About The Guide

Hello! We are Sonja and Ivan. And this is our Bookstore Guide - an amateur guide to book shopping throughout Europe. We hope this Guide will help you find the book(stores) you are looking for. Unfortunately, the bookstores are no longer uploaded and may be out of date

Stauffacher Bookshop, Bern

Stauffacher Bookshop logo
Where? Bern, Switzerland



Recommended by Sabine from Bern

Sabine said: "In Bern (the capital of Switzerland) we have Stauffacher. What I personally think about it; Stauffacher has a big choice of books AND they have a department with English books as well. But I guess, they have French books as well and maybe in other languages. I am not English, so I can't give a right reference for English native speakers. I don't know if this shop is big enough for them. I only recommand it to my guests, when they need English books in Bern."

Stauffacher’s Bookshop is one of the largest booksellers in the German-speaking world and the biggest in Switzerland. Their strengths are the unrivaled range of stock titles, specialist departments and the multi-lingual outlook. A mixture of bookselling competence and innovation make them one of the best choices to meet all your private and professional needs. To complement this, they are supported by the latest in computer technology. In addition, they also offer a wide range of software, games, videos and DVDs and gifts.

Stauffacher Bookshop BernStauffacher Bookshop
Address:
Entrance Neuengasse 25 - 37
Entrance Ryffligässchen 8
Entrance Splendid (Von Werdt-Passage 8)
Bern



Website
: http://www.stauffacher.ch

Phone and Email:
031 313 63 63
info@stauffacher.ch

Working Hours:
Mon-Wed 9-18:30
Thur 9-21
Fri 9-18:30
Sat 8-16

Moskovskij Dom Knigi, Moscow

Moskovskij Dom Knigi logo
Where? Moscow, Russia



Recommended by:
Benedikt Morak

Benedikt said: “New Arbat Street 8 (Center Moscow), they also have several stores in Moscow but it is mainly the central located ones that carry a big selection of E/D/F language books and always also the latest and newest.”

Another bookstore in Moscow, which is most commonly described with the adjective “huge”. Moskovskii Dom Knigi (Moscow House of Books) ranks among the city’s favorite bookstores and it also has an extensive English literature section, which can be found on the second floor. It is mostly focused on contemporary fiction and classics. The English selection of this store is thus not limited in size, but as it’s true for most of these huge bookstore institutions, it’s a bit limited in scope. You can also find maps and Lonely Planet guides in English. Besides books, Dom Knigi also offers an audio and video section, postcards, a gift shop, some parts of the store are rented to other enterprises.

Dom Knigi has several branches in Moscow and it even has one store in St. Petersburg, however, we only decided to list the central store in Moscow on Novyj Arbat, since it offers the widest selection of English books. You can find the list of their remaining stores on their website, unfortunately, it’s only available in Russian. The store celebrated its 40th anniversary this year and is housed in a building which gives you a very good idea of typical soviet architecture.

Moskovskij Dom Knigi bookstore MoscowMoskovskij Dom Knigi
Address:
Novyj Arbat 18
Moscow







Website
: http://www.mdk-arbat.ru/

Phone and Email:
+7 (495) 789 35 91

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 9-23
Sat-Sun 10-23


Back to the list of bookstores in Moscow

Atheneum International Bookstore, Copenhagen

Atheneum International Bookstore logo
Where? Copenhagen, Denmark



Recommended by
Thomas E. Kennedy, A Shout from Copenhagen
Absinthe: New European Writing
www.thomasekennedy.com

Thomas said: "Just to the right of Our Lady Cathedral is Atheneum International Book Dealer, whose English section is run by the elegant Sidsel Brun who is passionate about stocking books that matter; here you’ll find the esoteric English books you cannot find elsewhere."

Atheneum Int. Bookstore is a somewhat an exotic bookstore with a very friendly staff who pride themselves in being experts in their fields. The bookstore itself is located in Denmark's Latin Quarter and has a wide circle of regular customers. Their great selection of English books is not so easy to find elsewhere as it is not available in just any bookstore in Denmark.

