A profile of Foyles, the largest bookstore in Europe in terms of books stored

Foyles Bookshop Exterior, Charing Cross Road

Foyles was founded more than 100 years ago and is a real London institution

London has a wealth of well-stocked bookstores, both big and small.

And there’s certainly nothing better than spending several hours browsing the latest offerings whether literature or non-fiction rocks your boat.

Premier among them is Foyles. With a flagship store on Charing Cross Road (near Leicester Square tube), it is reputedly the largest bookshop in Europe in terms of the number of books stored (though not floorspace).

Foyles was founded in 1903, with the Charing Cross Road store opening a bit later in 1906. It was started by two brothers who initially wanted to sell their textbooks after failing their Civil Service exams.

I personally love hanging around Foyles, particularly on Sunday afternoons.

Despite its huge range (200,000 titles, 5 floors), the store is well-organised and you can easily immerse yourself in a particular section for hours on end.

Foyles Book shop, Charing Cross Road, Front Interior

You can easily while away hours at Foyles, losing yourself in its rich selection of literature, fiction, non-fiction, art, education, specialist and entertainment titles

I love taking the Sunday papers to its Café to enjoy its fresh juices, coffee and creative snacks and cakes in a stimulating, chilled-out atmosphere.

Following a heavenly brunch – I find it to be the perfect weekend treat!

Foyles is still independently-owned and has a pleasant “old world” feel about it. It has around 80 expert booksellers who are each knowledgeable about their area, which also makes it great fun to go there.

There’s never any hard sell and even the odd comfy chair around the store to help you decide if you really want to invest in a particular book.

Look out too for the frequent literary events and readings, which give you direct access to celebrated authors and personalities.

Which hotels are ideal for enjoying Foyles?

You might try one of our Soho suggestions since Foyles is literally on the border of that throbbing London district.

Also within walking range is the highly-rated Sofitel St James with its award-winning spa, piano music in the lobby and subtle reminders of Paris.