A Book Lover's Trip To Europe: Visiting London, Edinburgh, And Paris

This modestly sized, independent bookshop is located in an idyllic area, surrounded by cafes and restaurants, and has been at this site since the 1940s, which is a fascinating fact about a store with an entertaining history section. 

Cecil Court, also known as Bookseller’s Row, was a highly anticipated stop for us, but despite triple-checking business hours, many of the shops weren’t open when we got there.

Watkins, the oldest esoteric bookstore in the heart of London, was visibly busy (and not our friends’ cup of tea), so we went straight to the reason we wanted to go to Cecil Court to begin with: Goldsboro Books, the UK’s leading specialist in signed first editions.

In the basement of Third Man Records resides  The Literarium: A Novel Serendipity Machine —the second of its kind (the first is located in Toronto, Ontario). Buy two tokens for £7 and head to the blue basement to try your luck at an exclusive randomized chapbook (published by Third Man Records). 

When I read poetry, every word feels like it gets branded on my soul. I’ve spent years reading a single book of poetry because I need to savor every line, and that's why a visit to The Poetry Pharmacy, located inside the LUSH on Oxford Street, was a vital part of my holiday.

This place offers walk-in prescriptions, among other services, to address every emotional ailment, as well as virtual consultations (and in-person consultations at their Bishop’s Castle location).

Our visit coincided with William Shakespeare’s birthday, so I had to buy Poetical Poison Pills: Shakespearean Curses in addition to Tortured Poet Pills and a First Aid Kit for Writer’s Block. The highlight of the experience was receiving a prescription for insomnia pills at the checkout. 

This is Europe’s largest bookshop spanning six floors with over eight miles of shelves. Sounds like heaven for a book owl, right? Not for me since I (controversially) don’t like large bookstores. With so much to see there's never enough time, and I always feel like I’ve forgotten something when I leave.

I missed out on an entire floor of this store and have been haunted by the thought that I’ve missed finding a new favourite book. At least I got a new tote bag right?

It was a gorgeous sunny day at Southbank Book Market, but I’m afraid I’m about to be controversial again. I adored the atmosphere and had fun, but I don’t think anyone should be disappointed if they don’t go.

The nearby art and film-related items stood out more than the book selection. Ultimately, I saved my budget and didn’t buy anything. The chocolate-covered strawberries, however, were divine.

In 2015, Word on the Water went from moving regularly due to canal regulations to having permanent mooring in the King’s Cross area. We had gorgeous weather for the walk, but in addition to the sunshine, there was also wind. 

Word on the Water is a book aesthetic dreamboat, but all its bobbing up and down made me immediately queasy. I was in my YOLO era, so I made myself board the boat to browse (clinging to the walls/shelves and sitting frequently). To compensate for emotional trauma, I made sure I left with a book. 

Winnie the Pooh was a staple of my childhood: I loved the books, watched the movies/show on repeat, and collected memorabilia (shoutout to lantern Eeyore for guiding me at night; you were a proper mate).

I discovered Pooh Corner, a Winnie the Pooh museum/cafe situated on the edge of the Ashdown Forest (the inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood), through Instagram. My partner insisted we fit a day trip into our itinerary.

We booked a two-night stay at The Bear Inn, which features character-themed rooms (we had the adorable Kanga room), and made the most of one day in Pooh Country, starting with an afternoon tea at Pooh Corner, surrounded by illustrations and memorabilia.

Following our tea, we browsed the museum and gift shop, where we bought a soft Eeyore, a postcard, and a map for a hike to the Pooh sites in the Ashdown Forest.

We found sticks on our hike for Poohsticks Bridge (to play the game, you and a friend drop your sticks at the same time on one side of the bridge and race to see which stick appears on the other side first—I won). We also visited Pooh’s house on our way to the bridge, as well as Piglet and Owl’s house after our game. Since we didn’t drive, we didn’t get to see all of the Pooh Sites in Ashdown Forest, but I’d love to visit again one day.

This was the first English bookstore in the area when it opened in 1801, and in 1856, it relocated to its current address. I was moved by the history of the shop and in awe of how the medium-sized space utilized tall shelves and rolling ladders to showcase its impressive collection of books.

I only line up at bookstores for midnight releases, but it’s a common occurrence outside the small 17th-century building housing Shakespeare and Company.

I loved the signage about not taking photos or videos in the shop so that you can be present in the moment, and hated the people who didn’t abide by the spirit of the space.

The main floor is an eclectic mix of decor and displays, and it felt like magic getting turned around in such a small space. Upstairs is a reading area with typewriters and even more quirky decor. I enjoyed my time browsing, but didn’t fall in love with anything.

According to the in-store poster, Blackwell’s is Edinburgh’s oldest bookshop, having sold books from their shop on South Bridge since 1848. When I noticed Blackwell’s on a return trip to the hotel, I didn’t realize it was a large multi-floor shop (in which I ended up getting lost three times).

What book owl wouldn’t love to be paid to provide tea/coffee, biscuits, and book recommendations to readers?  This is one of the services that Topping and Company, an independent bookshop that sells signed first editions, offers, and I just had to try it out. I pre-ordered a £60 voucher and emailed the shop with a list of books I’ve enjoyed so they had everything they needed for my visit.

In my email, I mentioned Emily Henry, Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn Cycle, Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle, The Courting of Bristol Keatsby Mary E. Pearson, You Will Never Be Meby Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Book of Nightby Holly Black.

On the day, we arrived early to browse the store (it was so big that I got lost five times), where I finally gave in and tried a rolling ladder before checking in for tea with a bookseller. When seated, I was given books to sort into piles of what I’d read, authors I’ve read, and what was new to me. 

I’d read three of the books (Ninth Houseby Leigh Bardugo, City of Bonesby Cassandra Clare, and a Rainbow Rowell book), had a stack of books by authors I knew (Kalynn Bayron, Laini Taylor, Abby Jimenez, Ali Hazelwood) and some books like The Flatshareby Beth O’Leary, and White Rabbit, Red Wolfby Tom Pollock were brand new to me. After eliminating what I’d read, we discussed the authors and books I was less familiar with, and how they were similar to the books mentioned in my email.

As part of booking a Coffee/Tea with a Bookseller experience, I received a Topping and Company tote, which I gave to my best friend, as Topping is her maiden name.

This is the UK's first brick-and-mortar romance bookstore, offering totes, keychains, and stickers with purchases, in addition to its extensive book selection.

The aesthetic? Romantic. The atmosphere? Scholarly. The vibes? Phenomenal. The food? Top tier, unbeatable, hit after hit, every bite a revelation.

My partner thought about proposing on this trip, and this would have been the perfect place to do it. This is the FOMO-inducing, #goals portion of the trip, hands down. I can hardly put it into words; it was pure magic.

Total: £67.80 ($124.75 CAD)