A Bookish Tour of Edinburgh
The City of Edinburgh is full of unique shops to discover, but one of our most favourite has to be the abundance of bookstores waiting to be discovered. If you find yourself in the cobbles and you’re eager to explore some of the City’s best bookshops, we’ve compiled a list of our favourites for you to come across.
The Royal Mile
One of the first places to explore in the City is Old Town, home to the historical Royal Mile. Head toward Victoria Street, then down Grassmarket, and you might stumble upon Armchair Books. This independent bookstore, with its unique interior and stacks of books, is a fantastic spot to discover something new.
Another great recommendation is Transreal Fiction, a short walk from Grassmarket or Greyfriars Kirkyard. This shop offers a fantastic collection of fantasy books and comics. If you’re interested in Brandon Sanderson, this is the store for you.
Another unique recommendation can be found at the bottom of the Royal Mile - Lighthouse Books. This store is known as Edinburgh’s only Radical Bookstore and has an esteemed collection of LGBTQ+ books as well as heaps of diverse reading to choose from. What will you be picking up?
Beyond its carefully curated shelves, Lighthouse Books is also a welcoming space that celebrates ideas, conversation, and community. You’ll find titles covering everything from contemporary fiction and political thought to poetry, feminism, and social justice, making it much more than just a place to browse for your next read. The bookshop regularly hosts talks, author events, and discussion groups, giving visitors a chance to engage more deeply with the themes and stories they care about. It has a distinctly independent spirit that reflects Edinburgh’s wider literary culture, while also carving out its own important role in championing underrepresented voices. Whether you’re a passionate reader or simply curious, it’s the kind of place where you can easily lose track of time exploring something new.
New Town
Old Town has its hidden gem bookshops, but of course, so does New Town. Possibly the most talked about bookstore in the city is Toppings & Company, who have a few of its beautifully detailed bookstores across the UK, including St Andrews, Scotland. Toppings is known for its beauty & the beast library interior with grand ladders dotted around the shop. Not only this, but they also offer tea or coffee to those browsing the book collections. If you’re finding your book collection has grown far too much already, we recommend purchasing one of their iconic tote bags.
They often have new upcoming book totes, as well as officially branded ones to take away. If that wasn’t enough, they regularly host book events and signings on the premise so there’s always something new to attend.
Bruntsfield
There are certainly some hidden gems to be found in the Bruntsfield neighbourhood, including The Edinburgh Bookshop, which has a fantastic range of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, historical and scientific books. Grab yourself a hot drink from one of the many brunch stops along the way and discover your new favourite book.
The Meadows
If you are in the Bruntsfield neighbourhood, head over to the Meadows that borders it for a delightful selection of bookshops. Our favourites include TILLs, which offers a range of brand new and also second-hand books for you to browse through.
If you fancy yourself more of a romance reader, head to The Booklover’s Bookshop, only a stone’s throw away from The Meadows. This store is Edinburgh’s first romance-only bookstore filled with amazing authors, events and of course bookish merchandise—certainly one for the booktok.
Stockbridge
One of our favourite hotspots for books has to be, of course, Stockbridge. Stockbridge is the beating heart for indie bookshops and is home to a few of our favourites, including Golden Hare Books and Rare Bird Books.
Golden Hare Books is located on Stephen’s Street and is a real hidden gem of the city. The bookshop is home to some fantastic local author picks as well as some well-known authors such as Margaret Atwood and Freida McFadden.
If you take a wander down the main high street, you will stumble across Rare Bird Books - a lovely independent bookstore that sells only women authors! If you’re in the mood for a niche, this store always has it. The best part is discovering a whole new scope of female authors.
Golden Hare Books, St Stephens Street
Rare Bird Books, Stockbridge
Portobello
If you’re venturing outside the city centre - perhaps to Portobello Beach, it is well worth the time to explore The Portobello Bookshop. The Portobello Bookshop not only has a great range of authors (and gorgeous tote bags) but they hold regular author events throughout the city, including a recent event with Dame Jaqueline Wilson. How fantastic.
We hope we’ve given you a lengthy itinerary of bookshops for you to explore in the city, but if you still find yourself with time, make sure to check out our journal page for further city guide inspiration.