Atheneum International Bookstore stocks both Danish and English titles on topics ranging from anthropology, medicine, philosophy, pedagogy, religion, sociology via cultural studies, linguistics, history to British and American literature and books on sports, business and management. Their impressive English language stock consists of some 20.000 books! Atheneum also has a shelf dedicated to foreign literature translated into English for those who crave for either a Danish or even some more distant writer). Furthermore, many literary readings are held in the bookstore on a regular basis as well.

Atheneum International Bookstore CopenhagenAtheneum International Bookstore
Address
Norregade 6
1165 Copenhagen K








Website:
http://www.atheneum.dk

Phone and Email:
45 33 126970
salg@atheneum.dk
books@atheneum.dk

Working Hours:
Mon-Thur 9-17:30
Fri 9-18
Sat 10-14

Extra Information
The bookstore gives a 10% discount to students.


Back to the list of bookstores in Copenhagen

Village Voice Bookshop, Paris

Village Voice Bookshop logo


Where? Paris, France





[UPDATE: Village Voice Bookshop was closed in 2012]


Courtesy of Gridskipper




Visited: August 2008
(Read more on the Village Voice Bookshop in our Report from Paris)

Gridskipper said: "A cramped two-level bookstore in St-Germain-des-Prés, the Village Voice Bookshop stocks 18,000 titles, with an emphasis on literature, culture, politics and contemporary social issues. Owner Odile Hellier, a knowledgeable French woman who loves to speak English, founded the store in 1982. But don't be surprised if the (native-English-speaking) help insists on speaking French."

The Village Voice Bookshop is a well-established institution, which has served as a meeting point for American, British or Australian expats ever since its opening in 1982. A bit surprisingly, this bookstore wasn't founded by an expat, which is quite common for exclusively English bookstores on the continent. Its owner Odile Hellier is French, but her reputation of an expert in American and British contemporary literature in France is well deserved. And the fact that Village Voice has been ranked as the best independent literary bookstore in Europe by the British magazine Bookseller back in 2000 proves that she's doing her job very well. Odile Hellier is very passionate about books and her bookstore and that is precisely what makes the offer at Village Voice special - the number of titles on their shelves is somewhere around 18 thousand, but you can be sure that each one of them has been carefully selected.

This bookstore has secured its place on the Parisian English scene already in the 80s, and it has hosted many big names of the American and British literary scene who came to read and discuss their works. Luckily, this tradition is still alive in this bookstore up to this day and readings take place on regular weekly basis. The neighborhood Saint Germain de Prés used to be called le village, and it was famous for its literary cafés, bookstores and publishing houses - the hangout of all the local writers and book-lovers. Times have changes but Village Voice Bookshop remains and honors this legacy.

village voice bookstore parisVillage Voice Bookshop
Address:
6, rue Princesse
75006 Paris

Village Voice Bookshop Paris









 

Website: http://www.villagevoicebookshop.com/

Phone and Email:
01 46 33 36 47
query@villagevoicebookshop.com

Working Hours:
Mon 14-19:30
Tue-Sat 10-19:30
Sun 13-18

Back to the list of bookstores in Paris

Tranquebar Book Café, Copenhagen

Tranquebar Book Café logo
Where? Copenhagen, Denmark


 


Recommended by Thomas E. Kennedy, A Shout from Copenhagen
Absinthe: New European Writing
www.thomasekennedy.com

Thomas said: "Tranquebar Book Café (on Borgergade – just across the street from the Torture Rehabilitation Center) is a sprawling place named for the only colony Denmark ever had in India and modeled after the travel bookshop in the film “Notting Hill,” though this one is considerably more elegant and roomy. Its stock includes not only travel books but the literature of the countries you are considering traveling to as well as products from those countries – textiles, objets d’art, knickknacks, beer and wine! You can sit in one of its many chairs sipping a glass of red wine and reading for hours, undisturbed."

The bookcafé, specializing in travel literature, takes its name from Tanquebar, on the Coromandel Coast in the Bay of Begnal; it was an old Danish colony and trade place in the South Indian state Tamil Nadu.

