Day 4 – South Kensington Books

A London Bookshop Advent

Just a few steps from South Kensington and I am happily opening the door of South Kensington Books.  This a bookshop I know well. I pass it each time I pop into the Victoria and Albert Museum and have made many purchases here over the years.  It was here I discovered possibly my favourite poetry collection, Inside the Wave by Helen Dunmore, and here I picked up hardback copy of The Bloomsbury Cookbook for just £5.

It’s close proximity to the museums means it has an excellent selection of art and design books. The cookery section is also fairly extensive and there is a great range of fiction, much of which is often discounted.  This isn’t a huge shop but it is very well stocked and I know whenever I visit I will always find something I would like to buy

South Kensington Books is also very handily next to a  lovely card and stationery shop called Medici Gallery.  It claims to be the best card shop in London.  I’m not sure about that but it it does have lots to choose from and is absolutely worth popping into,e especially as it has one of the best selections of traditional and contemporary advent calendars I have come across.

This bookshop does become busy, its prime location attracts lots of tourists and visitors  to the museums as well as loyal band of locals, so if you visit, be prepared,  you probably won’t be browsing alone!  I do recommend it though and at Christmas it is always cheery and a great place to pop into for a bit of Christmas shopping.  And if you do leave with a bag full of books you won’t have far to carry them to the tube.

Nearest Tube: South Kensington.

You may also enjoy my South Kensington Walk