For book lovers, the most perfect place on earth is somewhere they can set themselves up comfortably without being bothered for a while. But there are many places outside of the home that have been
For book lovers, the most perfect place on earth is somewhere they can set themselves up comfortably without being bothered for a while. But there are many places outside of the home that have been drawing readers out for many years now!
You can flip through the pages of something you’re currently reading, find something to add to your book collection, enjoy real Bingo games on your smartphone or tablet, and even order something to eat at these spots! These places are perfect for solitary pursuits above and beyond devouring another novel.
Bath, England
Jane Austen wrote Northanger Abbey and Persuasion in this county in Somerset, England, and it’s also the host of the annual Jane Austen Festival. This event is held in autumn and includes calligraphy workshops, country dances, and dramatic readings, but you can visit the centre where it’s held throughout the year.
The afternoon tea services, costumed tours, and museum are a must for fans of this wonderful author.
The Book and Bed Bookstore, Tokyo
Book and Bed describes itself as an Accommodation Bookstore and allows guests to sleep in compartments that resemble shelves as they plough through the almost 2 000 English and Japanese titles in-store. This branch opened its doors in 2015 and has since branched out to Fukuoka and Kyoto.
The Café Pushkin, Moscow
The Café Pushkin opened in 1999 but the mansion it’s housed in has been around since the 1800s. You’ll be able to sample French and Russian cuisine in one of the four dining halls the restaurant boasts, each of which is wonderful in its own right. The Baroque-style library is highly recommended, however, with its antique telescopes and ceiling-high bookcases.
The El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires
The El Ateneo Grand Splendid is far from your average bookstore! Located in an old theatre complete with frescoed ceilings and red stage curtains, books now line what were once the orchestra and mezzanine sections and café tables now occupy the stage where tangos were once performed.
The Fable Bar, London
The Fable Bar’s interior takes its inspiration from Aesop’s parables and fairy tales and you’ll find a magical little world when you pop in at this Holborn-district locale. You can enjoy cocktails like the Bramble Forest and Candy Shop in a booth encased by books while you’re there.
Hay-on-Wye, Wales
Hay-on-Wye is a minuscule little village in Wales, less than 2 000 people call it home, that looks like a giant library!
The town’s become celebrated for antiquarian and second-hand bookshops, and you’ll find whole stores dedicated to just one genre here, like the Murder and Mayhem in Lion Street. The best attraction has to be the Honesty Bookshop, however, situated outside Hay Castle, where books cost less than £1.
The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading, Rio de Janeiro
Book lovers will think they’ve died and gone to heaven when they walk into this three-storey library. The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading holds over 350 000 books in bookcases stretching all the way up to the ceiling, which is a domed skylight of stained glass.