The art of traveling requires nothing more than a good comfortable chair, a pile of books about your chosen destination - its history, art, architecture and nature - a couple of biographies, a novel and perhaps a language dictionary or glossary. And then you're off. If your finances, time and significant other allow, naturally you can do the whole thing, buy a ticket to a distant place, find guides and travel books in Tanquebar's shelves and take off out in the blue. The bookstore stocks all sorts of travel guides: from the traditional ones to the newer ones, from books about architecture, art, nature to books about business and politics from all the world's destinations.

Tranquebar Book Café CopenhagenTranquebar Book Café
Address:
Borgergade 14
1300 Copenhagen K








 

Website: http://www.tranquebar.net

Phone and Email:
+45 33 12 55 12

mail@tanquebar.net

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-18
Sat 10-16


Back to the list of bookstores in Copenhagen

Chester’s Book Café, Copenhagen

Chester’s Book Café logo
Where? Copenhagen, Denmark




[UPDATE] CHESTER'S BOGCAFE has been CLOSED for several years!!!


Recommended by Thomas E. Kennedy, A Shout from Copenhagen
Absinthe: New European Writing
www.thomasekennedy.com

Thomas said: "Then there is Chester’s Book Café at Strandgade 26 in the charming city neighborhood known as Christianshavn (which is also home to the so-called Free State, “Christiania,” an abandoned military encampment taken over by squatters nearly 40 years ago though which, sadly, is currently under assault by the current less than liberal government; a visit to Christiania is rather like a visit to the wild west in the middle of a civilized city). Chester’s Book Café is in a semi-basement, just down the street and across the avenue from the Danish Writers Union and features Wednesday evening readings by some of the best of contemporary Danish and international writers."

A certain warm and welcoming atmosphere is eminent when you step into the universe of books, coffee and cakes at Chester's Book Café in the district of Christianshavn. Here you are free to leaf through the books, before purchasing them, and most customers come again and again. The staff is extremely competent and knowledgeable when it comes to litterature and the bar tempts you with coffee and fresh baked cakes.

Chester’s Book Café CopenhagenChester's Book Café
Address:
Strandgade 26
1401 Copenhagen K






Website:
http://www.chester.dk

Phone and Email:
32 573 574
chester@chester.dk

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-18
Sat 10-15

Back to the list of bookstores in Copenhagen

No Alibis Bookstore, Belfast

No Alibis Bookstore logo
Where? Belfast, NIR (UK)





Recommended by Kuba

Kuba said: "No Alibis specializes in mysteries and American Studies publications. When I dropped by for the first time looking for a rare law book, I spent a few hours having a nice chat over tea with one of the booksellers. The place is rather small, but very cosy. Bookshelves cover all the walls and in the middle of the store there is a cute green table - just the place to put your mug of coffee while curling up and reading a book.

The store is especially proud of its collection of signed editions and special events, including concerts, readings and meetings with authors."

No Alibis is Northern Ireland's only specialist crime bookstore. They are based on Botanic Avenue, in the centre of Belfast, with a second store on the Jordanstown campus. They specialise in crime fiction and American studies publications. If you are looking for a novel, book or publication in the crime genre e.g. true life or fictional crime stories, thrillers, whodunits, mysteries, police and detective stories then then you have come to the correct place. If you are looking for American studies books, both factual and fiction, then No Alibis is the major clue in resolving your search.

No Alibis has been around for 20 years and it's still rocking!!!

No Alibis Bookstore BelfastNo Alibis:
Address:
83 Botanic Avenue
Belfast
BT7 1JL





Phone and Email:
+44 (0)28 9031 9601
david@noalibis.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-17 (we weren't able to confirm this though)

Paludan’s Book & Café, Copenhagen

Paludan’s Book & Café logo
Where? Copenhagen, Denmark


Recommended by Thomas E. Kennedy, A Shout from Copenhagen
Absinthe: New European Writing
www.thomasekennedy.com

Thomas said: "One of many things I love about Copenhagen is its wealth of small bookshops. There is the wonderful Paludan’s Book Café on the cobblestoned Fiolstræde, just across from the ancient university Library – a big, roomy shop with tall windows which features a great series of Thursday readings, excellent draft beer and red wine and a sandwich of Italian cheese and prosciuto ham to die for; and let us not forget that in the basement antiquarian sector of the shop there is an eerie exhibition of modern sculpture nestled in its shadowy recesses, haunting forms."

