stanford travel bookshop covent garden

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Monday: 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

Tuesday: 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

Wednesday: 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

Thursday: 09:00 AM - 07:00 PM

Friday: 09:00 AM - 07:00 PM

Saturday: 10:00 AM - 07:00 PM

Sunday: 12:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Stanfords are the UK's leading specialist retailer of maps, travel books, and other travel accessories, having been established in 1853 by Edward Stanford. After 118 years at their Long Acre address the flagship store has relocated to a new London home on  Mercer Walk in Covent Garden.

Stanfords books has have been an essential first port of call for adventure and armchair travellers alike for more than a century. Their roll-call of customers past and present includes such famous names as Amy Johnson, David Livingstone, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Ranulph Fiennes, Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, and even Sherlock Holmes.

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Stanfords is the world’s largest map and travel bookshop and has inspired travellers to discover the world since 1853. The Stanfords Coffee House also has a large outdoor seating area situated on Mercer Walk.

Head in-store where you’ll find brilliant gifts, from globes to board games, plus an unrivalled selection of travel literature and other travel items, all expertly curated.

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Discover a unique mix of fashion, beauty, home and lifestyle shops, in the heart of Covent Garden.

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Stanfords - London

“This is hands down the best travel-related bookstore I have found anywhere in the world.”

Stanfords is a specialist bookshop located in Covent Garden, London, specializing in maps and travel books. For over 160 years, the store has supplied explorers (including Captain Robert Scott, Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Michael Palin and Bill Bryson), with the equipment they have needed for their expeditions, such as maps, guides and gadgets. Stanfords is considered the biggest travel bookshop in the world!

They hold multiple events in-store, from book authors talking about their travel books, to evenings held relating to adventures you can take around Britain – whether that be by car, foot or bike. They also have many destination guides, for those who wish to travel further than Britain (the full list of this guide can be found on the website). Other items they sell include road maps and atlases, cycling guides and maps, wall maps, and globes (as photographed)! Also, be sure not to miss out on the book of the month!

Any adventurous explorer, keen traveler, or those who love books on the topic of travel will love Stanfords. However, there really is no place else on earth with more maps, books, travel accessories and globes under one roof – therefore this huge London bookshop is definitely worth checking out for anybody!

Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 8:00pm, Saturday 10:00am to 8:00pm, Sunday 11:30am to 6:00pm

Telephone: 020 7836 1321

Website: http://www.stanfords.co.uk/

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Stanfords: the london traveller’s bookshop

A bit of history, the victorian era, the beginning of stanfords, the prestige of stanfords.

the interior of the Stanfords library

the globe with some books for sale from Stanfords

THE EDWARDIAN ERA

The first world war and the first postwar period.

postcards for sale from Stanfords

balloons inside of Stanfords

THE SECOND WORLD WAR

The second part of the twentieth century.

books for sale from Stanfords

maps for sale from Stanfords

STANDFORDS TODAY

ADDRESS : 7 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9FA

HOW TO GET THERE: the library is easily accessible, walking a few minutes, from the Covent Garden subway station, the blue line of the Piccadilly line.

OPENING HOURS : Mon-Sat 9-18 Sunday 10-18 (coronavirus cause at the moment the library is closed but you can buy in the online shop)

I reccomand also: London: on foot from romantic Little Venice to the rock Camden Town

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Time Out says

Adventurers from around the globe flock to Stanfords - the Covent Garden store which claims to be the world’s largest specialist travel bookshop. 

Captain Scott, Florence Nightingale and the British Army have been customers; it has even helped out James Bond and Sherlock Holmes. Now, it welcomes thousands of prospective explorers who come  to browse their huge collection of maps, globes and travel guides.

Set up by Edward Stanford in 1853, the Stanfords flagship store was situated in a grand old building on Long Acre. After more than 100 years in its former home, the bookshop relocated to its current site just around the corner at 7 Mercer Walk, where customers can find its same unparalleled selection of travel stock.

The in-store cafe can still be found here too, where globetrotters can plan their next trip over locally roasted coffee, cakes and sandwiches.

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Stanfords travel bookshop launches crowdfunding project as it fights for survival

Beloved London travel and map specialist has launched an online scheme to help stave off closure

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It’s a wet autumnal day, a second lockdown is looming, and like many in the UK I’m dreaming of faraway shores, sunny uplands and wild adventures. Anything other than the unholy pairing of pandemic plus British winter.

