Leakey's Bookshop & Cafe in Highland

We were so excited to visit Leakey's, even before our trip to Scotland. Unfortunately the moment I walked in with my 3 children, I was met with a rude comment from the older man (presumably the owner) working behind the counter. "This is a bookshop, NOT a playground," he said in a gruff voice. I was taken by surprise because I mind my children very well and we had only just walked in. My children are homeschooled and I try to instill a deep love of books in them. Small readers grow up to be adult readers. Anyway, I told him that I was well aware and we went upstairs with my kids to look around. We ended up leaving after just 5 minutes because I really didn't feel right spending money there after that exchange and for some reason he decided to make yet ANOTHER unnecessary comment on our way out the door. "Not really an appropriate place for children, is it?" His tone was very unkind. My poor 6-year-old was in tears because he had been so excited and just didn't understand why he was so unwelcome. I do understand not disturbing shoppers and being mindful of your children but I really can't understand people who get upset for children just existing in a space. A very unpleasant experience.

Be prepared to spend time here. So many books.

Great Bookstore in a very old House. Nice and lovely

If you’re in Inverness you must visit this gem of a place!

The best bookshop in Scotland I've been to.

There's a charming allure to a used book shop. Smells like a billion dusty pages of forgotten information. A log fire warms the great hall, with books from floor to ceiling. This shop wouldn't look out of place on the set of harry potter. I'd visit this place even if I wasn't looking for a book. Could do with a seat and a coffee machine. A must see for anyone into alternative locations.

A wonderful and magical place for book lovers - the smells of old books float in the air, you can spend the whole day here discovering the so-called gems. I recommend it

Sadly second hand books are much cheaper online but good for a browse or something a bit more rare/special. Not super friendly.

A magnificent library in an old church, lots of charm, books you won't know where to turn to, it's like being in a film!

A roaring fireplace, spiral staircase, antique prints! Happily spent a few hours in Leakys - such a diversity of books on offer and well organised! Loads of historical kids book, excellent fiction! Floor to ceiling across two large floors absolutely stacked with books + historical maps and loads of antique prints.

Leakeys is the best bookshop I've ever visited. Stacked with character, endless possibilities and some absolute bargains if your up to the search. I visit every 3 months or so and stack up, it's well priced and the excitement of not knowing what you'll uncover makes every trip magical. If your an avid reader or just want to experience something unique, it's a must visit shopping experience.

It is a very curious bookstore, a peculiar charm, it is worth visiting and buying

Great bookshop. Relaxed vibes and feels a bit old school where you can rummage around and find gems. Also got many unique prints to browse through. I spent about 30 minutes in here the time flew by would recommend.

Fantastic selection of secondhand books, allow yourself at least a couple of hours to take it all in. Friendly and helpful staff.

You cannot & should not miss this book heaven.

A magical place for every book lover. Upon entering you are surrounded by the scent of ancient paper which gives an incredible sense of calm, time stops and you would like to stay there all day looking at every single shelf. What magic, the bookshop alone was worth the stop in Inverness on our tour of Scotland.

Superb, just spend your time herw

Lovely two storey 2nd hand bookshop with an amazing collection!

Wonderful place to seek for good book selections at a good price! The antique selections were good and diverse, even dating back to the 1800s. It was a brief travel back to history.

I only had money enough to buy a post card the day I went there (11/12/2024), but I can say it was, by far, one of the most magical places I've been in my life. Maybe because I love books and maps, old buildings and history, but, yeah. Loved the place and I really want to come back there (with money this time so that I can bye books, maps and old prints hehe)

Best book shop I have ever seen. I would recommend visiting and would return again 👍

One of the best bloody bookshops I’ve ever visited! This shop offers a wide selection and variety of old books, rare prints, historical maps, poetry books, shooting & fishing books and much more! To me, I’ve always found comfort in bookshops with their cozy and relaxing atmosphere. I knew I had to pick up a couple of books here for a reasonable price. You could lose your mind here, browsing for hours without knowing what time it is.

