Introducing Hay-On-Wye, the town of books! That’s right, this cute little town on the Wales/England border near Hereford is famous for lots of cute independent bookshops! Aka, the dream.
We literally stumbled upon Hay-On-Wye on the way back from our family trip to South Wales. It was conveniently on our route home and we needed a little break to stop Indi getting restless (more road trip with toddler tips over here). And I’m not going to lie, I lost my shit. A whole town of bookshops and cafes? I’m all over it.
It can be a little overwhelming at first. When you’re offered a plethera of bookshops to choose from, where do you start?
Well I’ve rounded up the very best ones to give you a head start. You’re welcome.
The Best Bookshops in Hay-On-Wye
1) Richard Booth’s Bookshop
This is the OG book shop in Hay-On-Wye (opened in 1961) and has 3 floors of old and new books. It normally has a cafe and cinema too but they are closed right now for obvious COVID-related reasons. I got a few children’s books here I hadn’t seen before so lots of good stuff to browse!
2) Hay-On-Wye Booksellers
This one is a bit of an Aladdin’s cave. It has winding little aisles and piles of books on the floor as you enter. It’s very easy to get lost in here! But I found some lovely non-fiction numbers within the maze of secondhand books and all were reasonably priced.
3) Murder and Mayhem
This lovely shop specialises in crime novels and thrillers but even if that’s not your jam, check it out for the gorgeous shop front and decor!! By far my favourite shop front in Hay-On-Wye. JUST LOOK.
4) Addyman Books
A wonderful treasure trove with a colourful exterior and ornate interior. Definitely one to check out. For me, the best part is the “Book Passage”, a little alleyway connected to the shop with rows of bargain books. All books are £1 and they work on an honour system. So you choose your book, pop a pound in the bucket and away you go! (There are a few of these in Hay-On-Wye, but I liked this one best.)
5) The Old Electric Shop
Omg I’m obsessed with this shop. It’s not just books here. It actually sells all the things I love – vintage clothes, gorgeous homeware, plants and, you guessed it, books. It kind of reminded me of East London with a bit of an Urban Outfitters vibe, except independent of course. They also have a cafe here so it’s one not to be missed!
They were my favourites but have a wander as you’re bound to find some gems in this town! Also, there are parts of the town where they usually have bookshelves outside, like the honesty bookshop on the castle grounds. I totally missed this when I visited as it’s so tucked away and the castle was having renovations, but pop your head in if you can!
Have you been on Hay-On-Wye? Like the sound of a town of books?!
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