Hay-on-Wye, Wales' book capital, is a charming market town packed with secondhand bookshops, cosy pubs, and independent boutiques, making it an ideal destination for a cosy autumn break and Christmas shopping. Located on the Welsh side of the border in Powys, it sits below the Black Mountains and the sweeping landscapes of Bannau Brycheiniog. Visitors can browse bookshops in the morning, hike into the hills by lunchtime, and return to town in time to shop for vinyl and enjoy a pint.
A Literary Hub with a Famous Festival
The town is world-renowned as a literary hub, famed for its annual Hay Festival, which attracts over 100,000 visitors each year. Over 11 days each spring, writers, musicians, comedians, poets, and activists host lively sessions for audiences. High-profile visitors have included former US president Bill Clinton, who called it the “Woodstock of the mind”. In 2001, less than five months after stepping down as president, Clinton attended the festival to deliver a UN lecture on racism and conflict.
Clinton's first visit to Wales was in 1969, as an Oxford student, when he came to find Dylan Thomas's birthplace. He and a classmate got as far as Cardiff Central bus station. "I remember it took forever to get there," the former president said. "We got out at the bus station in Cardiff; we stopped at a little pub, there was a Jerry Lewis film on the television – I remember that. We drank a lot of beer and read these poems to each other and I thought they were fabulous."
More than two decades later, former US Secretary of State, First Lady, and US senator Hillary Rodham Clinton attended the Hay Festival in 2022 in conversation with lawyer Helena Kennedy. Other celebrities who have attended or hosted sessions include Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry, Luke Evans, musicians Stormzy and Sir Tom Jones, and Hollywood stars like Goldie Hawn, Jane Fonda, and Carrie Fisher. Last year's line-up included Geri Halliwell-Horner, Bonnie Tyler, Gary Lineker, and Theresa May.
Autumn Charm and Independent Shops
While the festival is a must-do event for book lovers, autumn is really the best time to visit Hay for seasonal dishes, long walks, and hot chocolates in cosy cafes. Hay has also been compared many times to the fictional town of Stars Hollow from the TV show Gilmore Girls. The town offers dazzling autumn foliage, bookshops, independent cafes, and local drama.
Hay-on-Wye is packed with independent shops, including The Hourglass Collection, a shop all about fossils, and a vintage furniture store. You'll also find galleries, music shops (including Tom's Records Shop), and several clothing shops. For ethical splurges, Number Two offers eco-friendly homewares. The Fudge Shop has been making fresh fudge for more than 20 years, offering seasonal favourites like festive fudge and Easter fudge as well as new flavours like salted caramel and Biscoff. For local and organic produce, Hay Deli stocks wholefood, organic, and Welsh and Herefordshire produce, including Alex Gooch bread and Welsh Barti Ddu rum.
Trading for more than 700 years, Hay Market Day is a buzzing local market held in the centre of Hay-on-Wye every Thursday, with stalls selling local produce, hot food, artisan crafts, and vintage treats and gifts.
Bookshops and Places to Eat
Bookshop-wise, there's a decent range of indies scattered around town. Green Ink Booksellers is Hay's newest secondhand bookshop, with a curated range of books. Francis Edwards has specialised in antique and rare books since 1855, with thousands of retro books to browse. Mostly Maps is where you'll find a variety of antique maps, including folding maps and Ordnance Survey maps. Murder and Mayhem is a uniquely decorated shop honouring the golden age of crime and horror, a must-visit for detective fiction and true crime. Hay Cinema Bookshop is a converted cinema that now houses more than 200,000 secondhand and antiquarian books.
The real showstopper is Richard Booth's Bookshop, a landmark three-storey haven for both new and secondhand books, with a striking tiled building, cafe, and its own cinema with just 48 seats. It's the largest bookshop in Hay, and you could easily lose hours wandering through the heaving shelves.
There are also several places to eat and drink across the town. The family-run Sandwich Cellar is a local favourite, with veggie, vegan, and gluten-free options, plus "outstanding coffee," according to visitors. The Granary is a family-run restaurant and bar renowned for its tasty cooking. Shepherd's is a must-visit for ice cream, with locally made gelato made with sheep's milk, including the Lebanese coffee flavour. Visit the Old Electric Shop for tasty vegan food and great coffee, a mix of rustic homeware and vintage finds.
When evening rolls around, you've got plenty of cosy pubs for a pint, such as the Grade II listed Three Tuns, the oldest surviving house in Hay, with a massive inglenook fireplace and original period features.
Walks and Places to Stay
If you're looking for scenic walks, there are plenty nearby, making Hay a brilliant base for hikers. The old railway line follows the wooded banks of the River Wye to an expansive riverside meadow known as The Warren. You can also access Offa's Dyke Path National Trail from Hay. This 177-mile path follows the border between England and Wales and is loved by hikers. Bannau Brycheiniog is also close by and has a multitude of hiking trails, waterfalls, and mountains to explore.
For a weekend stay, The Swan at Hay is a great option, positioned between the Bannau Brycheiniog and the Black Mountains. This listed Georgian building was a former coaching inn and now offers 19 individually designed bedrooms and a restaurant serving classic British cuisine. Just a few minutes' walk from the centre of Hay-on-Wye, The Old Black Lion has a traditional wooden-beamed bar that feels instantly cosy. The pub was voted Best Pub in Powys and made the top eight in Wales at the 2023 National Pub & Bar Awards. Their two-AA-rosette restaurant also won the Good Food Award Gold Seal for 2024.