My all-time favourite bookshop in Inverness, never disappointed

Not sure what can be said that hasn't already, this place is magical. I wish I'd had hours to spend here, but fortunately I was able to at least find a few books to take home with me. This place has hidden treasures scattered throughout.

Very cool bookstore and very friendly service!

Wonderful service from staff helping me find a book for my nephew.

I visited this gem years ago but still remember it to this day! If you find yourself on this side of the earth, it's worth getting lost among the books and maps, hole up in a corner and immerse yourself in the world of an author 🧡

Amazing bookshop, you can spend hours browsing. However there is a problem with humidity there and it affects the condition of the books.

Very cool bookshop that used to be a church. You can recognise the layout when you walk in, and especially from upstairs. There are wall to wall shelves of all kinds of books, guides, and prints. It’s hard to walk out without buying something, so beware! Well worth a visit on any trip to Inverness.

Fun bookstore if you like hunting for books, seemed a bit disorganized, staff was not very helpful

If you are an old book store fan, this is your must stop when in Inverness. I felt a bit overwhelmed, but I enjoyed my visit.

Great bookshop, but a shame they tease you with a lot of old books you cannot peruse.

This place was well worth a visit. The problem is knowingbwhat you wasn't to buy,there is so much to choose from. It like being a kid in a sweetie shop.

Absolutely brilliant could have sent all day there ☺️

Outstanding place for book lovers

Nice bookstore with second-hand books

great selection in what felt like a shrine for old books

It is a book heaven. You can find real treasures there.

It's a must-visit institution in its own right. The bookshop stocks both old and new books, as well as rare prints. Do be mindful when visiting so as not to disturb other patrons.

If you love books, especially older, out of published books, this is the place to visit. Covers all areas of books, fiction or non. Plus hundreds of old prints.

Beautiful inside basically transports you in time

The space is cool. If you like bookstores it’s a great spot to just admire. The actual books they carry are severely lacking in options.

An incredible used bookshop in Inverness! Browse from hundreds of titles, some over a century old in pristine condition. We ended up finding a book of poems in tribute to Whisky.

Quaint and charming bookshop that seems like it’s straight out of a movie. It’s not tidy and new but full of charm and a bit chilly!

If you like mountains of books, do not hesitate to stop by and visit the store and look for a nice souvenir of Inverness

It's a book shop. If books are you jam have a great time.

I've never seen a book shop like this. I'd say there were hundreds of thousands of books. All used, so many so old that you had to ask to look at them.

Gorgeous old school book shop, the smell of old books makes the place even more special, looks like something out of a movie.

It's pretty cool bookshop. Very unquie. And it's two stores. But it'd still small. Can get crowed.

A large part of the shop behind the cash desk, seems like with the best books there, is not accessible for the customers, “staff only”, what is the point? There also tons of interesting books stacked around with a sign that it’s not allowed to browse these books as that are not yet valued. I was very disappointed.

Amazing place lot of collection. Loved it. Warm and aesthetic

Straight out of a storybook and just a fantastic book store.

Loved this place, but not much organization. Leave time to wander and appreciate the place.

Hidden gem in Inverness. A must visit as you will definitely find something you like. Highly recommended!

Could have spent hours here. Soooo many books old and new, and subjects. Also loved all the antique prints they have. Went home with a number of books, and prints.

A lovely book shop with a terrific array of books.

Absolutely magical bookshop in a place that used to be a church. Full of character. My new favorite place in town!

Good used book prices, will buy books also.

Hardly any room to walk around. No place to sit. You'd think, with all those books, some would be tempting to two book lovers - nope.

Interesting reseller of old and rare books, prints, and maps.

Worth a visit! Nice interior. Could spend hours looking at books.

Books!!! Old books! Could spend hours there! Packed with books, you can just dive in and explore!

Bookstore with interesting surprises and original prints for the collector.