In Pauldan's you'll find a café, a second hand book store and a modern book store all in one. With subdued classical music or jazz in the background, you can browse through the latest books while having a sandwich, a delicious sweet or a hot chocolate.

The bookstore stocks a wide selection of books in Danish and other languages, such as English on subject matters such as biographies, culture, business, philosophy, religion, psychology as well as various guides and fiction (modern and classics).

Paludan’s Book & Café CopenhagenPaludan's Book & Café
Address:
Fiolstræde 10-12
Copenhagen K







Website: https://www.paludan-cafe.dk/

Email: via form on website

Working Hours:
Sun-Thur 9-22
Fri 9-23
Sat 10-23

Back to the list of bookstores in Copenhagen

Oxford Educational Centre Moldova, Chisinau

Oxford Educational Centre Moldova bookstore logo

Where?
Chisinau, Moldova


Recommended by: Marisha Vozian


Marisha said: "There is one bookstore in Chisinau downtown. I don't recall exactly its name, but think it's Oxford center. It's situated on Mihai Eminescu street between Stefan Cel Mare and Mitropolit Varlaam opposite to Odeon cinema. They sell mainly language learning materials, but have few shelves with English books too. Classic literature mainly."

This bookstore, located in the center of Moldova’s capital Chisinau, is an official representative of Oxford University Press – English Language Teaching Department. It offers a wide selection of books and other material (CDs, DVDs, video and audio tapes) for teachers and students of English language. The bookstore’s primary ambition is, as its name hints, to serve as an educational centre spreading the English language. Their stock is the best reflection of this ambition. Besides ELT books you can also find academic works from other fields such as humanities, social sciences and even medicine. The fiction section of the bookstore is rather modest, but you surely won’t miss by picking something from the Oxford World’s Classics series, comprising titles from the ancient ages all the way to the most influential novels of the 20th century.

The place to go for all of those who wish to improve their English skills...

Oxford Educational Centre Moldova bookstoreOxford Educational Centre Moldova
Address:
Str.Eminescu 64, of. 5
Chisinau 2012







Website:
http://www.educationalcentre.md/

Phone and Email:
(+3732) 22-89-87
oxford@educationalcentre.md

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 9:30-17:30
Sat 10-15

Tarabuk, Warsaw

Tarabuk bookstore logo


Where?
Warsaw, Poland




Recommended by
Arthur Barys

Arthur said: "There are a few bookstores in Warsaw, but they just deal in new books. Tarabuk near my university has some English books, but they usually just order stuff from Massolit, or you can order from Massolit and pick it up at Tarabuk."

Tarabuk is a combination of a café and a bookstore where you can find shelves packed with books from Polish literature to the English classics. You can sit in cozy armchairs while you gaze at the amazing handmade artwork hanging from the ceilings or on the walls, while you drink your ecological teas or nibble a delicious homemade cake or sandwich.

Located in a quiet spot between the University and the University Library in Warsaw, Tarabuk is a bookshop with homely and friendly atmosphere not easily to be found elsewhere. Their selection includes books on various subjects such as: philosophy, sociology, history, literature, culture and religion, psychology, pedagogy, law, economics, etc. Tarabuk also stocks a wide selection of books and guidebooks in English and other languages.

Tarabuk bookstore WarsawTarabuk
Address:
ul. Browarna 6
Warsaw






Website:
http://www.tarabuk.pl

Phone and Email:
(22) 827 08 14
tarabuk@tarabuk.pl

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-22
Sat-Sun 12-22

Extra Information
Tarabuk bookstore gives a 10% discount to students.


