Thursday 1 June 2017

Readabilitea's Bookish Guide to York


I have been able to call York my home for 4 years now, but soon my time in this beautiful city will be coming to an end. It is one of the best cities I've ever been to: full of great people, great sites and, most importantly, a whole lot of books. If you ever visit York, here are some of my favourite shops to get your bookish fix, as well as a few extra places that I think are well worth the visit along the way!


Fossgate Books

Fossgate Books is a secondhand bookshop on one of the best streets in York. It has 2 floors of antiquarian and academic books, but its speciality is Folio Society editions. They are also the only bookshop in York where I've seen Persephone books!


When you’re done, pop along to Spring Espresso café. This is without a doubt my favourite café in the whole of the UK. I recommend having a mocha with a stack of the fluffiest blueberry pancakes known to man or the halloumi and hummus sandwich.

Oxfam Books

There are two branches of Oxfam shops specialising in books: one on Low Petergate on the way up to the Minster, and one on Micklegate, nearer the train station. Oxfam bookshops are renowned for the wide variety of high quality books they stock, and we all know I'm a big advocate for buying books secondhand. (I'm also a little biased seeing as I'm currently volunteering with one of these shops, but the point still holds!).


Minster Gate Books

This secondhand bookshop is 5 floors of happiness, chock-a-block with shelves and piles of books, situated outside the gorgeous Minster (you should also go to the Minster, it is worth the money). They have a great room on the bottom floor which is dedicated to the modern classics and other contemporary fiction, which are a complete bargain because they can be as little as £3.99 and are practically brand new.


Little Apple Bookshop

The Little Apple Bookshop is York’s independent bookshop, located just up the road from the Minster on High Petergate. It has a fantastic selection of children’s books as well as signed copies. They’re also the best place on this list to find the latest releases!


Books For Amnesty

And finally! On Goodramgate - another road that’s full of nice cafés if you’re feeling a bit peckish - there’s Books For Amnesty. Don’t be fooled by the size, the shelves in here are packed full of secondhand books. They also sell rare and collectable books, as well as some really nice postcards. (Again, full disclosure, I volunteer here too).


BONUS ROUND

Recently, a new Harry Potter themed shop has opened on the Shambles, called The Shop That Must Not Be Named. Go. Just go. Marvel at the decorations, try not to spend the entirety of your money, let that your Potterhead show.

So there we have it, Readabilitea's Bookish Guide to York! I'll be sad to leave York, but it's time to get my bookish kicks somewhere else now. It shouldn't be too hard, seeing as I'm moving to Oxford in a couple of months...

Have you been to York? Do you plan to? Let me know your thoughts and comments down below!
Happy reading,
Zoe