As of: February 8, 2024, 10:00 a.m
By: Sven Trautwein
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Almost nine million people live in the British metropolis.
There are numerous bookstores to supply tourists and locals with books.
We present the most beautiful ones.
Aside from the bookstore chains, there are also one or two gems to discover in bookstores in the British capital.
Whether small, royal, old or unusual, London has a bookstore to suit every taste.
Book fans from all parts of the world get their money's worth in the metropolis.
Here we introduce you to the most beautiful bookshops in London that are worth visiting.
Hatchards, Piccadilly
Hatchards in London's Piccadilly district is the city's oldest bookstore.
© Roberto Herrett/agefotostock/Imago
Although London impresses with a variety of sights, book fans from all over the world are drawn to a very special bookstore.
Hatchards is one of the UK's premier bookshops and has a long history.
The shop opened in 1797, making it the oldest bookstore in London.
A visit to this traditional institution is a must.
The classic, small bookstore enchants with its historical ambience and of course offers a wealth of reading material for all bookworms.
What's special about Hatchards is that it's not only the oldest, but also the royal bookstore.
Hatchards has received three “Royal Warrants” and is therefore allowed to supply the royal family with books.
Please send immediately dictionnary french and portuguese – the queen
Queen Victoria
The royal delivery began with a telegram that Queen Victoria sent to the bookstore.
Queen Elizabeth II is said to have enjoyed buying horse books there.
Incognito also occasionally visits the Queen of Denmark in search of books, as
londonmalanders.com
reports.
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Daunt Books, Marylebone
One of the Daunt Books branches is located in an Edwardian building.
© Martyn Wheatley/i-Images/Imago
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Although Daunt Books has several branches, the Marylebone address is the best place to look for books.
This beautiful shop is housed in an Edwardian building and features stained glass windows.
The books are sorted by country rather than genre, making browsing a fun (and occasionally confusing) experience.
Here we have put together how you can otherwise sort your books.
Foyles, Charing Cross
Foyles in London offers impressive architecture and a large amount of books.
© Hufton and Crow/agefotostock/Imago
The world's first purpose-built bookstore, Foyles covers every theme imaginable and also offers gifts, stationery, music and magazines.
This multi-level space in the heart of London features nearly 8 kilometers of shelving over four floors, as well as a café, auditorium and gallery.
The interior view is somewhat reminiscent of the city library in Stuttgart.
Word on the Water, Regent's Canal
Word on the Water: A Floating Bookshop in London.
A venue for readings and concerts that shuttles between Camden Lock and Paddington.
© Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Wire/Imago
Here, the name speaks for itself.
“Word on the Water” should not be missed by book lovers when visiting London.
The floating bookstore is located on an old Dutch barge from the 1920s.
Although the focus here is on used books, the bookstore also has many new titles on offer.
The bookstore is somewhat reminiscent of the ship from the novel “The Book Ship of Monsieur Perdu”.
London Review of Books, Bloomsbury
The London Review of Books is a literary magazine, but also runs a cozy bookshop with a focus on classic fiction as well as new works.
They also run a patisserie that is absolutely adorable (and possibly the reason this bookstore is so popular with writers).
Hurlingham Books, Fulham
If you view book searching more like a personal hunt and expedition, Hurlingham is the right place for you.
The store is full of books from floor to ceiling.
Everywhere.
If you start at one corner, it's just the tip of an iceberg.
More than a million books are waiting to be discovered and purchased.
Stanford's Map & Travel Bookshop, Covent Garden
One of the most beautiful bookshops in London is Stanford's Map & Travel Bookshop in Covent Garden.
© Alistair Laming/agefotostock/Imago
Stanfords is one of the oldest bookstores in London and is also London's largest travel bookstore and even claims to be the largest in the world.
As the name suggests, everything here revolves around the topic of travel.
The store offers an immense selection of travel literature, guides, maps and much more.
Stanfords is particularly interesting if you are looking for travel guides, maps and similar material locally, as the selection here is definitely huge!
You are guaranteed to find what you are looking for here.
Famous Adventures bought from Stanfords
In 1853 the bookshop was founded by Edward Stanford, initially on Charing Cross Road, where he was active as a distributor and manufacturer of maps.
Given that Britain was at the height of its colonial power at the time and was the world's largest naval power, such an undertaking seems quite sensible.
Stanford's success ultimately confirmed this.
In 1893, Stanford became the official purveyor to the British royal family.
Famous adventurers such as Ernest Shackleton and Florence Nightingale are said to have been among the customers.
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