“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine
Aside from books, my other true love is travel – so what better way to combine them than finding bookshops when I’m exploring other cities! I thought I’d share a couple of them with you here.
First up is Rüütel & Matilda English Bookshop in Tallinn, this was my most recent bookshop find, and it was everything you could hope for – cosy, welcoming, and a warm escape from the icy streets of Tallinn. Located on Rüütli, we were caught up in looking at the giant church close by [St. Nicholas’ Church and Museum] before quickly getting distracted by the absolutely gorgeous window displays you can see in my opening photo. Carrying a wide variety of new and second hand English books, alongside stationery and gifts, there really is something for everyone in this beautiful shop. There is also a dedicated area for Estonian Authors that have been translated into English – something I should have taken advantage of during my visit, but it’s a good reason to go back in my opinion! This gorgeous bookshop is a fairly young one on the scene, opening in 2022 but I’m sure it will be here for many years to come. Check them out on Instagram here, and I recommend this brilliant blog post for more detail.
In true justification fashion, I broke my book buying ban to purchase a couple of books as souvenirs. First up is Brief Notes on the Art and Manner of Arranging One’s Books – Georges Perec, because lets be honest, half the fun of being a book lover is arranging the bookshelves! This is a slim book so looking forward to giving it a read during March.
The second is The Diary of A Bookseller, which was recommended by the very friendly shop assistant [who I’ve since realised is also one of the owners of Rüütel & Matilda]. The Diary of A Bookseller is by Shaun Bythell, who coincidentally owns his own bookshop – “The Bookshop” in Wigtown, Scotland. It is Scotland’s largest second-hand bookshop, containing over 100,000 books, spread over a mile of shelving – definitely a new one to add to the list of places to visit! Click here for a flavour of the place.
Bookshops pop up in every location around the world, from the largest cities to the smallest villages with their tiny phone booth libraries. I’m sure you may have heard of Shakespeare & Co in Paris, the Strand Bookstore in New York and Kinokuniya in Sydney – but did you know that Iceland is considered ‘the island of bookshops’, with Reykjavik being named a UNESCO City of Literature? If you want a lighthearted, heartwarming read that will immerse you in Iceland as a literature hub, I highly recommend Stranded in Iceland by Victoria Walker – it’s a gorgeously cosy, wintery read.
Closer to home, I love to visit Daunt Books when I’m in London – my favourite is the Marylebone Location but they can be found all over the city now. Starting as a specialised travel book shop, Daunt has expanded out to stock a wide variety of book genres – however, it still arranges the sections by geography and it’s a charming way to spend an afternoon ‘travelling’ around the world. Daunt has also become known for its recognisable tote bags – a sure fire way to spot a fellow book lover out in the wild!
The last time I visited I bought The Only Street in Paris: Life on the Rue des Martyrs by Elaine Sciolino. I haven’t read it yet, but have added it to my Paris in Springtime themed reading list for March so look out for a review of that!
Do you have any favourite bookshops, are they close to home or further afield, let me know your recommendations!
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