Books & magazines
Like the best books, a city that considers itself to be even a little literary needs to have something for everyone. As a UNESCO City of Literature and a bonafide book nerd, Melbourne hits the spot with more bookshops per head than anywhere else in Australia.
Dependable independents
Browse through the stalwart independent bookstores in the heart of Melbourne, like Paperback Bookshop, Hill Of Content, and Readers Feast. Author appearances and book festivals and a commitment to local writers make them worth the ink they're written in.
Vintage finds, secondhand books or marked-down latest reads can be picked up at the weekly Federation Square Book Market or within the ordered subterranean chaos at City Basement Books. Kay Craddock sees those pre-loved books and shrugs, offering access to antiquarian titles dating as far back as the fifteenth century.
Specialist bookstores
Avid readers with particular hobbies and areas of interest are in luck in Melbourne, with a host of specialist bookstores outweighed only by iconic and memorable places in which to read them.
Keen cooks can stock up on culinary literature, imported cookbooks and out-of-print recipes in the Books For Cooks larder. The rarest reads will confer instant credibility at any of Gertrude Street's fanciest eateries.
Buy up big from the of art, craft and design titles in Artisan Books, then park yourself somewhere conspicuous so all eyes will be on your stunning selection. A climb to Metropolis Books in Curtin House is rewarded with a veritable world of art, graphic design, architecture, photography, fashion and textiles, popular culture, film, music and performing arts books. Keep climbing up to Rooftop Bar for maximum reading pleasures.
Aesthetic reads
Inspired by the great libraries of the world (including, no doubt, Melbourne's own splendid State Library) Embiggen Books sells an ever-changing, curated collection of excellent new books with a nod to the page on which art meets science.
The most bookish junior readers are included in Melbourne's booming book scene, with The Little Bookroom – reputedly the world's oldest children's bookshop - leading the way when it comes to imaginative, colourful kids' books.
Books alive
If flicking through Melbourne's bookshops still isn't literary enough for you, get along to the regular readings and discussions at the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas and inhale the dusty historic pages in the imposing State Library. And if you still need to breathe and eat books, get stuck into The Moat Bar and Café, Mr Tulk café, or Journal café.