Chichester: Book City

Chichester, West Sussex is twenty minutes from my family home, and a city I know and love well. It's most famous for it's world-renowned Festival Theatre, which has been the springboard for some of the best recieved shows at the West End, and launched the careers of countless writers, actors and directors.

As a city, it's as compact as you can get - you can cover the centre in one ten minute stride.

Drama may be the lifeblood of Chichester, but it boasts some respectable literary links. One of my favourite spaces in Chichester is the stunning Cathedral, which features some truly beautiful modern art inside. A famous site is the Arundel Tomb - a sarcophagus of the tenth earl of Arundel and his wife - unique in that they're depicted holding hands. It inspired one of Philip Larkin's most famous poems, mounted by the side of it.

Aside from the well-stocked Waterstones on West Street, which a particularly good local interests section, and an inviting upstairs well laid out for a few hours sneaky reading, there's the brilliant second hand shop Kim's Bookshop on South Street (the original town planners didn't have a flair for street names). I've found some beautiful editions of classics; there's a lovely section of illustrated botanical tomes, and a great pulpy selection. It strikes the balance between facilitating the functional, determined bookshopper with serious search designs, and the casual browser, needing that element of chaos and the unexpected delight of finding something bizarre.

If you can get to Chichester, and have a day to spare, visit. It's great for shopping, for modern art (check out the Pallant House Gallery for some impressive exhibitions) and music; Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnson's grew up in Chichester, and every day on the streets you can see talented folk living up to his precedent. But what I like most about Chichester (predictably enough) is that it's a great city for readers; plenty of green spaces, tucked away corners and coffee shops for reading and talking books. My favourite reading space in the city is in front of the statue of St Richard at the front of the Cathedral - I think he would approve.