18 Places In London To Read Your Favourite Book

Closest station: Tower Hill

These stunning ruins create the perfect atmosphere to escape into the pages of a good book. Bring your lunch, your book and curl up on one of the benches or the courtyard grass for a perfect little getaway.

Closest station: Holborn

If you need a new book and a place to read it in, a visit to the London Review of Books shop is a must. The lovely little café-bookshop combo is completely charming and most certainly a comfy place to settle in with a recommended read.

Closest station: Holborn

Visit the Rosewood London Hotel to cosy up in one of London’s many stellar library-themed bars. Scarfes Bar is a cosy and classy haunt to curl up with your favourite read, and has a killer drinks menu to boot.

Closest station: Battersea Park

Battersea Park has plenty secret spots you can hide out in while you escape into your book, but the Rosery, with its gorgeous landscaping and atmosphere takes the cake.

Closest station: Monument

Book a free visit to the Sky Garden for a rainy day. Get comfy in the garden or along the edges for a fantastic view, and enjoy the stunning natural light while you soak up a good story in this fab spot.

Closest station: Lancaster Gate

Read by the waterfront beside the Serpentine Hyde Park Lido. Grab a coffee from the café or rent a lounger for £3.50 to spend all day reading on the sun terrace.

Closest station: Wapping

Have an open-air drink and read at this charming riverside pub in Wapping. The inside is cosy and the outdoors is airy and secluded, and either way you get a stunning view of the Thames.

Closest station: Southwark

Grab a comfy spot in an inspiring gallery room, or make your way up to the espresso bar balcony to read with a coffee and a brilliant view of the Thames.

9. Earl of Lonsdale

Closest station: Ladbroke Grove

Get away from the hustle and bustle of Portobello Road Market with a nip into this friendly and quiet little pub. Often hidden behind stalls, there’s usually plenty of room and the bar’s maze-like interior means you get plenty of privacy.

Closest station: Shepherd’s Bush Market

This charming west London theatre venue is housed in the former Shepherd’s Bush Public Library, and keeps the building’s history alive with a cosy cafe and play library in the theatre’s atrium. You can easily spend all day cuddled on the sofa with your favourite book, or head out to the lovely beer garden for some fresh air.

Closest station: Camden Town

All of Yumchaa’s four locations across London are the perfect combination of cosy and modern, but the vibe at the branch in Camden Lock Market outdoes them all. The cosy corner café on the second level of the Lock lets you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the weekend food market while you read, and it’s just a lovely way to spend the day. Plus, Yumchaa’s vanilla scone is actually to die for.

Closest station: Euston Square

Nip into this wide open space with your book for a simple and refreshing central London getaway. The university’s main quad is full of grassy spots, benches, and stair and ledges so that you can find your own private space to get some air and some reading in.

Closest station: King’s Cross

This classic spot for book lovers is the perfect place to spend the day out with your current read. With tons of nooks, a splendid courtyard, and a stunning view from the indoor cafe seating, you’ll be inspire to gobble up the book your own and find another while you’re there.

Closest station: East Dulwich

This cosy south London pub is a perfect little local for you and your current read. Pop into the inviting pub for a drink and cosy up in an armchair or venture into the garden to get your read on.

Closest station: South Kensington

The lovely Médiatheque library at the Institut Français is free to access, so take your own English book to read in the charming nook, or brush up on your French.