My bookshelves are well-equipped to assist in my fantasies, bulging with reminders of travels past: every country map for motorcycling the Pan-American Highway, a guide to trekking the Sinai peninsula, the classic Michelin 741 Sahara map from my London to Cape Town ride, a map of Tehran’s metro system, a kayaker’s guide to UK rivers, and more Ordnance Survey maps than you could shake a carbon-fibre hiking pole at.

This is not an unusual bookshelf for someone who has made a life in travel but there is something else that binds these items together: they all came from Stanfords, the map and travel bookshop in central London . Established in 1853 and trading in Covent Garden since 1901, Stanfords is an institution – and one beloved by anyone who has ever experienced the slightest whiff of wanderlust.

Judging by the outpouring of sympathy and support on social media, I was not the only one who felt pain at the news that Stanfords is facing closure – and this was before news of the second lockdown. There is something about the thought of losing Stanfords that hits hard. Like all the best shops, it offers more than just that: it’s a home-from-home, a reassuring haven in a choppy sea, and (under normal circumstances) draws travellers from all over the world.

In response to the crisis, Stanfords has launched a crowdfunding scheme with an array of rewards available for donations from £5 to £5,000, ranging from a cup of coffee to personalised maps, books and tours of its map archive. Its goal is to raise £120,000 to help it to survive until spring 2021, when it hopes London will have recovered and people are able to travel more freely. As CEO Vivien Godfrey explains, this sum will enable it to continue to pay the rent, taxes, wages and the extra costs incurred in making the store Covid-secure.

For me, London without Stanfords is unthinkable. It seemed that it would always be there – because it has been for so long. Born in 1827, Edward Stanford started out as a map-maker, becoming the official cartographer to the Queen before expanding into retail and going on to create and provide maps to the likes of Florence Nightingale, Ernest Shackleton, and Amy Johnson. Stanfords has moved with the times and, in recent years, has held events, including book launches and adventure film nights, plus establishing the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards. In January 2019, it moved from its Long Acre site to a new home (just around the corner) at Mercer Walk.

Behind the scenes, the cartography department has gone from supplying military surveys to Neville Chamberlain to designing large-scale production maps for the James Bond films. But from a customer’s point of view, in a landscape of increasingly bland high streets, Stanfords remains an example of an independent retailer with a heart, actively supporting authors and specialist publishers, and employing staff with a love and knowledge of what’s on the shelves.

Cartographer Martin Greenaway has worked at Stanfords for 27 years and is fearful for its future. Footfall has collapsed during the pandemic, causing a 75% drop in sales, and online sales have also fallen by 15% due to restrictions on global travel. “The shop survived a bomb in the blitz,” said Greenaway. “So, I really hope we can get through this, but I am worried. Stanfords has been such a huge part of expedition history, and there’s nowhere else like it.”

Legend has it that Stanfords survived the blitz bombing thanks to its large number of Ordnance Survey maps being so tightly packed, which helped halt the path of the flames. It is going to take more than a stash of OS Landrangers to beat the current crisis, but globetrotters, armchair travellers and lovers of Stanfords can help. Most obviously, we can still plan our future travels and buy our maps and books directly from its website . We can also donate to the crowdfunder, helping to ensure that Stanfords survives as the traveller’s spiritual home and will still be there when the world opens up again.

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A Literary Guide to Covent Garden for Bookworms

By: Author Jess Esa

Posted on Last updated: 8th January 2024

Covent Garden is famous for being one of the most picturesque, photogenic, and lively areas in London. Tourists and locals alike flock there every single day for the market, the unique shopping experiences, and the great pubs, restaurants, and Covent Garden hotels .

Covent Garden is also a haven for bookworms! Here, you’ll find some of the best bookshops in London, as well as a Covent Garden bar that serves literary cocktails, a pub named after Phileas Fogg, and blue plaques immortalising authors like Austen and Dickens. You’ll find all of this and far more in our ultimate bookish guide to Covent Garden!

Visit Quinto Bookshop

Right on the edge of Covent Garden, and a short walk north of Leicester Square station, is one of the most magical and pure bookshops in London. London, of course, is chock full of incredible bookshops, and so many of them are speciality shops: queer literature, socialist political texts, feminist classics.

But there’s something so pure and historic about Quinto Books . What makes this Covent Garden bookseller unique is its focus on antiquarian – often very valuable – literature. If you’re a collector of old tomes and first editions, popping into Quinto Books is like stumbling across a goldmine.

