10 Places that Make London the Best City in the World for Bookworms

10 Places that Make London the Best City in the World for Bookworms

So many amazing English writers have come out of the city of London: William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf…just to name a few! It should come as no surprise that London is the best city for reading enthusiasts, aka the amazing bookworm.

I say amazing because I myself am a bookworm and they are the best people ever. But, that’s just my humble opinion.

My fellow bookworms…unite! And come to London! Because I’ve been doing my research, I’ve been exploring, and I’ve found the best places in the British capital to get your read on. I’ve included bookstores, museums, a pub and a library, so there’s plenty of options for everyone!

Keep reading to discover 10 places in London that make it the best city in the world for bookworms.

1. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre by Reading Tom – Flickr

William Shakespeare is considered to be one of the best British writers of all time, and rightfully so. His plays are still being produced today, centuries after his death. When he was alive, he was a widely successful playwright and actor. He lead the way in writing plays and scenarios, introducing drama into plot, genre and language.

In 1599, Shakespeare and his troupe, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, built the original Globe Theatre on the south bank of the River Thames. It was the first theatre that was built by actors, for actors! Some of his famous plays like Hamlet, Othello, and King Lear were written to be performed especially at this new theatre!

Unfortunately, the original theatre was destroyed in a fire in 1613. A second version was built on the same location in 1614, but was then closed by formal decree in 1642 by an ordinance that order all theatres in London to be closed, considering them to be “places of humiliation.” This must have been such a sad time in history!

Today, you can visit a reconstruction of the theatre located just 750 feet away from the original location. It was erected in 1997, and serves as a place of homage for Shakespeare and all of his famous writings! It’s pretty amazing to see an accurate reconstruction of where “The Bard of Avon” would have put on his plays. A must-do for anyone interested in Shakespeare!

Practical Information:

Entry fee: Fees vary. Visit their website to learn about their special events, which include play performances. Guided tours are also available.

Opening hours: Every day 10am-6pm.

Address: 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT, UK

Website

2. The British Library

View of the Kings Library, The British Library by Mike Peel – WikiCommons

The British Library is massive, and feels like a dream for any bookworm! It’s a “copyright library,” which means that it is home to every single book ever published in England. Yes, you read that right! It houses up to an estimated 200 million titles.  Be prepared to spend an afternoon (or several) exploring the shelves.

The structure and architecture of the library itself is also a site to see, with hundreds and hundreds of shelves and the high ceilings. In fact, the British Library is the largest national library in the world. It’s also completely open to the public!

The library is located in a central location, not far from the St. Pancras train station. My advice? Head here as soon as you get off the train!

Practical Information:

Entry free: Free entry

Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 9:30am-8pm, Friday 9:30am-6pm, Saturday 9:30am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm.

Address: 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB, UK

Website

3. The Charles Dickens Museum

Charles Dickens Morning Room inside the Charles Dickens Museum by Joy of Museums – WikiCommons

Fast forward a few hundred years after Shakespeare’s days, and you’ll find yourself in the world of Charles Dickens. Mr. Dickens is another one of England’s greats, and his novels such as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and Great Expectations are world famous.

You’ll learn all about Dickens and his masterpieces when you visit the Charles Dickens Museum in London! It’s located in Dickens’ former home on Doughty Street. The house was threatened with demolition in the 1920s, but thankfully the association, the Dickens Fellowship, stepped in and saved the property! The museum opened for the first time in 1925.

Inside, you’ll find preserved artefacts, paintings, and most importantly: Dickens’ study with the original desk that he sat at to write most of his masterpieces. You’ll truly be standing in a room where history was made!

Practical Information:

Entry fee: £4.50-£9.50

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm, closed Monday.

Address: 48-49 Doughty St, Holborn, London WC1N 2LX, UK

Website

4. Persephone Books

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzASnZrFCsb/

This one is my personal favorite! Persephone Books is a bookstore in London that has been around since 1999, and focuses on finding “lost,” or out of print and neglected books from female authors.

You’ll find novels, short stories, poetry, and diaries by great female authors such as Hilda Bernstein (read The World that was Ours if you haven’t yet), Katherine Mansfield, and Irène Némirovsky.

All of the books have been recovered in simple gray colored covers, giving all of the books a streamlined look. The owners have really taken the old adage, “don’t judge a book by its cover” to heart! I have several myself, and I love seeing them on my shelves.

You can visit their shop in London, or order books off their website!

Practical Information:

Entry fee: Free entry

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 11am-5pm, Sunday 12pm-4pm.

Address: 59 Lamb’s Conduit St, Holborn, London WC1N 3NB, UK

Website

5. The George Inn

The George Inn, London by Colin Smith – geograph.org

A lot of bookworms like going out for drinks, too! I would know because I fit into this group. That’s why I had to include at least one literary centric pub. The George Inn in the Southwark area of the city was once frequented by the writers like Shakespeare and Dickens. Great minds!

The pub dates back to as far as 1543, appearing on a map of Southwark as simply, “Gorge.” Today, it is owned by the National Trust, a charity responsible for conservation across the United Kingdom.

