Book shopping in Spain
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A
La Buena Vida
If your idea of browsing in bookshops involves perusing a range of choices over a coffee, you don’t have many options in Madrid – most Spanish bookshops are a commercial transaction of buying, then leaving. Thankfully, this new bookshop allows you to do both; we could spend hours in here. It has plans to stock a small selection of books in English and French alongside the mostly Spanish titles.
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B
Norma Comics
With a huge range of comics, both Spanish and international, this is Spain’s biggest dealer – everything from Tintin to some of the weirdest sci-fi and sex comics can be found here. Also on show are armies of model super heroes and other characters produced by fevered imaginations. Kids from nine to 99 can be seen snapping up items to add to their collections.
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C
Cuesta de Moyano Bookstalls
Madrid’s answer to the booksellers that line the Seine in Paris, these second-hand bookstalls are an enduring Madrid landmark. Most titles are in Spanish but there’s a handful of offerings in other languages. There are more than a dozen stalls climbing the hill and opening hours vary, with many closing between 2pm and 5pm, especially in summer.
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D
Llibreria & Informació Cultural de la Generalitat de Catalunya
This is a good first stop for books and pamphlets on all things Catalan, ranging from huge coffee-table tomes on all facets of Catalan art and architecture through to turgid tracts on Catalan law. You can skip the latter, but the former are exquisite. The shop stocks very little in English (and even less in Spanish).
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E
La Librería de Lavapiés
If you value personal service, a community feel and the sort of cosy charm that lends itself to browsing, this alternative bookshop is perfect. There’s a carefully chosen English section, as well as contemporary literature, the arts, and books for families and children.
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F
Elkar
For a huge range of travel books and guides (including lots of Lonely Planet guides), maps and hiking books in English, Spanish and French, try this specialist travel bookshop. Almost opposite it is a bigger mainstream branch dealing in Spanish- and Basque-language books.
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G
Come in
English-teachers, those thirsting for the latest thrillers in English and learners of Shakespeare’s tongue will all find something to awaken their curiosity in here, one of the city’s main English-language bookshops. There are even a few odds and ends in other languages.
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H
Casa del Llibre
With branches elsewhere in Spain, the ‘Home of the Book’ is a well-stocked general bookshop with reasonable sections devoted to literature in English, French and other languages. The website is a good place to look for Spanish literature if the shop is a walk too far.
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Quera
Crammed into a tiny bookshop is a treasure trove of travel material, mostly on Catalonia and the Pyrenees. It specialises in maps and guides, including a host of stuff for walking, and has been in business since 1916.
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J
Librería de Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
Part of the stunning extension to the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, this outstanding shop is Madrid’s best gallery bookshop, with a range of posters and postcards as well.
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De Viaje
The largest travel bookshop in Madrid, De Viaje has guidebooks, travel literature, travel gear and a travel agency with staff who know where to find what you’re looking for.
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Booksellers (Chamberí)
This suburban bookshop has close to the largest selection of English-language titles in town, covering novels, history, travel literature and Spanish themes.
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Elkar Megadenda
Basque publications are strongly represented here. It also stocks books in Spanish and a few in English, and there's an excellent map and travel section.
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Hibernian
The biggest secondhand English bookshop in Barcelona stocks thousands of titles covering all sorts of subjects, from cookery to children’s classics.
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LTC
Andalucía’s top map shop; handy if you’re plotting a regionwide tour. From Plaza San Sebastián head northeast up Avenida Menéndez Pelayo for 600m.
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Altaïr
This is an excellent travel bookshop with maps, guides and travel literature. There’s a travellers’ noticeboard and travel agency in here, too.
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Elkar
Basque publications are strongly represented here. Also books in Spanish and a few in English and there's an excellent map and travel section.
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Casa del Libro
Spain's answer to Borders has a large foreign-language (including English) literature section on the ground floor at the back.
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Metro
Stocks an excellent range of English-language novels, guidebooks and books on Spain, plus plenty of books in French.
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Laie
Has novels and books on architecture, art and film, in English and French. Also has a fine cafe upstairs.
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Tintas
Travel bookshop with a broad selection of travel books, road maps and topographical maps for trekkers.
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Petra's International Bookshop
A lively expat community is drawn to this excellent (mostly secondhand) English-language bookshop.
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Librería Luces
Bookshop with some English titles and a good travel section, both on the ground floor.
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Librería General
Bookshop with walking maps, guidebooks, and some English- and French-language novels.
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Antinous
For a leisurely browse and coffee, this is about the best gay bookshop in town.
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