Back to the list of bookstores in Warsaw

Biblio-Globus, Moscow



Where? Moscow, Russia



Recommended by
: Rustralian

Rustralian said: “There is also Biblio-Globus which I regularly use (close to home). They have a very good selection of English and other language books and the staff is very helpful - some with very good English of course. They also have a great selection of books for teaching Russian children English (and vice-versa). There are CDs, DVDs, coffee shop, rare books, bank notes and coins, stationery, gifts, pens, cards, travel books, maps etc.”

Biblio-Globus is one of Europe’s biggest bookstores with a stock of some 40 000 titles. This bookstore is not specialized in English literature, thus most of the books in the store are in Russian, however, thanks to its wide section of foreign literature it ranks among Moscow’s top destinations when searching for books in English. On the other hand, the selection of contemporary fiction cannot be measured with the offer of specialized English bookstores, although it’s perfectly possible to order any books that you don’t find in the store. The prices of the English titles are quite reasonable, judging by those which are listed on the store’s website.

Established in 1957, Biblio-Globus is located next to Lubyanka metro station. It occupies two floors in a building on Myasnitskaya street. Due to its size and popularity, you can expect Biblio-Globus to be rather crowded most of the time.

Biblio-Globus bookstore MoscowBiblio-Globus
Address:
6/3 Myasnitskaya St., building 5
101990 Moscow






Website
: http://www.biblio-globus.ru/

Phone and Email:
+7 (495) 781 19 00
mail@biblio-globus.ru

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 9-22
Sat 10-21
Sun 10-20


Back to the list of bookstores in Moscow

De Beschte, Wageningen

De Beschte bookstore logo
Where? Wageningen, The Netherlands



Recommended by
Ernest Vrins

Ernest said: "My favorite secondhand bookstore in De Beschte in Wageningen."

De Beschte Modern Antiguariat is a bookstore that specializes in old and rare books, mostly in the Dutch language but also English language books and books in French and German can be found there. The owner, Anne-Marike Bouw, takes pride in the fact that the bookstore is an independent one and that it considerably differs from big bookstore chains in the Netherlands, such as De Slegte.

De Beschte was established almost thirty years ago, in 1981, and has grown in both quality and quantity ever since. Browsing around in De Beschte is indeed considered to be a voyage of discovery.

Because Wageningen is an international town of agricultural sciences, agriculture is one of the specialties of the bookstore. De Beschte second-hand bookstore specializes in following subjects: agriculture, horticulture, topography, folklore, botany, soil science, plants, nature, animals, zoology. Next to it you'll find a very broad stock with arts, cultural and geographical history, literature, military, sports, etc. They also purchase books on these subjects. The shop has an enormous, well-ordered and growing general stock of about 50.000 titles and it also stocks about 2000 thesis published in Wageningen. The well-informed staff will always gladly show you the titles you are interestied in.

De Beschte bookstore WageningenAntiquariat De Beschte
Address:
Bergstraat 22
6701 Wageningen






Website: http://www.debeschte.nl

Phone and Email:
(31) 0317 42 11 55
debeschte@antiquariaten.nl

Working Hours:
Tue-Sat 12-18

WH Smith Paris, Paris

WH Smith Paris bookstore logo

Where?
Paris, France



Recommended by:
eurokitty

eurokitty said: “In Paris, there is the W.H. Smith on Rue de Rivoli, which is primarily English. They sell mostly the UK versions of books.”

With more than 70 000 English titles under its roof, W.H. Smith – an exclusively English bookstore - belongs to the best sources of English literature in the whole of France.

The offer of this bookstore is divided into two floors. The ground floor holds the fiction section, which contains classics and contemporary titles as well. However, the new releases are quite expensive and the store doesn’t hold a second hand section. Apart from the novels, you can also find the widest selection of newspapers and magazines in English in Paris here.

The upper floor is dedicated to non-fiction literature, with the exception of a special section for children’s literature. You can also find travel books and Paris maps and guides, books on architecture, fashion, history, economics, cookbooks etc., and a special corner with DVDs in English.