Don’t miss the Middle Bar, which used to be known as the Coffee Room. This is where Dickens could be found, back in the day!

Practical Information:

Entry fee: Free entry

Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-12am, Sunday 12pm-10:30pm. 

Address: 75-77 Borough High St, London SE1 1NH, UK

Website

6. Charing Cross Road

Charing Cross Road featuring the bookstore Foyles by David Hawgood – geograph.org

Charing Cross Road, located in the center of London, is known for it’s variety of second-hand and independent bookstores. This sounds like my kind of road! And, incidentally, it is. I spent an entire afternoon here once, and left with a heavy bag and a lighter wallet. Not too much lighter, however! Many of the bookstores located on the road are very well priced.

Don’t miss Quinto Bookshop for rare and antique collections, and Henry Pordes, known for it’s massive second-hand collection. Any Amount of Books is also a great spot to find everything your little bookworm heart desires.

Foyles is also an important shop, inspiring the book 84, Charing Cross Road, which went on to inspire a play, television series and a film.  

Practical Information:

Entry fee: Free entry

Opening hours: Hours vary by store.

Address: Click here to view on Google maps.

7. 221b Baker Street – The Sherlock Holmes Museum

Sherlock Holmes Museum in London by Anders Thirsgaard Rasmussen – WikiCommons

My list wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the famous fictional Londoner, Sherlock Holmes. Holmes may be a fictional character, but the house that he shared with his partner in crime Dr. John Watson is located at the very real address of 221b Baker Street in London.

Today, it is home to the Sherlock Holmes Museum! Inside you’ll find that the imagined home has come to life with the use of antiques and other props. They also offer guided tours that I definitely recommend.

Allegedly, the detective that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character once really lived there. This is of course all theoretical, but, between 1860-1934, there was a tenant that resided at 221b Baker Street, and the dates that he lived there mysteriously coincide with the heritage plaques that are on the outside of the building. The plaque contains a description of the person that supposedly inspired Holmes, and the exact dates of this mystery tenant. I’ll leave you with that!

Practical Information:

Entry fee: £5-£8

Opening hours: Every day 9:30am-6pm

Address: 221b Baker St, Marylebone, London NW1 6XE, UK

Website

8. Word on the Water

Word on the Water bookstore by David Skinner – Flickr

Word on the Water is yet another bookstore you should visit in London! However, this one is pretty unique. It’s housed in an old Dutch barge that sits on the edge of the Regent’s Canal. The shop has been open since 2011, and is London’s only floating bookstore.

They carry new books as well as old ones, and this little ship is stuffed to the brim with titles just waiting for you to peruse. They also have chairs set up around the shop so that you can relax and read if you’d like.

Additionally, on the upper deck of the barge, you’ll find open mic nights, poetry reading and other events.

Practical Information:

Entry fee: Free entry

Opening hours: Every day 12pm-7pm.

Address: Regent’s Canal Towpath, Kings Cross, London N1C 4BZ, UK

Facebook page

9. Gay’s the Word

Gay’s the Word bookstore by Bob Walker – WikiCommons

Gay’s the World is the United Kingdom’s longest standing LGBT focused bookstore! It is also 1 of only 2 lesbian and gay bookstores in the UK, and the only one in England. It was founded in 1979 by a small gay socialist group called the Gay Icebreakers.

From it’s inception, Gay’s the Word has been a safe haven for the LGBT community in London. This was especially important in their early years, as gay literature was not permitted to be sold in standard bookstores. Gay’s the World created a safe place for the community to learn and come together.

They have a wide range of literature and the staff is very friendly. Come to Gay’s the Word for a great atmosphere, and to read up on the best of the best from the world of LGBT literature.

Practical Information:

Entry fee: Free entry

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-6:30pm, Sunday 2pm-6pm.

Address: 66 Marchmont St, Saint Pancras, London WC1N 1AB, UK

Facebook page

10. Bloomsbury Garden Squares

Bloomsbury Garden Squares by Schlaier – WikiCommons

Bloomsbury Garden Squares is about to become your new favorite park in London to get your bookworm on. And by that, I mean it is the perfect place to curl up on a picnic blanket with a great read!

The Bloomsbury area was also the home to a group of modernist writers called The Bloomsbury Group. The Group included, mostly famously, the novelist Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster. Additionally, the area has ties to Mary Shelley and T.S. Eliot, although they were not members of the group themselves.

Take a stroll around the area and you’ll find various plaques that indicate significant addresses of homes and work places of the group.

Practical Information:

Entry fee: Free entry

Opening hours: The garden is open every day from 8am-8pm.

Address: 14 Bloomsbury Square, Holborn, London WC1A 2RJ, UK

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed this short list of places that make London is the best city in the world for bookworms! Save this article for your next trip to the city, and you’ll have no shortage of things to do.

If you want to explore even more on London, why not do so with one of our expert local guides? They’re sure to have even more information to share with you! Click here to learn more about our walking tour options and to make a booking.

Until then, happy exploring, my fellow bookworms!