If you are a fan of books, we propose a list of unique bookstores around the world that charm you. Prepare your passport and make room in your suitcase, because we are sure it will come loaded with new books from these places.
Rafael Solaz Antiquarian Bookstore (Valencia)
Close your eyes for a moment and think of a bookstore. What is the prototype you have imagined? We are sure this image resembles Rafael Solaz’s in Valencia. A place full of collections of antique titles and where you will find copies you never thought you had at your fingertips.
A retro style that permeates every corner and invites you to remember other times just by looking up and seeing its wooden ornaments and decorations. Before closing, we want to highlight its extensive collection of literary antiques that house copies published in the sixteenth or eighteenth centuries.
La Galatea Bookstore (Salamanca)
Another space for lovers of antique editions. When you enter this bookstore, your eyes will undoubtedly be impressed to see how copies of past centuries coexist with the latest literary novels and even graphic novels that differ significantly in the design of their covers.
What’s more, its offer even includes paper jewels created from fragments of literary works. A place that deserves to be discovered and that undoubtedly lives up to the saying “never judge a book by its cover” since its rough exterior is very different from the aisles you’ll find.
San Ginés Bookstore (Madrid)
A bookstore that dates back to 1650 (the date of its first known bookseller). Old books, first editions, postcards, plates… All of this in a place that lacks aisles since its facilities are located on the same street. A delight for collectors located near the heart of the capital of Spain. Delight yourself with chocolate in the nearby churrerías and investigate the many curiosities at Librería San Ginés.
Ulyses Rare Books (Dublin, Ireland)
This beautiful bookstore is built under the name of one of the most famous characters of Irish literature, and already from the outside, it will catch you and invite you to enter. Seeing its catalog of rare books is reason enough to visit it if you are in the British country. There you will find editions that should have been printed in longer or minimal editions.
You will also find a catalog of affordable books and more current offers. All of this is enhanced by the aesthetics of a classic bookstore with easily identifiable aesthetics.
All bookstores in Óbidos (Portugal)
Óbidos is located 70 kilometers from Lisbon, and just like Urueña, it is a town dedicated to books and is known worldwide for many of these establishments. And as in the case of the city of Puebla, we recommend you visit every one of them.
But to recommend some of the most famous: The Literary Man, where you can buy books and sleep among them. A total of 30 rooms will make your dreams come true, and you will have 40,000 copies of this small hotel at your disposal.
And don’t forget the Edifício dos Correios, a building from 1748 that preserves the original aesthetics and is a total commitment to culture.
Maruzen (Tokyo, Japan)
In the land of the Rising Sun, among neon lights, huge crosswalks, pachinko machines, and delicious cuisine, the Maruzen bookstore awaits you. A gigantic place that has a wide variety at very affordable prices and where you will find everything from travel guides to educational texts.
One of the most updated catalogs in the world and is distributed over multiple floors decorated in different ways. If you visit Japan and you are a book lover, let yourself be surprised!
Three Lives (New York, USA)
Located in an idyllic and peaceful setting, Greenwich Village, this bookstore looks like something out of a fairy tale. If, in the case of Maruzen, the aesthetic was very modern, in the case of Three Lives, we return to a classic and easily recognizable essence. If you are lucky enough to visit it in winter, you will see one of the most beautiful images for book lovers.
It is a place that has been delighting its visitors for more than 40 years and has become a must-visit to let yourself be infected by its bohemian essence reminiscent of days gone by. As for me, I have a special warmth for this bookshop because it also was my faithful assistant during college. And there was also a bookcrossing service, where I used to borrow different science books to write my paper for free.
El Amanuense (Bogota, Colombia)
A space that proves that a bookstore is a space for culture. This space is already contagious from the outside, but you will feel in paradise inside. Because in addition to being a place where you can get the book you are looking for, you can enjoy it right there. In contrast, you want a good coffee surrounded by other customers with whom to participate in a literary gathering.
If you’ve already been to any of these stores, let us know about it in the comments, and if you haven’t, schedule a visit!
