10 Best Bookshops in Wonderful Hay-on-Wye: Discover The Booklovers Paradise
Why You Need To Visit Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye is famous for its second-hand bookshops, where you’ll find everything from first editions to rare books that are hundreds of years old. It is renowned as one of the best places in the world to head for literary tourism.
Not only that, but it is also known for having one of the best book festivals in the world – the Hay on Wye Festival. From book fairs to author talks, it is a dream come true for book enthusiasts.
So, if you’re visiting and are a book lover, you’ll find plenty of places to visit. But which are the best bookshops in Hay-on-Wye?
From antique bookshops to those holding the latest releases, there is something for everyone here. That is why it’s known as England’s first book town.
It really is a book lovers’ paradise – even visiting outside of the time of the famous Hay-on-Wye literary festival. There are so many Hay-on-Wye bookshops for you to explore. There are, of course, plenty of other reasons to visit Hay too.
Cosy Cafes
Hay-on-Wye is a great place to visit for food lovers, with lots of places to eat and stay including the Cosy Cafe and Shephards Palour.
If quiet cafes and old-school pubs are what you’re looking for, then you won’t be short of them here. There are also plenty of Hay on Wye restaurants to eat in. If you’re planning on visiting for a long weekend, you’ll be able to find lots of places to eat.
In fact, Hay-on-Wye is one of the few places in the UK where you can enjoy a hotel room in the middle of the countryside and yet be able to walk to the town centre.
Beautiful Scenery
Hay-on-Wye has a landscape that is perfect for anyone who enjoys walking and exploring.
With the Black Mountains nearby, this is a great area to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
So, if you’re planning on visiting in spring or autumn, you’ll get to enjoy the beautiful colours as the leaves change colour.
If you visit in the colder months, you’ll be able to see the countryside covered in a blanket of snow. If you’re a lover of wildlife, you’ll be able to see some spectacular sights here, including the occasional kingfisher, red kite, or buzzard.
As you explore the area, there are a number of stunning walks that you can choose from, including the Wye Valley Walk and the Black Mountains Walk.
History
If you’re interested in history, then you’ll love Hay-on-Wye. This is the perfect place to explore some of the fascinating history of this region of the world.
There are a number of attractions that you can visit, including the Hay-on-Wye Castle, which has been here for nearly 1,000 years.
Or, you can visit the charming St. Mary’s Church, which has stood in the same place since 1309.
Other interesting places to visit include the Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival, which takes place every May and is the largest literary festival in the world.
You Know You Want To, Booklovers…
At the end of the day, the Hay-on-Wye bookshops are why most people visit Hay-on-Wye and the reason why I’m here to recommend it to you.
It really is an amazing and unique place to visit. I’ve even included it in my Top 100 Great British Bucket ListSo, I’ve decided to make this guide for my fellow book lovers on the best bookshops in Hay-on-Wye. I love it so much.
So, I’ve decided to make this guide for my fellow book lovers on the best bookshops in Hay-on-Wye. Without further ado, here are my top ten.
Hay Cinema Bookshop
The Hay Cinema Bookshop is so enormous that I got genuinely lost browsing there.
Hosted in the old Hay Cinema building, it has bookshelves that stretch on and on forever.
The shelves at the front of the shop by the tills are reprints of classic books and poetry for a few pounds each.
There are also more recently released books at a discounted price.
You will find an upstairs and a downstairs section with various sections to browse. The upstairs holds one of the best secondhand bookstores in the whole town.
There is pretty much every section you can imagine here, from Ancient Greek, to fiction, to cookery.
There are many antiquarian books and beautifully bound books, all at an affordable price.
A highlight are the shelves out the front of the shop which hold books that cost £1, with some great finds! I found a beautiful copy of Pride and Prejudice and a copy of Wordsworth poems here.
This place really is a dream come true for book hoarders, with endless shelves creating a book lover’s paradise. In literary travel, this may be one of the best bookshops ever to take a trip to.
This is the bookshop to head to for the enormus range of choice at amazing prices and definitely one of the best bookshops in Hay-on-Wye.
