Beautiful 19th-century galleried bookshop specialising in travel.
Smooth wood panelling, streams of natural light bursting through a large, pitched glass roof - as soon as you enter Daunt Books you're hit by an overwhelming feeling of calm and reverence. Arranged in an elegant Palladian style, further enhanced by the evocative aroma of binding glue and printing ink, this Edwardian building provides the perfect setting for one of London’s most treasured, independent bookshops. This place, and its friendly, knowledgeable owners, clearly love books (especially the travel variety) and habitually put great thought into how, in terms of theme and subject matter, they should be displayed to support each other. As you browse the Edwardian store’s long oak galleries, the unique set-up becomes apparent. Books are arranged by country regardless of genre – so French works of fiction (‘Madame Bovary’, ‘La Gloire de Mon Pere’) lean up against French travel guides (‘The Rough Guide to Paris’, ‘France on a Shoestring’) and French cookery books. Thousands of customers over the years have fallen in love with this simple, yet effective system. A huge range of new titles fill the front of the shop, while deeper, darker galleries display second-hand travel treasures. A glorious mezzanine and a quiet, hushed ambience give the building an air of academia – like an old university library. Personal, informed service completes the picture. Bookshop heaven.
Best for:
Edwardian elegance, oak galleries, travel books and personal service.
Did you know?
Marylebone High Street gets its name from a local, medieval church called St Mary-by-the-Bourne.
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Beautiful 19th-century galleried bookshop specialising in travel.