W.H. Smith is a British chain of bookstores with numerous branches all over the UK. The Parisian bookstore, located in the long Rue de la Rivoli, near la Place de la Concorde, is the only European non-UK branch. Its offer is more or less typical for a chain store, which means that you probably won’t find it particularly exceptional but it still remains the top English book destination in Paris. It’s specifically known for its selection of English and American newspapers and magazines. Occasional author evenings and other book-related social events take place in the store.

WH Smith Paris bookstoreWH Smith Paris
Address:
248 Rue de Rivoli
Paris 750001
(1st Arrondissement)





Website
: http://www.whsmith.fr/indexE.htm

Phone and Email:
+33 1 44 77 88 99
whsmith@whsmith.fr

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 9-19:30
Sun 13-19:30


Back to the list of bookstores in Paris

Books for Cooks, London

Books for Cooks bookstore logo
Where? London, UK




Recommended by
Writing Travellers





Writing Travellers said: "If you like cooking or good food, this is a shop not to be missed. It is absolutely fully packed with cookbooks and whilst you're browsing you will smell the food all around you as there is a cafe in the back of the shop where recipes are put to the test. If you're really keen to learn more, you can join one of their cooking workshops. "

Something a little different to all the bookstores we have on our guide, Books for Cooks is a definite stop for all the food lovers, cooks, gourmands and other appreciators of food. In the shop, you see shelves crammed with books reaching from floor to ceiling, central tables piled high with yet more books, and you marvel - are all these books really cookbooks? Then, at the back of the shop, you spot the kitchen from which those appetising aromas exude. There is cookery in the air as well as on the shelves of this bookshop. Once discovered, food lovers wonder how they ever survived before Books For Cooks!

Books for Cooks was founded in 1983 by Heidi Lascelles. Heidi was neither a trained cook nor professional bookseller. Heidi's aim to stock as many different cookbooks as she could find, and her readiness to track down a wanted book from whatever corner of the globe it came and then to despatch the book to whatever corner of the globe from which it was requested, soon earned the store a large international clientele. Books For Cooks quite soon outgrew its original, diminutive home, squeezed out by cookbooks and customers. And, in the new larger shop across the road, Heidi installed a kitchen where she hoped recipes might be tested and the cookbooks on the shelves brought to life. Rosie Kindersley and Eric Treuille, Books for Cooks' current proprietors, are convinced that the test kitchen is the secret of shop's success. Because of it, they say, "we are able to put theory into practice. Food here is not just something to be perused in books, it is something to be cooked, eaten and enjoyed. We can then really champion the books in which we know the recipes really work. It makes us more than a cook book shop - a shop for all cooks!"

Books for Cooks bookstore logoBooks for Cooks
Address:
4 Blenheim Crescent,
Notting Hill
London W11 1NN






Website
: http://www.booksforcooks.com

Phone and Email:
020-7221-1992
info@booksforcooks.com

Working Hours:
Tue-Sat 10-18

Extra Information
Books for Cooks is closed on Sundays, Mondays, Bank Holidays, the last three weeks of August and then days over Christmas and New Year, including Christmas Eve.

Back to the list of bookstores in London

San Francisco Book Co, Paris

San Francisco Book Co bookstore logo

Where? Paris, France




Courtesy of
Gridskipper




Visited: August 2008
(Read more on San Francisco Book Co in our Report from Paris)

Gridskipper said: "A secondhand bookstore near Odéon with a nice atmosphere and a good selection, the San Francisco Book Company buys used titles for about a euro a book, or twice that in store credit. There's a free box in front of the store if you're really desperate or want to make a donation."

Another gem in the selection of second hand English bookstores in the French capital. San Francisco Book Co has all the elements that we're looking for when judging the quality of a second hand bookstore - shelves full of books, specific atmosphere and friendly prices. Instead of adding more compliments, we'll just say that we've spent almost an hour browsing around the bookstore and although our backpacks were really heavy and we still had several weeks of traveling ahead of us we couldn't resist buying a few books.