Shop at the Moomin Shop

One of the most unique things to do in Covent Garden is to visit the Moomin Shop. In case you’re not familiar, Moomins are a Finnish national treasure: a series of now iconic books and comics featuring these strange white hippo-like characters that toe a fine line between being completely adorable and slightly eerie.

Moomins have successfully built a home at the edge of the uncanny valley. And a second home in Covent Garden! In the heart of Covent Garden market building is this two-storey Moomin Shop full of books, plushies, posters, and all collectable things Moomin. It’s a dream, in more ways than one.

Read More: Our Guide to Five the UK’s most Literary Cities .

Eat at Rules

Rules is one of the most essential Covent Garden restaurants. In short, this is because it’s the oldest restaurant in London! Established in 1798, Rules has been open for more than 220 years. It also doubles as one of the best Covent Garden pubs, serving some really excellent cocktail choices at their upstairs Winter Garden Cocktail Bar.

At Rules you can enjoy traditional English food at its absolute finest, including steaks, pies, soups, and the best game (pheasant, hare, duck) you’ll ever it. It’s a little pricey but you pay for the best. And Rules is the best of the Covent Garden restaurants.

Tip : If you have time visit The London Transport Museum !

Enjoy Bao at Buns and Buns

Yes, that is the restaurant’s real name. Buns and Buns , the most delightful of Covent Garden restaurants, is found in a glass box in the middle of Covent Garden market building. Reasonably priced and the freshest food around, Buns and Buns has something delicious for everyone.

As our site name suggests, we love bao. And at Buns and Buns you can enjoy the best bao in London. Or, if you want something European, their freshly baked pizzas are to die for. Basically, Buns and Buns is all about them quality carbs, making them one of the most fun and indulgent yet healthy of Covent Garden restaurants.

Read More : 11 Best Covent Garden Restaurants .

Have Literary Cocktails at The Library Members Bar

Take a walk down Saint Martin’s Lane, just around the corner from Cecil Court (which we’ll come to in a moment) and you’ll find a small door with a single word above it: ‘LIBRARY’. Library is a lot of things: a hotel, an events venue, a cocktail bar, and a member’s club. The reason for its name is two-fold: it used to be an old public library.

The other reason is that it has kept that literary spirit alive by being one of the most original Covent Garden bars around. How?

Well, all of the drinks on its cocktail menu are named after authors. The cocktails do a fantastic job of capturing the tone of the authors, making this one of the most fun and unique Covent Garden bars. However, being a member’s club, it does cost £500 a year to join, or you can get a day’s entry for £20.

Read More : 8 Must-Visit London Bookish Cafes and Bars

Drink Coffee and Go Book Shopping in Stanford’s

Stanfords is one of the most original and awesome bookshops in London. Established while Victoria was still on the throne, Stanford’s is a travel bookshop that centralises around world literature, travel writing, travel guides, maps, and globes.

We first fell for Stanford’s when visiting their second branch in Bristol , where we used to live. These shops ooze charm and inspire an irresistible urge to head out on an adventure.

Located just around the corner from Neal’s Yard, Stanford’s also has its own lovely little cafe area where you can enjoy a latte and a fresh slice of cake as you flick through your newest read. Stanford’s doubles as a fantastic Covent Garden cafe and bookshop. What in the world is better?

Visit Cecil Court for More Book Shopping

The once brief home of Mozart and birthplace of the founders of Foyles, Cecil Court today is a haven for bookworms. It’s a single pedestrian street, lined with lamps and so many unique booksellers. One shop, Goldsboro Books, sells exclusively first editions. Another, Alice Through the Looking Glass, is themed after the same book.

Our favourite bookseller in Cecil Court is Marchpane . Though we aren’t huge lovers of children’s literature, the shop itself is an absolute delight and a treasure.

The Daleks are originals from the ‘60s and ‘70s, as are the Paddington Bear toys. There’s a selection of first edition children’s books. The staff are the most enthusiastic and charming people. Visiting this shop is how you cure a bad mood.

Read More : Discover London’s Best Independent Bookshops

Buy Alice in Wonderland Themed Tea Sets at Whittards

There are a lot of Whittards shops around the UK, but this one in Covent Garden market building has the best mood of them all. It feels at home there; it belongs in Covent Garden. Here, you can sample the teas, lemonades, and hot chocolate for sale, and browse some of the highest quality teas available.

Downstairs, you’ll find cutlery and crockery. Most charming and sweet of all is the Alice in Wonderland tea set, which includes mugs and plates and a teapot, all designed with original illustrations from the book. You can even buy their Alice-themed collection online .

