What do the UK’s most haunted pub, Matt Haig’s Midnight Library, and Guy Fawkes Night have in common? These riveting stories all originate in York – a paradise for lovers of storytelling and independent bookshops.
This status has recently been cemented by the fact that the family-run bookstore chain Topping & Company has chosen York as the location for its largest store – set to open in January 2026.
With dozens of indie bookstores, and thousands of years’ worth of local stories to be told – from histories of the Romans who built the city walls, to tales of the Victorians who almost tore them down – York is the ultimate destination for a reading holiday.
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For BookTok lovers and lifelong reading nerds, holidays with a focus on reading are on the rise. Vrbr’s 2026 travel report suggests “readaways” will be one of next year’s biggest trends. And it’s not just people behind on their “To Be Read” lists that embark on them; relaxing, finding community, and discovering a location’s literary history are all popular reasons to take one.
Those choosing York for their reading break will find bookshops specialising in everything from crime to graphic novels to LGBT+ history. And, as a bookworm who calls the city home, I’ve spent hours trawling the shelves of these stores, and know exactly where my fellow bibliophiles can find their next page-turning thrills.
While the city’s picture-perfect medieval street the Shambles, with its award-winning Christmas market, may be the reason many flock there, it’s well worth looking beyond York’s most famous landmarks to discover a novel side.
I’d recommend starting a book crawl in the heart of the city centre. Just around the corner from one of the its most recognisable spots – the imposing York Minster – lies one of my favourite stores: the Minster Gate Bookshop. It specialises in used and antiquarian tomes.
Leather-bound hardbacks at bargain prices displayed on a wooden plinth may be what lures you inside the city’s longest-standing bookshop, but it’s the irresistible fragrance of vintage books, and the sound of the 18th-century stairs creaking between floors stacked with books, that will charm you into staying.
The place to crack open your book purchase is the adjacent Dean’s Park – should the weather allow it. Grab a bench under the medieval arches, or set a blanket on the grass, where your reading session will be punctuated by the ringing of the bells of York Minster.
The next stop I’d recommend on your book tour is the The Little Apple Bookshop on High Petergate, just a couple of minutes down the road. Its collection of general fiction and signed editions keeps readers glued to its shelves. But don’t just take my word for it. I find Avery from Bristol crouched down to read a signed edition in Little Apple.
“This is my fourth York book crawl,” she says. Every six months, she comes up on the train to pay a visit to four or five of her favourite places before checking out a newly opened spot in town. And who could blame her, when new, exciting stores are popping up all the time.
My own neighbourhood, Acomb, has just welcomed its first independent bookshop and cafe, aptly namedBooks and Bevs. While hot on the heels of the Topping & Company opening, Poetry Pharmacy will also arrive in early 2026 to dispense poems.
One place adding to the breadth of York’s literary scene is The Portal Bookshop. It’s York’s answer to Manchester’s Queer Lit, the largest LGBT+ bookstore in Europe. The Portal is small but mighty, selling genres ranging from sci-fi and fantasy to children’s books.
It also offers the shortest commute from till to latte, as it has its own cosy, neurodivergent-friendly cafe upstairs, with unintrusive lighting and minimal background noise, and even a dedicated quiet day every Thursday.
If 10,000 hours is what it takes to make you a pro at something, then I’m proud to say I have mastered the art of reading and sipping away while nestled under The Portal’s impossibly soft rainbow quilts.
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Thriller and crime lovers such as myself will also find it impossible to stay away from Criminally Good Books on Colliergate. Not only do its literary events feature a who’s who of excellent writers (just last month I shook hands with Slow Horses creator Mick Herron), the bookshop is also a mecca of old classics, and a great place to expand your roster of authors with new inspiration. The Yorkshire mystery section is nothing short of superb.
When it comes to specialist bookstores, the sky’s the limit in York. Travelling Man is my go-to for comics and graphic novels, while Janette Ray is a purveyor of all things architecture, design, and fine arts – including rare prints and photographs. If you are after a prized first-edition copy, Lucius Books in Micklegate is the place to go. It offers everything from 1600s novels to 1950s poetry.
Micklegate is around a 10-minute walk from the centre of town, and is home to the best second-hand bookshops in the city, such as Amnesty Bookshop and Oxfam Books. Plus, the neighbourhood has some of the best cafes and restaurants. Cafe Fleur, Partisan, and La Tazzina are all ideal spots for a bite with a book in hand.
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If there’s one thing that York is unrivalled for compared with its neighbouring Northern towns, it’s a passion for storytelling. A love for the dramatic seeps into every aspect of local life. My go-to for great value fine dining with a strong sense of place is Legacy at The Grand. Operating inside the historic York hotel, Legacy has put a delicious storytelling spin on the meals it serves.
Before your meal, you are asked to pick one of three journeys that will shape your dining experience: Stone, Water, or Steel. Each links to York’s history, using differing ingredients. Stone is a nod to Roman times, with earthy flavours and Mediterranean twists; Water gives a nod to the Vikings, with seafood and river-inspired dishes; while Steel is the most extravagant, combining regional ingredients and foods from further afield, as the advent of the railway changed the city for ever.
Proof you don’t have to separate a full mind from a full belly – and another way to discover the city’s unique stories – is the York on a Fork food tour. Many know York is the UK’s chocolate capital, but few realise its involvement in the slave trade, or are aware of the banana-ripening factory. I only found out about it from my amazing tour guide, Ben Thorpe.
It’s impossible to talk about York and not mention its spooky history. The UK’s most haunted pub, The Golden Fleece, and Dick Turpin’s gallows are the talk of the town. But if you want to learn more, I highly recommend booking a place on the Bloody Tour of York.
After following “Mad Alice” during her after-dark tour in full costume, I’ll never look at the Shambles and Guy Fawkes’ Inn the same way again. Better than that, I discovered stories that confirm that York is a city full of charm and mystery – all delivered in a raucous, spellbinding performance that turned the whole city into its stage.
Some say York is the most haunted city in Europe. Well, that would explain that low, nagging whisper I hear every time I approach the shelves in Little Apple Book Shop, or browse Criminally Good Books for the best part of an hour. “Go on, buy this one too...”
How to get there
LNER connects London to York with direct trains taking less than two hours. Fares start from £60 return.
Where to stay
If you plan to spend a whole weekend bookstore-hopping, boutique hotel No 1 by Guesthouse has doubles starting from £80.
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