As I visited Edinburgh at the end of October, I discovered that many bookstores curate sections with fall-themed books, including spooky stories, mysteries, thrillers, and books with autumnal settings.
Furthermore, every single place I managed to visit exuded a cosy and comforting vibe, which was especially appealing during the cooler autumn months when the daylight hours shorten.
So, without further ado, if you’re sitting comfortably, let’s begin, as we explore some of Edinburgh’s most captivating bookshops…..
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#1. The Lighthouse Radical Booshop
Located just around the corner from Edinburgh University, Lighthouse is a queer-owned and woman-led independent community shop that was nominated as Scotland’s best independent bookshop in 2020.
Its shelves are graced with all-new books in all genres, with a special emphasis on left-wing politics, feminism, environmentalism, and LGBTQ+ issues.
It is a great place to discover books and authors you’ve never heard of, ones outside the mainstream book world.
Lighthouse also hosts several book clubs and reading events. To make sure you don’t miss one, check out Book Fringe and Radical Book Fair.
- Perfect for: Activist, LGBTQIA+, Feminist, Gender Studies, Poetry, Small Press
- Location: 43-45 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9DB
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#2. Topping & Company Booksellers of Edinburgh
Topping & Company is a UK-based bookshop chain that first emerged in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
Their Edinburgh branch is a beautiful, well-lit space composed of three large floors and its signature rolling library ladders.
The bookshop houses more than 70,000 individual books and offers complimentary pots of tea that you can enjoy in one of the shop’s cosy alcoves, so be prepared to devote a full afternoon exploring their maze of rooms.
Its events programme is full of treats such as readings by world-class authors, book clubs and poetry nights.
A fantastic way to build up a collection of today’s finest writing is to sign up for their monthly Subscription Club.
You can choose from Signed Fiction, Signed Detective Fiction, Signed Non-Fiction or Signed Fantasy and fill your bookshelves to the brim.
- Perfect for: Classics, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Young Adults & Kids, Signed Additions,
- Location: 2 Blenheim Pl, Edinburgh EH7 5JH, United Kingdom
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#3. Till’s Second-Hand Bookshop
A little outside the main tourist trail, you can find an independent bookshop that’s well worth the trip — Tills Bookshop.
It is an independent second-hand bookshop, established in 1985 by Rick and Ann Till and overlooking the Meadows park.
Since 2019, it has been under new ownership, following the retirement of the Tills.
The shop is open seven days a week and here you can find a fantastic selection of second-hand books, particularly in contemporary literary fiction and classics, as well as biography, history and sociology.
The books are reasonably priced, plus there are seats scattered trougout the store where you can sit down and get lost in a new book.
They also have a fireplace that is often lit during the colder months to keep the readers cosy and snug,
If you are looking for rare books, you can check Tills’ Website. I’ve spotted the fifth edition of Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen, priced £480.00, as well as On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, by Ian Fleming, for £350.00
- Perfect for: Used and antique books
- Location: 1 Hope Park Crescent, Edinburgh EH8 9NA
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#4. Blackwell’s Bookshop
Trading since 1879, Blackwell’s is the largest academic and specialist bookseller in the UK with shops in Cambridge, Aberdeen, Manchester and Oxford.
As well as a huge selection of new books, they’ve got dedicated shelves for different collections of old classics and university textbooks, all spread over three floors.
There’s also a fantastic Harry Potter section with different editions and heaps of incredible merchandise.
One of the reasons why I love to stop by the bookshop whenever I am in the city is that they have one of the most incredible selections of books about Scotland, too.
While I wasn’t looking for anything particular, I walked away with Patrick Baker’s book ”The Cairngorms, The Secret History”.
*Good to know – as Blackwell’s offers free delivery worldwide, it makes for a fantastic place to order books if you’re shopping online!
- Perfect for: general fiction, bestsellers, and nonfiction
- Location: 53-62 South Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1YS, UK
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#5. McNaughtan’s, Edinburgh
Located at the top of Leith Walk, right next to some of the city’s main attractions, including Calton Hill and the Edinburgh Playhouse, McNaughtan’s claims to be Scotland’s oldest second-hand bookstore.
The shop specialises in rare, collectable and antiquarian books as well as a very interesting selection of old maps of Edinburgh.
Originally, the store was opened by Major John and Mrs Marjorie McNaughtan in 1957, but has been run by Derek Walker and Anna Fomicheva since 2015.
Overall, the charming interior and neatly stacked books make for a very relaxing browsing experience.
