A Bookshop Guide to Edinburgh
For book lovers, Edinburgh is an absolute dream come true.
Not only is it home to a huge number of bookshops, but the city is widely known to be the place where JK Rowling wrote that Harry Potter book, and is filled to the brim with romantic architecture, topped off with a castle that stands watch over it all. If you’re a book lover then this is a place that you need to be.
Here I’ve compiled a guide to the best bookshops in Edinburgh, to help you make the most of your trip and see as many of them as you can. You won’t regret it!
Click here to download 18 of my favourite Edinburgh bookshops onto your Google maps!
Central
Topping & Company
One of the city’s newest bookshops, Topping & Company is also my number one favourite. Now a small chain based here in the UK, this family of bookshops began in Bath before branching out to St Andrews, Ely, and now to lovely Edinburgh.
The shop is comprised of 3 floors with shelves that rise right up to the ceiling, and boasts an enormous selection of books. It’s the perfect place to while away the hours, perusing the shelves for your next read, and the ideal place to head if there’s something specific that you’re looking for as they’re bound to have it. I adore the ladders that are scattered throughout the store for customers to use, and they also give out free cups of tea!
This place is a dream and hopefully I’ll be able to visit their branch in Bath very soon.
Armchair Books
This place is an Instagrammer’s dream and an absolute haven for the second hand book lover. I’ve spent literal years sighing over photos of this iconic shop and it was wonderful to finally visit in real life!
Another bookshop that’s jam packed from floor to ceiling, this is a place that you’ll want to spend ages rummaging in. As well as stocking loads of gorgeous antiquarian books, they also have heaps of used modern novels, so you’re bound to find something that interests you.
Edinburgh Books
Just across the road from Armchair Books, this is Edinburgh’s largest second hand bookshop and simply can’t be missed. They’ve been providing the city with well loved books for more than 20 years, so you’re bound to find a gem squirrelled away somewhere in their shelves. I bought myself a bargain copy of George Orwell’s Animal Farm during my own visit, which I’ve wanted to read for absolutely ages.
For the music lovers among you, you’ll be delighted to know that one of their four rooms in the basement is filled with sheet music!
And while you’re in the area, you might as well pop over to Peter Bell Books; they specialise in scholarly and antiquarian tomes.
Typewronger
Head downstairs to this basement level bookshop and you’ll find, in their own words ‘a very badly behaved bookshop and typewriter repair service’. This place is so cosy, and I loved pondering over their collection of typewriters. Oh, and it’s the perfect spot if you’re into ‘murder’ books as they have a whole section for you to browse through.
As an extra special touch, Typewronger also has a typewriter that’s hooked up to the internet, and will tap out messages that you send to it on Twitter. How cool is that?
Before you head back upstairs to ground level you might as well pop into MacNaughton’s Bookshop and Gallery, which is just next door.
Other bookshops to visit in central(ish) Edinburgh
This part of the city is jam packed with fabulous bookshops; Lighthouse, a gorgeous radical bookshop comes highly recommended, as does Tills, who pride themselves in being a ‘well organised’ second hand bookshop. There’s also Cornerstone, a Christian bookseller which is tucked down by the Parish Church of St Cuthbert, and Transreal Fiction which exclusively stocks science fiction books.
There are also two chain bookstores in this part of town - a fab Blackwell’s and a Waterstones - if you need a fix from your regular book dealer.
Portobello - North
The Portobello Bookshop
It definitely takes a bit more effort to reach this shop, but it’s so worth the effort. The Portobello Bookshop is actually Edinburgh’s newest bookshop, having only opened in 2019, and is just a short 20 minute bus ride away from the centre of Edinburgh. Just hop on the number 26 from Edinburgh Bus Station and it’ll cost you £1.70 for a return trip.
The bookshop itself has a very modern feel, and you can tell that their selection of books has been very carefully curated. We spent ages browsing in here and the booksellers were so friendly!
Make sure you stop by Twelve Triangles for a cup of tea and a pastry, and then go for a stroll by the sea before you head back into town.
Stockbridge - West
Golden Hare Books
With its warm orange interior and a small fire crackling away, Golden Hare Books is definitely one of the cosiest bookshops around. This is a relatively small shop that has a great selection of titles, many of which are placed on the shelves with their covers facing outwards. This is an intentional decision designed to celebrate the books as objects that are beautiful inside and out - a sentiment that I absolutely adore. I really enjoy hunting through bookshops where the stock has been painstakingly curated by its booksellers, and this one was a pleasure to peruse.
Golden Hare Books entered the Edinburgh bookselling scene in 2012 and was recently voted the winner of the UK Independent Bookshop of the Year Award 2019, which is an amazing achievement. I highly recommended a visit!
Bruntsfield - South
The Edinburgh Bookshop
A bookshop that’s high up on my to-visit list, The Edinburgh Bookshop was 2018’s Scottish Independent Bookshop of the Year at the British Book Awards. Stocking books for both adults and children, this shop always comes highly recommended and I can’t wait to take a trip there myself.
Edinburgh is the kind of place where you’ll discover something new every time you visit. Their book community is very much alive and thriving, and with new bookshops opening up all the time, you’re bound to feel right at home. My five day trip was simply not long enough to explore everything that this magical city has to offer, and I’ll definitely be making a return journey soon.
If you’ve visited Edinburgh then do leave a comment below and let me know what your favourite bookshop was - I’d love to hear all about it!
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