In a small town in Wales, you will find every book lover’s dream. An entire town dedicated to bookshops! Yes, I’m serious. Hay-on-Wye, which is on the border of south east Wales, is host to over ten bookshops. It’s also tiny, so it is pretty much just bookshops. Pure heaven. Every book lover adores a bookshop and here are some that the town has!
Boz Books
The perfect bookshop for 19th Century literature lovers. The shop was named after a love of Charles Dickens (his nickname was Boz). It specialises in Victorian literature, so if you’re looking to explore the classics, this is the shop for you. You’ll find all of your favourite Victorian authors on these shelves.
Hay Cinema Bookshop
The secondhand bookshop of your dreams. In an age where it’s proving more sustainable to shop secondhand, this is the store for you. The shop is in a restored cinema, shelving thousands of volumes. They have any and every subject! The shop also takes on any books that you want to sell. It’s a really sustainable place. So when you visit Hay-on-Wye, bring all of your old books and drop them off at Hay Cinema Bookshop.
Richard Booth Bookshop
This shop is a literary cove, complemented by a cinema and a café! This shop has an aesthetic to die for. There are skylights, wooden shelves and comfy chairs to read on. You’ll get lost amongst these shelves.
Hay-on-Wye Booksellers
This shop is actually the longest-selling bookshop in the town. Priding themselves on offering all kinds of books to its customers, this shop is an essential. The shop has an antique, vintage exterior. It also has a cosy and welcoming interior! A bookshop tour around Hay-on-Wye would be incomplete without visiting here.
Murder and Mayhem
The smallest bookshop in Hay-on-Wye! This shop is dedicated to lovers of crime fiction, detective stories and ghost stories. It has a themed interior fitting to the name of the shop, complete with a creaky staircase. There’s even a corner dedicated to Agatha Christie. The shop boasts of its impressive selection, pleasing everyone. If crime and ghosts are your favourite stories, come here!
Poetry Bookshop
One of the only bookshops left in the UK dedicated to poetry only. This shop has been open since 1979, and offers secondhand and antique editions of poetry. Not only can you browse their shelves, you can go to the shop to hear some live poetry too! You’ll be surrounded by packed shelves of all kinds of poetry and poetry lovers from across the globe.
So, if you’re at a loose end one weekend and fancy a road trip, go to Hay-on-Wye! It’s every book lover’s dream.