Hay-on-Wye Booksellers
This is another great bookshop that sells antiquarian books and secondhand books. It can be found opposite the castle.
This bookshop has a really special curated selection of books on a range of interesting topics, making it a top place to stop on your book trails.
They have a selection of hard to find books so this one is perfect for any dedicated book collector. If you’re in the book town for rare book hunting, this is a great place to head.
Its home is in an adorable old black and white building, and it has a really cosy vibe to go with it. It’s so picturesque it is often used to represent the town as a whole.
For a traditional book-shopping experience, this is the place to head. You are sure to find whatever it is you want to buy in this varied and traditional bookstore.
Richard Booth’s Books
This is a really special bookshop, as this began the start of Hay’s history as a booklovers paradise. That alone must make it one of the best bookshops in Hay-on-Wye.
It was opened by Richard Booth in 1962 as the first bookshop in the town, which then began to expand into what it is today.
Now, this bookshop has an amazing array of both new books, bestsellers and secondhand antiquities in all genres.
This is another one where there are rows and rows of bookshelves. It is another great spot for rare book hunting.
Although not quite such a maze as the cinema bookshop, you can definitely spend a decent amount of time browsing here.
I would say this is the best place to head for modernities and bestsellers, alongside it’s wonderful range of secondhand books.
There is also a cafe and cinema housed in the same building, so you can head back here to catch a film in the evening!
The Old Electric Bookshop
The Old Electric Bookshop is one of the trendiest spots in town. It is a bookshop combined with a cafe/restaurant, as well as a shop selling vintage clothes, somewhere and various other bits and bobs.
It sells a number of quirky items and is definitely aimed at the younger crowd in town although, of course, can be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys the latest trends.
Book-wise, they have a curated selection of quirky and up-to-date books. This includes books on nature, travel, feminism, poetry, and cooking.
This place has a really relaxing vibe to it, so if you’re heading away for the solo reading retreats that many book fanatics enjoy, make sure to stop in here for a browse an a coffee.
This is the place to head for the latest – and coolest – books on the market and one of the best bookshops in Hay-on-Wye.
Side note – they also had a dog in residence last time I visited. This, obviously, gives them extra points straight away.
Greek Ink Booksellers
Green Ink is one of the smaller bookshops in town – but think quality over quantity. There are some really special editions to be found here, beautiful books, and unique copies.
There is a little bit of everything to be found here, but there is a special emphasis on academic books.
Downstairs, there is an entire section dedicated to philosophy and sociology. So, if that’s your kind of thing, make sure you don’t miss this as one of the best bookshops in Hay-on-Wye.
Also downstairs are the children’s books, with a selection of new and secondhand books. This is a wonderful place to find unique children’s books, and can enable nostalgic parents to buy the same books they read growing up for their own children.
Near some of the best cafes in town, head to this one around lunchtime so you don’t have far to trek.
With some niche books on sale, this is a great spot for book collectors to head for some rare book hunting.
Poetry Bookshop
As a poetry fan this was a dream come true for me. Rows and rows of poetry books, new and old – nothing could be better in my mind!
I’m sure, if you’re a fan too, I need to say no more to convince you to visit that this is one of the best bookshops in Hay-on-Wye.
However, this shop can provide a perfect introduction to those who feel like they have never understood poetry or don’t know where to start.
There’s a chair in here and a number of helpful staff members to give you a hand. So feel free to browse, take your time.
Flick through antique copies of Byron to see what all the hype is about, poetry collections of comic poems, or modern poetry that’s pushing artistic boundaries.
They also have a wide collection of poetry by LGBTQ+ and POC poets, so you are able to find work suited to your personal experience.
Haystacks Music And More
This one is the one for the music letters. A bookshop combined with a record store, it has a zany and quirky exterior.
It almost feels like you’ve traveled back in time to the ’70s’ Stacks and stacks of vinyl records of all genres line the main section of the shop.
CDs and DVDs line the walls so the more up-to-date music fans, and cinema fans alike, can find something they can enjoy.
