From shiny cafés to ancient theaters, here are some of the best independent bookstores to put on your travel list.

For those of you that never travel without a book, or always finish the one you bring on the plane, this list of independent bookstores around the world could inspire you to make a reading detour on your next trip. While floor to ceiling bookshelves are the norm on this list, each shop has its own unique character, history, and traditions. Most importantly, they all boast an impressive selection of literature, some showcasing fresh local talent while others house rare ancient gems.

1. Topping & Company Booksellers - Edinburgh, Scotland

The first Topping & Company bookshop opened in the town of Ely back in 2002, but the newest addition to the independently owned chain is one of the largest in the UK. The Edinburgh branch opened in 2019 and houses three floors of handcrafted floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and over 70,000 individual volumes, drawing in readers of all ages and interests. Their first floor has an impressive display of valuable rare and signed editions of various books, while the upstairs areas are split into specific genres ranging from award winning fiction to business and economics. Readers can use the signature Topping sliding ladders to grab a book off of the top shelves, or settle down into one of the many reading nooks scattered throughout the store to enjoy free servings of tea and biscuits. The store also holds a number of events throughout the year, hosting both established authors and rising stars, making it one of the premier literary hubs in Edinburgh.

2. Clarke’s Bookshop - Cape Town, South Africa

Established back in 1957 as a secondhand bookstore by local Anthony Clarke, Clarke’s Bookshop is one of the longest running independent booksellers in South Africa. During the Apartheid Era, reading material was heavily censored by the country’s white supremacist regime and books deemed controversial often had to be smuggled in. Clarke’s was one of the few places that offered customers a wide variety of genres at an affordable price, and continues to live up to this legacy of intellectual tolerance today. While they still carry a large selection of previously used volumes, the shop began to specialize in African and South African specific works in the 1970s and has grown its collection exponentially since then. The store’s focus is to uplift South African stories and authors, with two entire floors dedicated to Africana works written by emerging South African authors. Clarke’s also has an impressive collection of rare texts that are no longer in print, and supply a number of libraries both locally and around the world.

3. Strand Book Store - New York City, USA

This could not be a list of independent bookstores without including Strand Book Store, located in midtown Manhattan. Founded almost a century ago by the then twenty-five year old Ben Bass, the store takes its name from the famous London street frequented by writers like Charles Dickens and William Thackeray, among others. Today, the Strand is proudly the largest bookstore in New York City and carries over a whopping 2.5 million volumes as well as an impressive selection of literary themed merchandise from stickers and magnets to tote bags and onesies. For those on a budget, the pavement outside the store is lined with its famous dollar carts, although finding a reasonably priced gem inside the store is always an option as well. Alternatively, if you have run out of space on your bookshelf at home and are looking to refresh your library, the Strand will also be happy to help provide a new home for your books and will make you an offer in either cash or store credit. From fashion almanacs to the newest fiction bestsellers, the Strand quite literally has it all.

4. Epigram Books - Singapore

In addition to being a bookstore, Epigram Books is also an established independent publishing house in Singapore working to showcase local poets, playwrights, and authors. In fact, the bookstore did not open properly until late 2022 after existing as a pop-up store around the city for a year. Hailed by many as being the best and one of only a few purveyors of Singaporean and Southeast Asian narratives, locals often enjoy browsing their beautiful wooden shelves while enjoying a coffee by in-house baristas. In 2015, they launched the Epigram Books Fiction Prize which takes creative writing submissions from all over Southeast Asia. All of the books shortlisted for the annual prize are always made available front and center in the store, along with an incredible collection of literature published by other Singaporean houses. Epigram’s tagline, “Hold Singapore in Your Hands,” speaks to its goal of creating a space in the literary world for local talent—one of the tables in their store is reserved for authors and artists to chat with readers and help visitors find inspiration amongst the shelves.

5. El Ateneo Grand Splendid - Buenos Aires, Argentina

For those of you who love music just as much as books, El Ateneo Grand Splendid is the perfect destination. The building was first opened in 1919 as a theater for ballet, opera, tango, and musical performances with a seating capacity of over 1,000, but eventually became a bookstore in 2000 after a short stint as a recording studio and radio station. Many have named this incredible space “the world’s most beautiful bookstore” because of its intricate frescoes and gilded bookshelves, but the atmosphere inside El Ateneo is as warm and welcoming as your neighborhood bookshop. The café built on the stage of the grand hall offers coffee and pastries to visitors who simply want to sit back and admire the emporium’s Latin architecture, while those looking to purchase have access to thousands of books, CDs, DVDs, and more. While the space welcomes over a million people every year, the orchestra and mezzanine areas as well as the luxury boxes have been converted into quiet reading spaces where you can enjoy Argentina’s rich literary tradition and history.

6. Wuguan Books - Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

If you have ever been told not to judge a book by its cover, this store makes it hard to do much else. Located in an art center that used to be a warehouse, Wuguan Books immerses visitors in almost complete darkness with only dim yellow lights illuminating the covers, while a small handful of reading lights are scattered through the space. The design was carefully thought up and executed by award winning architect Chu Chih-kang, who wanted the books to feel as if they were floating, and fully committed to the atmosphere by using thick carpets to absorb the sounds of footsteps and dark shelves that melt into the background. The goal was to allow people to really focus on the books without any other sensory distractions, so visitors are also required to follow rules which prohibit flash photography or flashlights. The store also houses a coffee bar and sells a variety of other merchandise, but is only accessible to those over the age of 18 due to the sensitive topics covered by some of the books. In an age where Instagram worthy aesthetics are all the rage, the inability to digitally document this space only adds to its intimate setting.

7. Another Story Bookshop - Toronto, Canada

Just over thirty years ago, local Torontonian Sheila Koffman founded Another Story Bookshop in the basement of a downtown building with the goal of putting “diverse books into diverse hands.” She sadly passed away in 2017, but her efforts to provide a platform for authors who were queer or people of color live on in the store’s new location in the Roncesvalles Village neighborhood and through its loyal employees. The prevailing theme of the store is social justice, which becomes evident from its wide selection of both fiction and non-fiction for young readers and more seasoned ones. In fact, half of the store’s inventory caters specifically to children, and they also provide books to a number of local schools. The staff put in effort to locate stories and titles that are not available elsewhere in order to ensure that marginalized narratives, including and especially those of indigenous peoples, are heard. The staff’s hard work to ensure that every book they carry has a message that is, in their best judgment, the best way to pay tribute to Sheila’s founding vision.

8. Libreria Acqua Alta - Venice, Italy

Books and water typically do not mix, but the staff at the Libreria Acqua Alta in Venice have found a solution. The shop is located on an island in the middle of one of the city’s countless canals, and all of its precious books are stored in various waterproof bins, bathtubs, and even a full-sized gondola. True to its name which translates to “Library of High Water”, this innovation provides a safe sanctuary when the tide rises and water floods to a few inches in height. The store is fantastical in every way, with giant leather-bound volumes stacked haphazardly against the wall, ships’ wheels and other maritime gadgets scattered across the piles, and an entire staircase made of books. For those looking to make a literary purchase, the store has an amazing inventory of both new and secondhand books in a variety of languages as well as a large collection specifically about Venice. On the other hand, the store also offers a number of vintage souvenirs and is home to a handful of friendly cats for those who simply want to experience another bookstore heralded as among the most beautiful in the world.

Tanaya is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Public Health at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Asia, Europe and North America and wants to share her love of travel and exploring new cultures through her writing.