Akoya spotlight on Edinburgh
Every August, thousands of book lovers travel to the Edinburgh International Book Festival to engage with world-renowned authors and discover exciting new voices. The festival brings together the literary community – from writers and translators to readers and publishers – to celebrate literature from around the world and serves as a vibrant platform for new ideas and cultural exchange. This year’s programme features almost 700 events and welcomes 641 writers from 35 countries.
Edinburgh is also home to many outstanding independent bookshops, so book lovers visiting the festival have no shortage of places to find their next great read. Here are just a few of the bookshops that we recommend visiting in this beautiful city.
Previously a fishing tackle shop, The Portobello Bookshop (@portybooks) is located at the heart of Portobello, Edinburgh’s vibrant seaside community. With stylish and inviting interiors, this community-orientated bookshop offers a unique selection of titles from international and local authors alike, and their booksellers are always happy to recommend their favourite books, making it a true haven for readers. The shop also hosts an engaging programme of events, from book signings and author talks to writing masterclasses.
Edinburgh’s radical bookshop, Lighthouse Bookshop (@lighthousebks), is a queer-owned and women-led community bookshop on West Nicolson Street. In their own words, it is ‘an unapologetically activist, intersectional, feminist, anti-racist, LGBT+ community space’. Nominated for Scotland’s Best Independent Bookshop in 2020, the bookshop is home to over ten thousand books and champions LGBT+ writing, poetry and translated fiction among other genres.
The award-winning Golden Hare Books (@goldenharebooks) is located on St Stephen Street in Stockbridge, one of the city’s most popular neighbourhoods. The bookshop offers a wonderfully curated selection of books, including a large range of titles written by Scottish authors. It also boasts distinctively designed merchandise, including their much-coveted tote bag.
Described by the Guardian as ‘a great destination’ for readers, The Edinburgh Bookshop (@theedinburghbookshop) is a multi-award-winning bookshop nestled in the heart of Bruntsfield. In addition to its carefully curated range of adult fiction and non-fiction, it features a vibrant and welcoming children’s section – complete with colourful wall murals, wooden cutouts and cuddly toys – designed to spark the imagination of young readers.
Scotland's only bookshop dedicated entirely to women's writing, Rare Birds Book (@rarebirdbooks) is a bookshop, literary headquarters and event space. Located in Stockbridge, it offers a rich selection of books by women and hosts dynamic events, from author talks to creative workshops, such as sessions where participants learn to paint book edges.
Featuring floor-to-ceiling bookshelves complete with rolling ladders, Topping & Company (@toppingsedin) is the largest independent bookshop in Edinburgh. Often described as a ‘book labyrinth’, the shelves across its three floors are bursting with over seventy-thousand titles and each visitor is greeted with free tea and biscuits.
Illustration by Ella Galea | Aug 2025