There’s nothing like the smell of a new – or old – book (sorry, Kindle readers), and if you’re on the same page as us, you’ll be happy to know that bookstores are far from disappearing in the real world.
From star-studded book signings in Los Angeles to wanderlust-themed reads in the Big Apple, here are five of the most unique bookstores around the globe:
Book Soup, Los Angeles
Titles from mass to obscure – if it’s not there, they’ll get it. One of the last indie bookstores in LA, with a prolific mag selection, book talks and star-studded signings.
Idlewild Bookshop, New York
Exit the Barnes & Noble megastore and set foot in this cosy haven to hold a whole world of wanderlust-inspiring literature in your hands. Settle in, Sue – if some of the seats look like they were salvaged from an American Airlines jet, well, that’s because they were.
Robinson Crusoe Bookstore, Istanbul
Four floors above bustling İstiklal is this local literary institution, lined floor-to-double-height-ceiling with Turkish and English titles across fiction, fine art, history and travel. With rolling ladders, a reading table and piano, it exudes a library atmos; patrons are positively encouraged to park their bot and browse before buying.
The Paperback Bookshop, Melbourne
Tiny, open-late literary lovely at the ‘Paris End’ of the city that’s been pleasing browsing bibliophiles since the ’60s. A mini-maze of tall walls lined with fiction, philosophy, classics and new releases, with a particular focus on Australian titles.
The Bookworm, Hanoi
Hanoi’s only English-language bookshop with courtyard caff shelving new and used reads. Stay for as long as you like and don’t miss the special room dedicated to Vietnamese lit and lifestyle.
See also: London’s Best Bookshops To Browse Through
Planning a trip? Don’t go anywhere without our pocket-friendly LUXE City Guides:
