Stained glass windows, a spiral staircase, a picturesque wood stove, and thousands of books: these are just a few things that will draw your eye immediately upon entering Leakey’s Bookshop in Inverness.
As a self-proclaimed bibliophile with a love of seeking out beautiful bookstores (like this one in Venice and this one in Porto, for example), I had my eye on exploring Leakey’s for years before I got a chance to visit.
And, when we finally made it to Inverness, it was the first place I wanted to go!
Did it live up to the hype? We sure thought so.
Here’s what to know about planning a visit to Inverness’ famous bookstore.
Table of Contents
Why is Leakey’s Bookshop famous?
As the largest secondhand bookstore in Scotland, Leakey’s boasts over 100,000 books on its shelves, plus maps, antique prints, and more.
It’s also housed in a former Gaelic Church, giving the whole store the exact kind of worshipful air that book lovers often associate with their collections.
Add in a cozy wood stove and a great location in Inverness’ city center, and it’s no surprise that Leakey’s ends up featuring on any bibliophile’s list of places to visit in Inverness.
What’s it like to visit Leakey’s Bookshop?
Walking into Leakey’s feels a bit like being swallowed by a bookstore.
A narrow entrance paired with soaring ceilings and two stories worth of overflowing bookshelves give the whole place a magical air as soon as you walk in, and it’s a delight to experience!
We found ourselves drawn in all directions as soon as we were inside, simultaneously eager to pick a shelf and peruse each title carefully and to fly up the spiral staircase for excellent views of the entire shop.
Like many of the best bookstores in the world, Leakey’s also feels a bit overwhelming in places. There’s simply no realistic way to go through every book or print before deciding which ones to take home!
And, while the books are of course marvelous, we were particularly drawn to the prints.
Antique drawings of everything from obscure Scottish castles to wildlife covered shelf after shelf, all inviting us to rifle through them one by one.
In the end, I decided that I simply had to visit Leakey’s Bookshop twice in two days (partially because my toddler wasn’t as much of a fan as us adults were, but I think I would’ve come back regardless).
Tips for Visiting Leakey’s in Inverness
Plan to stay awhile.
This is not a place you can do justice to with a 5-minute visit!
Especially if you plan to leave Scotland with a few new-to-you books and/or prints, it would be very easy for a couple of hours to slip away amongst the shelves.
Don’t expect only books!
While Leakey’s is, of course, a bookstore at its heart, the antique maps and prints immediately draw the eye.
They make for wonderful, unique, and easy-to-pack souvenirs from Scotland, and they’re worth spending time perusing!
There’s no longer a cafe in Leakey’s.
Word on the street is that in years past, Leakey’s used to have a cafe.
It’s no longer operating (more bookshelves have been squeezed in instead!), but don’t worry, you’re never far from a cozy cafe in Inverness.
PERK, the Inverness cafe famous for its homemade doughnuts, is a 2-minute walk away. The Victorian Market, home to several cafes, is almost as close.
Consider arriving early to avoid the crowds.
We visited Leakey’s in October, which is solidly shoulder season in Inverness.
On both of my visits, the shop was bustling but not intensely crowded, which was a nice change of pace from places like, say, Livraria Lello, which sells tickets to keep the crowds under control!
Still, though, I find bookstores more peaceful when they’re quieter. If you’re visiting Inverness during the summer, I’d recommend coming around opening time to try to experience the shop as empty as possible.
Other Things to Do Near Leakey’s
The center of Inverness is small and walkable, meaning that just about any of the top things to see in Inverness’ city center are “near” Leakey’s!
The closest of them all, though, are the kirkyard of the Old High Church and the Greig Street Bridge over the River Ness, which could reasonably be described as next door to Leakey’s.
The 16th-century Abertaff House, which is the oldest residential building in Inverness (and yes, you can go inside!) is also just a few steps away.
Here are our picks for the best things to do in Inverness!
Exact Location of Leakey’s Bookshop
Leakey’s Bookshop Address
Church St, Inverness IV1 1EY, United Kingdom
Leakey’s Hours of Operation
As of the time of writing this blog post, Leakey’s is typically open from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Saturday.
You can double-check updated hours on their website (though they don’t seem to update it often).
Phone Number for Leakey’s
+44 01463 239947
Map of Leakey’s Bookshop Location
Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.
Read More About Visiting Inverness (+ Bookstores Around the World!)
Excited to arrive in Inverness soon and want to keep planning your trip?
If so, we’d love to be part of it!
You can browse all of our UK blog posts here, or check out these guides:
- 17 Incredible Things to Do in Inverness + Nearby (In 1-2 Days)
- What is a Loch Ness Cruise Like? Our Honest Review!
- Is the Caledonian Sleeper Train Worth It? (We Took Our Toddler!)
Love visiting unique bookstores like we do? If so, you might also enjoy…
- Our roundup of 10 of Europe’s Prettiest Bookstores
- A quick guide to Venice’s unique bookshop that floods semi-regularly (there’s a gondola involved to help save the books)
- An inside look at the Porto bookshop with a (loose) Harry Potter link
- Our picks for the best books about Italy
- A review of the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the world
About Kate Storm
Kate is the founder and primary author of Our Escape Clause. Since 2016, she has been following her curiosity across the globe and turning her experiences into detailed trip planning advice for you. Her travels have taken her to 50+ countries, most regions of Italy, and most US states. After 4+ years of full-time travel, she enjoyed chapters calling Lisbon, New York City, and Texas home before deciding to base herself in North Carolina (between trips). She lives with her husband and business partner, Jeremy, their son, and their fluffy sidekick, Ranger.