Probably the most notable quality of this bookstore, which gives it an edge over the rest of the Parisian second hand English bookstore scene, is that the prices are very affordable. The books in front of the store are available at bargain prices which range between 1 and 4 Euros, and the selection is quite ok. As for the titles stored inside, the prices of most of the titles are still very much acceptable to say at least, and the selection is great. Especially the fiction section stands out both in terms of quantity and quality.

The San Francisco Book Company, located on the left bank, opened its door to visitors in 2005. It specializes in second hand English titles, mostly affordable paperbacks, but they also offer some rare titles and first editions. They also buy books, you can find their buying policy on their website. Besides the mentioned fiction section, which is the pride of this bookstore, you can find well-stocked sections dedicated to music, art, movies and theater, social sciences, sports, travel or cooking. Add the helpful staff and the our review of this bookstore can only end with two words - highly recommended.

san francisco bookshop parisSan Francisco Book Co
Address:
17, rue M. le Prince
75006 Paris
San Francisco Book Co bookstore Paris









Website:
http://www.sanfranciscobooksparis.com

Phone and Email:
01 43 29 15 70
info@sanfranciscobooksparis.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 11-21
Sun 14-19:30
Back to the list of bookstores in Paris

The Lion Bookshop, Rome

The Lion Bookshop Rome logo

Where?
Rome, Italy



[UPDATE: THE LION BOOKSHOP IS CLOSED. Unfortunately, the bookstore closed its door in August 2011]

Recommended by:
Bill McCalpin from the US

Bill said: "The Lion Bookshop has been a feature in Rome for 50 years, according to their website - well, I know it was there 30+ years ago when I was a 19-year-old university student in Rome. As there were limited publications in Italy in English in those days, we all grew to know the place...in fact, because of the expense of shipping books from the States, for some classes (like English Lit), the instructor would just tell us to go over to the Lion and buy a used copy (which we sold back to the Lion at the end of the semester)."

The offer of this bookstore consists of more than 30 000 titles from both fiction and non-fiction. The bookstore is known for its well-stocked children’s section. Besides the wide selection of contemporary and classic fiction, you can find books on Rome and Italy in general, art, architecture, cooking, and a special section with all sorts of books focused on English as a foreign language.

Yes, the Lion Bookshop is still there… Established in 1947, it’s the oldest English-language bookstore in Rome and in the whole of Italy. A small café serving American cookies, cakes and bagels has been added to the store. Located in the center of Rome, a 10 minute walk from the famous Spanish steps or from Piazza del Popolo in a small side street Via dei Greci.

The Lion Bookshop RomeThe Lion Bookshop
Address:
Via dei Greci 33/36
00187 Roma







Website:
http://www.thelionbookshop.com

Phone and Email:
06 32654007
orders@thelionbookshop.com

Working Hours:
Mon 15:30-19:30
Tue-Sun 10:00-19:30

Back to the list of bookstores in Rome

The Travel Bookshop, London

The Travel Bookshop London logo
Where? London, UK


Recommended by
Writing Travellers





Writing Travellers said: "A Walhalla for travellers, this bookshop seems to stock nearly every travel guide and travel book under the sun. It became famous because of the film ' Notting Hill' in which Hugh Grant runs a bookshop almost identical to this one (and in the same location). Sorry, Hugh does not run this shop but still it is absolutely worth a visit. It has that quaint feeling that nowadays all the big modern bookshops lack. Beware though: before you know it, you have spent hours there!"

The Travel Bookshop was founded in 1979 and has been run privately for more than 26 years. Nestled between the local art galleries, eateries and the many retro and avant-garde boutiques of Notting Hill, it offers a cornucopia of reader’s delights and exotic authors. The surrounding streets offer the hubbub of noisy street markets, littered with eclectic personalities, famous writers and doors and settings you may just have seen somewhere before.

In addition to stocking an enormous range of the latest guidebooks, The Travel Bookstore also offers travelogues, literature, history and biography, all arranged country by country. Their stock also includes photographic titles, maps, atlases and an eclectic range of second-hand, rare and antiquarian books.

