Stanfords

I visited late in the afternoon of Monday 29th December 2025. I thought it would be quiet - everyone would be full of figgy pudding and lounging on sofas at home. No! They were all in London, Covent Garden was mobbed. Stanford’s is a touch off the beaten tracks but Google Maps took me there so very easily. The shop was busy but certainly manageable for the browsing consumer. I had come up from the south coast for a very specific travel book that Stanford’s website showed was the sole one in stock. I asked a rather busy American assistant if he could help me find said book. He was customer service personified; a few clicks on his computer and he took me right to the book. Not just a “it’s down there”, but truly to the book and pulled it out for me. That’s book and store knowledge, I was very happy. Right next to my book was a big stand of maps. I love maps! So I knew I wasn’t going to leave with just one purchase and thirty minutes and four maps later I was heading back up to the counter to pay for them all. I thought all my purchases were excellent value for money and the ability to physically browse for my purchases was worth its weight in gold. A deserved five star review for staff and stock. It might be summer when I return, but for you dear reader I really do recommend a physical visit. You will not be disappointed.

Amazing selection of maps and travel literature spread across the ground floor and basement. They have a great variety of globes and unique gift ideas. There is also a cafe.

This is a cozy and quiet little place that does great soups with very wallet friendly prices. It's a little hidden gem inside Standfords. With seating and standing bar area, not a big space but it doesn't get that busy. I tried the green Thai soup of the day!

I was impressed how one of Stanford’s map experts in the basement map department took a lot of trouble to find for me a not well known small street (Rue Denfert Rochereau in Boulogne-sur-Seine) on the web which was just beyond the coverage of the Michelin Map of Paris. I subsequently bought that map and took an image of the street on his screen.

Very cute and lovely bookshop with travel titles, gifts, stationeries etc.

Such a carefully curated selecting of travel books, so many them! Downstairs is a dizzying array of guide books and maps to almost every corner of the world. Wonderful just to browse through them and dream of places to visit. Great little coffee shop upstairs too with outside seating.

Love this gem of a shop and cafe. Has every kind of map you need, a cafe and beautiful globes to buy. Great ambience and staff are really friendly. It has two floors.

Really cute book and stationary shop.