In terms of books, there is a frankly enormous stack of sheet music of all different genres for you to look through.
There are also a number of books about various musicians, genres of music, and musical eras.
A specialist bookshop that seemingly has still managed to stock something for everyone, make sure you take a trip to this one!
Hay Castle Bookshop
To me, this bookshop sums up the loveliness that encapsulates Hay-on-Wye as a town. Rows of bookshops in the castle grounds make up the Castle Bookshop. They are all second-hand and all a pound each.
They rely on customers own honesty to drop the right amount of money in the box. No change? No worries! To keep up with the modern-day, they have created QR codes so you are able to pay online.
There is a wide range of books, from novels to factual books, new and old. There are plenty to choose from, and plenty of new books here so it is certainly worth checking out. Even just to enjoy the novel and heartwarming concept of an honesty bookshop!
Murder And Mayhem
For crime novel enthusiasts, this is probably the greatest place you can visit in the entire country. Nay, the entire world!
This is a bookshop entirely dedicated to crime, horror and detective stories. From the latest releases in the genre, to the most popular Agatha Cristie novels, this shop really has it covered.
It is one of the most impressive speciality bookstores you can visit. The decor of the shop even matches the books on offer, with a dark and creepy interior really setting the mood.
Even if you’re not a fan, this one is worth a visit just to experience it’s unique vibe.
You never know, you might be suitably put in the detecting mood to try out a couple of books.
Addyman Books
This one is a really edgy little bookshop. It has a large selection of books on myths and legends, fantasy, and sci-fi to satisfy your book shopping urges.
It also has a section that includes occult books, drugs and left-wing politics.
If you’re looking for something a little bit edgy and a little bit provocative, this is a great bookshop to head to.
It also has a lovely selection of modern books and classic novels to choose from so there is still something here for your average reader.
But if you want to push the boat out a little then this is definitely the one for you.
A highlight of this bookshop is its adorable little alleyway or book passage, that has walls covered with books that cost only a pound.
There are some really unique finds in here so make sure to have a browse. You don’t want to miss out on any of the special and different books they hold here.
Take A Look Around The Hay On Wye Bookshops
If you want to take a look around before you go, check out Penguin Platform’s video on Hay on Wye’s bookshops. Here, they show you the highlights of the town so you can get a real feeling for what it’s like.
Places To Eat in Hay on Wye
Hay-on-Wye is also home to a number of lovely places to eat. My personal favorite places to eat, while I’m in Hay, are quaint cafes to fit the cosy vibe of the bookshops.
I’ve already mentioned the cafe attached to Richard Booth’s Bookshop and the one connected to the Old Electric Bookshop.
Here are a couple more recommendations for places to eat, just so you’ve got a couple of options.
Shephards Palour – One of my favourites, this is an absolutely adorable, cosy cafe in the centre of town. Their toasties are to die for and they have delicious ice creams for a hot day too.
Cosy Cafe—This one gets very busy, but if you can get a table, you should definitely give it a try. Its cake might be the best in town.
The Bean Box – This one’s a little bit different. It’s an outside cafe on the banks of the river – with a little bookshop cellar attached. For great views on a warm day, this is the one for you.
The Granary – While they do nice coffee and cake, this one is best to head to if you want a delicious hot cooked meal. It’s housed in a beautiful building with lots of room, which can never hurt.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are so many wonderful bookshops in Hay on Wye, it is an absolute must for any book nerds who are need of a book shopping trip. It is one of my favourite places in the entire country and I really can’t recommend it enough.
If you’re into taking book themed holidays, need to satisfy your book obsession or simply immerse yourself in the book mania that exists in Hay-in-Wye, this is the absolute perfect day out for you.
I hope I’ve given you an idea of where to head first, or at least convinced you to go if you were on the fence.
If you’re a Hay on Wye fan, please feel free to leave a comment letting me know why you love it so much and which bookshop is your favourite!
Also, you should definitely check out the Hay on Wye festival if you want to immerse yourself in the culture of this iconic book town.
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Ta-ta for now! x