It was my first time in the shop, and once I walked in, I was greeted by the scent of old books.
I also discovered a quaint window seat, thoughtfully decorated with soft cushions, in which I was able to sit as I perused titles I was eager to add to my growing book collection.
Some of the treasures you can acquire through their website are an advanced readers’ copy of the second Potter book that’s priced at 950 pounds and the revised second edition of Charles Singleton’s monumental scholarly edition of Dante, first published between 1970 and 1975, priced at 250 pounds.
- Perfect for: second-hand and antiquarian books
- Location: 3a & 4a Haddington Place, Edinburgh, EH7 4AE
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#6. Armchair Books
Similar to Livreria Lello in Porto and Shakespeare and Company in Paris, Armchairs Books is quite popular on social media due to its appealing aesthetics and the narrow walkways stacked high with books.
If you are on the lookout for a cosy place where you can kick back and smell the old books, then stop by Armchair Books.
The shop is located in West Port, right around the corner from Grassmarket and is one of the city’s most beloved secondhand bookshops.
The shop is quite small; therefore, you need to be prepared to browse the bookshelves in close quarters with other book lovers, but it’s worth it as it is a place where you can easily spend hours looking at the many titles of books they have to offer.
The shop is surrounded by lovely cafés on all sides where you can sit down with your newly purchased book.
During my last visit, I picked up Murshroom boo – an author that I’d been meaning to read for ages but never quite got around to.
- Perfect for: used and antique books
- Location: 72-74 West Port, Edinburgh EH1 2LE
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#7. Ginger & Pickles Children’s Bookshop
Ginger and Pickle’s is an independent bookshop entirely dedicated to children’s books. It might be small in size, but it is big on charm.
It is quite clear that the shop’s interior is designed with children’s imaginations in mind, providing a welcoming and engaging environment, which helps children develop a lifelong love of books.
We found Ginger and Pickles’ bookshelves packed to the rafters with picture books, chapter books, educational reads and activity books all beaming with wonderful stories and brilliant characters.
In addition to dedicated bookstore staff, there’s also a comfy sofa where you can put your feet up and snuggle with your favourite read.
- Perfect for: Children’s books
- Location: 51 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh, EH3 5AH
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#8. Rare Bird Books
Located just around the corner from Golden Hare Books is Rare Bird Books, Scotland’s only bookshop dedicated entirely to women’s writing.
The shop was founded by Rachel Wood in August 2021. The store offers a wonderfully curated selection of fiction and non-fiction titles, along with gifts and stationery from women-led businesses.
They also offer an online book club subscription service where each month you can choose from two secret blurbs and receive a beautifully wrapped parcel in the post.
Not only the shop, but also the area and the street that houses Rare Birds Book Shop have a nice vibe. It’s also nice to escape the hustle and bustle of Princes Street to enjoy a slower pace and to peruse and explore.
- Perfect for: Women’s Fiction, Romance, Rom-coms, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Location: 13 Raeburn Pl, Edinburgh EH4 1HU, UK
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#9. Waterstones West End
Located on Edinburgh’s main shopping street, right across the road from Princes Street Gardens, Waterstones is a four-floor bookshop where you can spend many hours browsing the shelves.
The bookshop offers an inviting children’s section, a Scottish department and an exciting events program.
The shop also stocks an impressive variety of classics, contemporary fiction and a fantastic selection of notebooks and journals.
I couldn’t resist picking up a set of three mini Moomin notebooks with round corners, which would be a wonderful addition to my stationery cupboard, where I keep the notebooks people have kindly given me, as they know I am afflicted with stationeryphilia.
There’s also a clearance section with discounted books, duslecsia-friendly books and games and puzzles and soft toys.
In addition to books, you can find a lovely cafe on the second floor with one-of-a-kind, stunning views of Edinburgh Castle,
- Perfect for: General Fiction, Classics, stationery, gifts, games
- Location: 128 Princes Street, Edinburgh New Town EH2 4AD
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#10. Golden Hare Booksop
When a museum curator and art historian, Mark Jones, first opened the bookshop, his initial plan was to name it ‘The Golden Crocodile’.
His daughter Agnes was commissioned to create a mascot for the shop, and she returned with a gilded hare.
The award-winning booshop first opened its doors in the summer of 2012 in the Grassmarket, and after over two years in this location, the shop moved to Stockbridge, where it still can be found today.
The Golden Hare bookshop is small yet thoughtfully curated and run by knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff. It also hosts a lively roster of readings featuring writers from the UK and beyond.