A bit overwhelming for me, but if you like a book treasure hunt you should check it out.

Plenty of books and roughly organised but unfortunately no horror section as they generally do not get many donated. Prices do seem a bit steep depending on the condition of the books but could be a good place to find books which are no longer in print.

If you’re a book warm or have unquestionable love for physical books, this is where you will be trapped fort the greater part of the day. The collection is massive and well organised. It was very hard not to pick up some great titles (damn you airline weight limits) but it was great to explore and flip through some. You might find really old books, spotted one that was signed 1891!!

A phenomenal experience in used books. Recycling at its best - near the walk bridge across the river.

Bookstore with a unique atmosphere - definitely worth a visit!

lots of books but I wasn't able to find anything. Still a great bookshop.

Fascinating 2nd hand bookshop. Thousands of books and antique prints.

Nice for a photo but impossible to find a book!

My idea of heaven! What a fantastic idea. Could easily spend hours in here .Loved it

If you love bookshops—especially second hand ones—you will LOVE this one! Great building for it too!

prices seem a bit willy nilly at times but it's a beautiful second hand bookshop.

For every bookworm and lover of the smell of old books a must. Really lovley for just strolling around and checking all the second handbooks and the hand made prints

Make sure to drop in if you’re a book lover. This place is a dream! Staff was super nice as well!

Bookshop was cute however the selection of books feels like it's been picked clean of any gem finds.

Incredible range of books and displayed so well, felt like stepping into the past. Highly recommend to anyone looking for old hardback novels or study materials, worth looking into here!

Crazy large. A diverse set of genres, as well.

Absolutely loved it here, I could of easily stayed all day, what a fantastic place to find some treasures.

An incredible second hand bookstore with tons of books on all kinds of topics. We bought two children's books.

I was really looking forward to visiting the bookshop. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to see how disorganised the books and the prints were. The books/ prints are also very overpriced. It gets busy quickly and isn't wheelchair accessible. Customer service is non-existent.

A grand place that almost overwhelms with choice. You can't help but love a place that encourages you to keep looking because there is always something to be found on the next shelf.

Great place to browse for unusual books and prints

What fun! I found it hard to find specific books, so had to ask for help. (Which was prompt and knowledgeable)

Very quiet place, good food and good service

Fun spot to get inspired. We were thinking about a UK bird watching book, but ended up with a natural history of Orkney book. Very whimsical feeling

What more could you ask for in a bookshop. The building is a wonder in itself. A great joy to have a look around the huge selection of books available. Great prices on books they have available, and if they don't have something, ask at reception and they'll try to get it in for you. Amazing location and worth a visit

Second-hand books of all kinds and a fantastic selection of prints upstairs

Not enough space, the musty smell of old books (and I love books), no catalogue or even (alphabetical) order. But a real treasure trove to those less OCD.

Perfect place for a book lover. Inside looked something from a fairy tale, spiral staircase, and books as far as you can see.

Not kid friendly, quite crowded, shop worker was quite rude. Our two toddlers were laughing and he shouted, “excuse me! The playground’s outside.” At them from across the store. We had only been in the shop about three minutes, they were excited and a little overwhelmed and there was very little room to move around. We left quickly but won’t be back. I’m not sure how this shop ended up on so many “best places to go with kids” lists, but certainly doesn’t deserve it.

It feels like Harry Potter. There are many books and illustrations that are over a hundred years old. It is worth browsing and collecting illustrations.

Huge used bookstore, what else can you say? Awesome.

Wonderful experience. The bookstore is located inside an old church and there is also a cemetery on the grounds. All very interesting.

Super great place to snuffle for gubbins

Too bad the owner made fun of us who were looking for books for young children.

Incredible bookstore that invites you to linger.

A fantastic bookstore where you can find second-hand books, or simply enter and see its charm.

Second hand bookshop in a converted church. The books are very expensive though. If you're just looking for popular fiction, charity shops are much better value for money.