Read More : Take a Day Trip to Blenheim Palace

Drink Gin at Mr Fogg’s Tavern

Phileas Fogg, the protagonist of the joyous Jules Verne novel Around the World in 80 Days , has had his name proudly fixed to this most delightful of Covent Garden pubs Mr Fogg’s Tavern . The downstairs tavern area is the quintessential English pub with its aesthetics turned up to eleven: a fireplace, taxidermied crows, hanging ornaments like birdcages, and portraits adorning the walls.

Then, you can head upstairs to Mr Fogg’s Gin Parlour ! There’s something far more literary about gin over beer. And this gin parlour has over two hundred gins for you to choose from. The choice of tavern and gin bar makes this one of the very special Covent Garden pubs.

Tip : Visit More Literary London Pubs on the Historical Pub Tour

Visit Dickens’ Old Curiosity Shop

You might know the name of this shop from the Dickens novel of the same name. But here’s a fun fact! Although the shop did inspire Dickens’ novel, the shop only took the name “The Old Curiosity Shop” after the book was published, giving them a sort of symbiotic relationship.

The Old Curiosity Shop can be found on the Western edge of Covent Garden, and it is still open today, making the shop almost four hundred years old! And what does it sell? Shoes! Lovely women’s and men’s shoes.

Explore Neal’s Yard

Ah, Neal’s Yard. This is a curious little area hidden down some back alleyways at the northern edge of Covent Garden. What makes it unique, as you can see from the photo, is its brightly coloured walls and how bohemian its aesthetic is.

Inside Neal’s Yard, you’ll find a sweet selection of places to drink both coffees and cocktails. At the front of Neal’s Yard is Monmouth Street. And on Monmouth Street is Monmouth Coffee, an utterly splendid Covent Garden cafe.

Go Literary Blue Plaque Hunting

The blue plaques of London are legendary. They showcase all the historical links and wonders of London. In Covent Garden alone you’ll find two Charles Dickens plagues, one of Margot Fonteyn, legendary ballerina, and Jane Austen! For a list of all the blue and green plaques of Covent Garden, see the official site right here before you go plaque hunting in Covent Garden!

Read More: Discover the Best Japanese Restaurants in Covent Garden & Soho

Watch The Woman in Black at Fortune Theatre

We all have our own first experiences with The Woman in Black . For many, it’s the Hammer Horror film starring Daniel Radcliffe and Ciaran Hinds. For others, it’s the original book by Susan Hill. For me, it was this play. Having now seen the film and read the book, I stand firm that the play is the best experience of the lot.

The Woman in Black is a truly clever, thrilling, and haunting performance. It is a play within a play that uses minimalist staging, clever lighting, a two-way cyclorama, and other savvy techniques to create the most memorable of theatre-going experiences. The Woman in Black is unmissable.

Catch a Show at the Royal Opera House

The London Royal Opera House can be found at the corner of Covent Garden, just at the edge of the market building. Pay attention to their website in order to see what performances are coming up.

If you’d rather not see a performance, the Royal Opera House is still worth a visit for its impressive interior design and architecture. And the gift shop is one of the most classy in London, with some great opera and ballet themed gifts, as well as a selection of books to pick up.

Enjoy a Cookie At Ben’s Cookies

Ben’s Cookies is a small company that has steadily spread across the world. But the Ben’s Cookies at Covent Garden was the first one we ever visited. What makes this particular Ben’s Cookies so unique is its design. The now iconic logo of Ben’s Cookies was designed by the owner’s friend, a legendary illustrator whose drawings have brought joy to millions of children for generations: Quentin Blake, illustrator of the books of Roald Dahl!

Enjoy the Calm of Teatulia

We’ve saved the best for last. Teatulia manages to be both the best Covent Garden cafe and the very best of the Covent Garden bars. How so? Teatulia serves the best teas and cocktails in the area! As well as delicious mocktails, if you prefer.

Teatulia also features an enormous wall of bookshelves which frame a comfortable sofa. When you visit, you’re encouraged to pick your drink, select a book from the shelf, and lose yourself in the book and the atmosphere while escaping from the busy bustle of Covent Garden. What a haven!

The spending money for this post was gifted by Hotels.com, but all views are my own.

What a lovely guide to London. I had no idea about some of these places and can’t wait to check them out on my next visit. Also, the Moomin shop? That’s so fun. I remember watching that when I was a kid and loved it.