Besides the books, you can also snag creatively designed merchandise such as organic tote bags, notebooks and wooden pin badges.
- Perfect for: Literary Fiction, Scottish Fiction, Signed additions, and picture books
- Location: 68 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge EH3 5AQ
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#11. Edinburgh Books
Right next to Armchair Books is Edinburgh Books, an independent bookshop established in 2008.
It doesn’t seem to be bothered about aesthetics, as upon entering, I stumbled upon cardboard boxes and shopping bags full of books eagerly waiting to be sorted.
I also found a stuffed grouse, a water buffalo head enthroned on the wall and a hidden staircase which leads to a cave-like underground section of non-fiction books.
The basement is a bit of a labyrinth, and one of the rooms is entirely dedicated to music, with boxes of sheet music for every voice and instrument.
My favourite feature was the “Scottish Room.” It’s filled with second-hand copies of fiction and nonfiction books, all to do with Scotland or written by Scottish writers.
I spotted poetry by Robert Burns, classics written by Sir Walter Scott, and selections from modern Scottish writers of all genres.
- Location: 145-147 West Port, Edinburgh, EH8 9DP
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#12. The Gently Mad Book Shop & Bookbinder
If you are visiting Botanical Gardens, don’t miss the little treasure trove that is Gently Mad Book Shop & Bookbinder.
This may have been my favourite bookshop in Edinburgh, as I discovered sprawling shelves of books in every variety lining the walls.
What gives the bookshop that irresistible allure is all the trinklets and ornaments on the shelves and hanging from the ceiling – vintage lamps, an old bird cage, statues, old posters and more.
I spotted the owner sitting at the desk on a mezzanine level above the main bookshop floor, and apart from his computer, the shop looked like a setting from a bygone era.
- Perfect for: used and antiquarian books
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Other Literature-Related Attractions and Events in Edinburgh
Whether you visit Edinburgh in summer or winter, you are bound to find many other literary attractions and year-round bookish events celebrating the works of authors and poets.
In fact, it’s almost impossible to keep up with the array of new events that frequently arrive on the capital’s doorstep.
While I missed out on the Edinburgh Women’s Fiction Festival and the Children’s Book Festival taking place at the end of September, I arrived when the Scottish International Storytelling Festival was in full swing.
- Original Harry Potter Location Tour | In this 2-hour walking tour, you can explore the streets of Edinburgh to find the inspiration behind the settings and characters in the books, as well as filming locations for the movies.
- Edinburgh International Book Festival | out of all the literary events in the city, the Book Festival is one of the highlights. It brings together leading and emerging artists
- Scottish International Storytelling Festival | running for just under two weeks every October, the festival is a celebration of live storytelling from Scottish and international storytellers.
- The Writer Museums, located in the 17th-century Lady Stair’s House, is dedicated to the lives and works of Scotland’s great literary figures, particularly Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
- Scott Monument | The 61.11 metres tall monument dedicated to Sir Walter Scott is the largest monument to a writer in the world. You can reach a series of viewing platforms by climbing the winding staircase inside.
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- Edinburgh Book Sculptures | Anonymously sculpted and donated, these sculptures made from poetry books and pages are sprinkled around the city.
- Scottish Poetry Library | Located just off the Canongate, the library houses 40,000 books and papers, including the complete archive of the renowned Scottish poet Edwin Morgan. They also have a wonderfully stocked shop, full of books and gifts.
- The Oxford Bar |If you are a fan of the Inspector Rebus novels, you’d be happy to discover Rebus’s top boozer as The Oxford Bar on Young Street, where you can discuss a fictional case while sampling a Scottish beer.
- National Library of Scotland | The library with over seven million books, including priceless manuscripts and letters by Austen, Byron and Darwin. They also host frequent literary events and temporary and permanent exhibitions.
- Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour | an award-winning and fun tour where you get to learn about Scotland’s literary figures from professional actors, rather than usual tour guides, so you can expect it to be highly entertaining and full of drama.
- The Conan Doyle Pub, located on the corner of York Place, is named after the famed creator of Sherlock Holmes. The traditional pub is just down the street from Conan Doyle’s birthplace on Picardy Place.
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And, that’s a Wrap
And there you have it, some of the city’s most beautiful bookshops.
As you can see, both by the sheer number of unique bookshops and various literary attractions and events, Edinburgh takes books very seriously, and you are guaranteed to never leave the city without a new book in hand.
I hope you have found this article insightful and were able to find a favourite bookshop.
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Now, over to you!
Have you been to Edinburgh? Let us know in the comments!
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