The Winding Stair may be famous for being one of Dublin’s best restaurants, but the bookshelves downstairs are by no means a novelty feature. Out front, this bookshop sells new titles while the smaller part at the back is home to second-hand books. It takes its name from a collection of poems by William Butler Yeats as well as the slightly crooked staircase that leads to some of Dublin's best cuisine. The bookshop's location is as Dublin as it gets, overlooking the Liffey with picture postcard views of the Ha'penny Bridge. Since the 1970s and 1980s it has been a meeting place for writers, musicians and artists and a backdrop for poetry, films and stories.
It is also home to a wide selection of books and also hard-to-find titles that are not normally stocked in the larger chains.
Tea and coffee are served in the window overlooking the Liffey. If you're in no rush to leave, you can even treat yourself to a glass of wine and enjoy a leisurely read.
www.winding-stair.com/
40 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1, Ireland.
(+ 353) 1 8726576
Google map: bit.ly/OgjxF6
* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com
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