My Favorite Antique Bookshops: Edinburgh, Scotland
I first came to Edinburgh, Scotland, back in 2019 for the famed Fringe Festival and ended up staying for a whole month because I loved the city so much.
The history, architecture, nature, and food were all contributing factors, but the incredible bookshops, particularly those that sell antique books, were a major draw.
My Shortlist of Antique Bookshops in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has since become one of my favorite cities, so I've put together a list of some of my most loved bookshops in the city to find antique books:
Edinburgh Books
This shop has a whole room dedicated to Scottish interest books, a water buffalo (?) on the wall, and very friendly staff. It also happens to be next to one of my favorite cafes in the city, Lovecrumbs. My ideal afternoon is a stop to look for books followed by some freshly made cake and a read.
📍145-147 West Port, Edinburgh, EH3 9DP, Scotland
Cooper Hay Rare Books
This shop specializes in fine bindings that are in excellent condition. I picked up two beautiful Mauchline tartanware books here and could not be happier. The shop owner, Hamish, is knowledgeable and friendly, and the two shop dogs make it another one of my favorite stops whenever I'm back in the city. They have a sister shop in Glasgow that is still on my list.
📍70 Cumberland St, Edinburgh, EH3 6RE, Scotland
McNaughtan's Bookshop
Scotland's oldest second-hand and antiquarian bookshop is another one of my must-visit bookstores in the city. It's well-organized, and the staff has been great at answering my questions and helping me find new gems for my shelf. I picked up an Andrew Lang Green Fairy Book from them and get something new on almost every visit. They're also a stone's throw from Topping & Company Booksellers.
📍3A, 4A Haddington Pl, Edinburgh, EH7 4AE, Scotland
Tills Bookshop
A secondhand bookshop located just next to the Meadows, Tills is dog-friendly and even has a free Bookless Bookclub. On my last visit, they had some incredible antiquarian Austen, beautifully bound Scottish poetry, and Victorian gardening books that were very difficult to leave behind.
I attended one of their book clubs where the genre was sci-fi, and the theme was insomnia, and I ended up getting hooked on some new books that I would never normally have gone for.
📍1 Hope Park Cres, Edinburgh, EH8 9NA, Scotland
The Gently Mad
This family-run bookshop and bindery is my favorite favorite bookstore for antique finds. When you enter, it feels as if you've stepped onto a film set. The packed shelves, atmospheric music, and helpful staff make it tough to want to leave. They're dog- friendly and constantly get new antique books in. I highly recommend popping into this shop if you're in the city.
📍2 Summer Pl, Edinburgh, EH3 5NR, Scotland
Armchair Books
Armchair Books has become a famed bookshop across social media for good reason. Like something out of Harry Potter, the floor-to-ceiling shelves are filled with all kinds of secondhand treasures. On my last visit, I came away with a prize binding from the 1800s about life in New Zealand and was thrilled. It's quite close to Edinburgh Books, so I recommend making an afternoon of it.
📍72-74 West Port, Edinburgh, EH1 2LE, Scotland
The Charity Shops
Edinburgh is dotted with charity shops on nearly every street corner. If you're a book lover, I highly recommend stopping in, as these are where I've found some of my most treasured antique books for insanely low prices. Oxfam Bookshops are some of my particular favorites.
Happy hunting - be sure to bring an extra suitcase just in case!