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I’ll see you at the bookshop!
Inside Shapero Rare Books, London
Here’s everything you need to know about Bond Street’s only rare and antiquarian bookshop.
Located just a short walk away from London’s bustling Oxford Street, Shapero Rare Books stocks both fiction and non-fiction titles across a variety of genres.
The company was founded by CEO Bernard Shapero, who is a renowned international dealer in rare books and works on paper.
Inside Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, London
Located in the heart of London’s Mayfair, Heywood Hill is a prestigious literary establishment that first opened in 1936. Named after the founder, Heywood Hill, the shop is spread across two floors of a Georgian townhouse, with the ground floor open to the public for browsing.
I first came across the bookshop while writing an article for Sail Away Magazine about cruise ship libraries.
Inside Waterstones Piccadilly - Europe’s Largest Bookshop
With over eight miles of shelves, six floors, two cafes and a bar, Waterstones Piccadilly is officially Europe’s largest bookshop.
More than just a bookshop, Waterstones Piccadilly stocks more than 150,000 books, runs events with world famous authors and even hosts its own annual book festival.
I used to visit regularly while living in London in my early twenties - affectionately referring to it as ‘the mothership’ amongst my friends.
Inside Daunt Books, Marylebone, London
One of London’s most recognisable bookshops, Daunt Books has occupied its iconic premises in Marylebone since it was first opened by Richard Daunt in 1990.
The shop now forms part of one of the largest independent bookshop chains in the UK, with ten branches located across London and the south of England.
Inside Waterstones Gower Street in London
Here’s my review of London’s historic branch of Waterstones on Gower Street in Bloomsbury.
Known to be the second largest bookshop in Europe that sells both new and used books, Waterstones Gower Street is based in a beautiful grade two listed building in Bloomsbury.
Here you’ll find five miles of books to browse, spanning across five floors - four of which are non-fiction. There’s thought to be around 200,000 titles available in the shop as well as records, board games and art supplies.
The Book Elephant - Bookshop Review
I visited Elephant and Castle’s brand new bookshop, The Book Elephant.
Opening for a soft launch in January 2025, The Book Elephant is located in Elephant and Castle, making it the first bookshop in the area since The Kennington Bookshop closed in 2015.
Inside Hatchards Piccadilly in London - Bookshop Review
Here’s everything you need to know about London’s oldest bookshop.
Founded in 1797, Hatchards claims to be the oldest bookshop in the whole of the UK, and is held in high regard as the bookseller to several generations of the royal family.
Their flagship shop is based in Piccadilly Circus, in the same premises that it’s occupied since 1801. The shop has a gorgeous dark green facade, with dark wood interiors and five floors filled with books.
The Poetry Pharmacy, London - Everything You Need to Know
Here’s everything you need to know about Lush’s new poetry bookshop which you can find on Oxford Street in London.
The Poetry Pharmacy started life as a pop up at Lush Studios, which is the brand’s dedicated event space in Soho. It then moved to the flagship Lush shop on Oxford Street in June 2024 where it’s open on a permanent basis.
A Bookshop Guide to Cecil Court, London
Tucked away just beside London’s well known Leicester Square, Cecil Court is a magical little street lined with gorgeous victorian style bookshops. This street is said to have inspired Diagon Alley from Harry Potter and you can definitely see why – it’s a location that any book lover needs to visit in London. Keep on reading to discover the eclectic range of bookshops that line the glorious Cecil Court. You won’t be disappointed!
Welcome to the Viking Skaga - one of Viking Cruises’ noble river ships. She takes her name from an ancient Norse myth, where the Valkyrie Skaga rode into battle and escorted the dead to Valhalla, before preparing them to fight in the epic battle of Ragnarok.
A relatively new ship, the Viking Skaga only entered the fleet in 2020. At just 410 feet and carrying 168 guests and 48 crew, she was built specifically to sail down the Seine in France, although the specific itinerary will vary depending on the time of year. I was fortunate enough to join the ship for her week long Christmas on the Seine cruise, which starts and ends in Paris, calling at Vernon, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Honflour (via an excursion) and Les Andelys along the way.