Books are a love that I will never give up. As such, my will to indulge this passion only increases. So, I present to you, fellow bibliophiles, a bucket list of book places that I would love to visit one day — a mixture of towns, bookshops and libraries — each one with its own unique pleasure.
I’ve visited a few literary locations over the years, including Shakespeare’s Globe in London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath, and Jane Austen’s house in Hampshire. But there are plenty more places yet that I would love to see.
Let me know in the comments which one of these you would like to visit, or if you have any recommendations.
(None of the web links are affiliated.)
1. Shakespeare and Company, 37 rue de la Bûcherie, Paris, France
You may recognise the frontage of this bookshop. It was briefly seen in the 2011 film Midnight in Paris.
Originally in 12 rue de l’Odéon, it was founded by Sylvia Beach in 1919. Many expat writers visited there including Gertrude Stein, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and also many leading French writers. The shop was forced to close in 1941 during the Nazi occupation of Paris.
The present day shop opened in 1951 as Le Mistral by George Whitman. It was renamed in 1964 as Shakespeare and Company for the anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, and in honour of Sylvia Beach.
The shop remains a solid part of the literary history of Paris, hosting one free literary event a week, with a new publishing arm, and they are currently looking for a place on the outskirts of Paris for a writing retreat.
In 2015, Shakespeare and Company opened a café next door. Paris, books and a café — a sublime mixture.
Shakespeare and Company website
2. Library, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
‘Hi Honey. I’m home.’
That’s what I thought when I first saw a photo of this extraordinary library.
Also known as the Long Room, this library has to be one of the most beautiful anywhere. Although not open to public use, it is part of the college’s visitor experience.
Built between 1712 and 1732, it was originally a single floor building with a flat roof. In 1801, it received the rights of becoming a deposit library (also known as a copyright library) and is the only Irish library to hold that title. This means that all Irish publishers must deposit a copy of their publications there. By the 1850s, the library was full to bursting. So, in 1860 it was expanded upwards and given its now famous vaulted ceiling.
The 9th century Book of Kells can be seen here, as well as the Brian Boru harp which is the national symbol of Ireland (think Guinness).
The library is currently undergoing a redevelopment for conservation purposes, but visitors can still go there.
3. The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, England
The British Library is one of the most famous libraries in the world. It contains over 170 million items dating back to the beginning of written civilisation.
Established in 1753, it was originally called the British Museum Library, as that was where it was located. The British Library was created in 1973 (50 years ago), and was moved to the current building in 1997. It has 14 floors, five of which are below ground.
They hold events, exhibitions and tours, the last of which I would love to do.
4. Persephone Books, 8 Edgar Buildings, Bath, England
This bookshop is one of my favourites. Although I’ve yet to visit, I have bought from them online, and I love their books.
Persephone Books publishes out-of-print, neglected books written primarily (but not exclusively) by mid-century female authors. With their dove grey covers, and unique endpapers, they are set to become iconic in their own right. The shop regularly hosts book groups and other events. The shop was also in The Observer’s top 50 independent shops in 2021.
Originally situated in London, Persephone moved location in 2021 to Bath. The shop can be found in a beautiful Georgian period building, within walking distance from The Jane Austen Centre and other popular places.
Bath itself has a wonderful literary history of writers who have lived there, or been inspired by this unique and beautiful city. You can find a literary map of Bath on the Persephone website. Bath also hosts annual book and literary festivals.
5. Daunt Books, 83–84 Marylebone High Street, London, England
I love the interior of this bookshop. It looks like somewhere Harry Potter would visit to buy his new school books.
Built in 1912, it is believed to be the first custom-built bookshop in the world. It has oak galleries and a skylight roof.
The shop specialises in travel books, hold talks and events, and have their own publishing imprint.
6. Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales
Hay-on-Wye is renown for its books and bookshops. It is also known as the ‘book town’, and is considered the first in the world to be called so.
The town has over 20 bookshops, many of which are second-hand and specialist sellers. It also hosts a famous annual literary festival. Bill Clinton described the festival as ‘the Woodstock of the mind.’
The town sits on the borderline of England and Wales, but mostly lies in Wales.
7. Edinburgh, Scotland
In 2004, Edinburgh became the first UNESCO City of Literature, a title it deserves. It has been the birthplace and home to many literary figures, including Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes), Walter Scott (Rob Roy and Ivanhoe), and J K Rowling (Harry Potter).
It holds an international book festival every year, which is considered the largest in the world. On top of that, it is home to the National Library of Scotland and the Writers’ Museum.
If that wasn’t enough, there are approximately 50 bookshops in the city, so I think an Edinburgh bookshop crawl might be on the agenda.
8. Hardy’s Cottage, near Dorchester, Dorset, England
This place is the closest, geographically and personally, to me.
Thomas Hardy was a Dorset man through and through. All his novels are based in the county, and he used his understanding of the people to create his fictional Wessex. The many places named in his books are renames of actual places.
His great grandfather built the cottage that Hardy was born in. He also wrote some of his early works here. This pretty, thatched cottage is still how it would have been in Hardy’s lifetime. Although there are no facilities at the cottage, there is now a nearby visitor centre.
As I have Dorset ancestry, his books provide a fascinating insight into the world my forebears came from.
9. Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth, Yorkshire, England
As a lover of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, this is definitely somewhere I would love to visit.
The museum is run by the Brontë Society, one of the oldest literary societies in the world. The parsonage is where the sisters lived most of their lives, and where they did most of their writing.
The society host events and exhibitions here. The museum library is also the most comprehensive in the world on the Brontë sisters, with manuscripts, letters and books, among other items.
This is a go-to place for anything Brontë.
Brontë Parsonage Museum website
10. Monk’s House, Rodmell, East Sussex, England
If you’re not afraid of Virigina Woolf (see what I did there), then Monk’s House is the place to visit.
Monk’s House is a 16th century building that was bought by Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard, in 1919. Much of the Bloomsbury Group visited here.
You can also take a look at Woolf’s writing lodge in the garden, the room of her own, which was always untidy with pen nibs, cigarette butts and scraps of paper.
I do like Woolf’s essays, so Monk’s House is on my list.
This article was originally published on Medium.
Charlotte Clark 
2 replies on “10 Bookish Places to Put On Your Bucket List”
Wonderful! I’d love to travel Europe someday and visit some of these along the way
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Thank you for reading. I seem to be getting more ideas for places to visit, so there might be a second post.
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