The Travel Bookshop LondonThe Travel Bookshop
Address:
13-15 Blenheim Crescent
Notting Hill
London W11 2EE







Website:
http://www.thetravelbookshop.com/

Phone and Email:
44 20 7229 5260
post@thetravelbookshop.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-18
Sun 12-17

Back to the list of bookstores in London

Marga Schoeller Bücherstube, Berlin

Marga Schoeller Bücherstube bookstore logo

Where?
Berlin, Germany




 

Courtesy of Gridskipper


Gridskipper said: “For over 80 years, Marga Schoeller has maintained a standard of excellence. The elegant shop is divided between English- and German-language books, the former neatly situated in a cozy alcove. It carries first-rate selections of poetry, theater, fiction, and nonfiction in abundance, and its proximity to Ku'Damm is ideal for closing a full day's shopping spree. What better way to unwind than in the surrounding of books? Employees are friendly and generous and will happily order a book at your request."

The carefully selected English section of this store covers mostly fiction, but feminist and anti-racist literature, philosophy, biographies and numerous academic works from all fields are also to be found. The store is also known for its well-stocked theater and cinema section. Marga Schoeller bookstore was once listed among Europe’s ten best bookstores and it still maintains a very high standard. From time to time, free coffee and sometimes even cakes are served to customers. Well-read and ready to help staff can be taken for granted at this store.

The tradition of English books in this well-established Berlin bookstore dates all the way back to post war years. Marga Schoeller refused to sell Nazi literature in the decade preceding World War II and once the war was over, she was given the license to sell English books by the allies. During the Cold war, the bookstore earned the reputation of West Berlin’s main literary institution. During this period some great literary figures visited the store or belonged to its clientele – names like, Samuel Beckett, Hermann Hesse, Thomas Mann, T. S. Eliot, W. H. Auden, or Thornton Wilder speak for themselves. In 1974, the store moved from its original location in Ku’damm just several hundred meters away to Knesebeckstraße.

Marga Schoeller Bücherstube bookstore BerlinMarga Schoeller Bücherstube
Address:Knesebeckstraße 33
Charlottenburg
10623 Berlin






Website: http://www.margaschoeller.de/

Phone and Email:
(030) 881 11 12
schoeller.buecher@gmx.net

Working Hours:
Mon-Wed 9:30-19
Thu-Fri 9:30-20
Sat 9:30-18

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St. George's Bookshop, Berlin

St. George's Bookshop logo Berlin

Where?
Berlin, Germany



 

Courtesy of Gridskipper


Gridskipper said: “A bibliophile's sanctuary, the lovely St. George's is a secondhand bookshop out of Charing Cross Road. The British-owned shop, situated in the heart of Kollwitz Platz, is a magnet for expats, scholars, writers, and artists of all mediums. Its lure no doubt begins with the well-chosen collection of over 10,000 new and used books. The classic wood furnishings as well as the personable staff only add to its charm. If you love books and love talking about them, ask for Paul or Jonathan and watch them pull from the shelves just what you've been itching to read. The bookshop is host to readings, political talks, and weekly film nights. A must visit.“

An impressive selection of second hand fiction at reasonable prices. Their second hand section is known to stock carefully picked books, which manifests itself in a very high percentage of good books in the shelves in comparison with other second hand bookstores. The other specific thing about used books sold at St. George’s is that all of them are in good condition. The store also stocks new books and it’s possible to make an order for any hard-to-get titles. Tuesday film nights are a bonus. However in order to enjoy an art movie in one of the comfortable sofas, you need to register on a mailing list.

St. George's Bookshop is owned by an Englishman Paul Gurner. It's Situated close to Kollwitz Platz in Prenzlauer Berg, two minutes walk from the Tram stop Marienburger Straße on the M2 tram from Alexanderplatz (roughly 10-minutes ride). You can also reach the store from the U-Bahn station Senefelder Platz on the U2, this is a pleasant 10-minute walk up Kollwitzstraße.

St. George's Bookshop BerlinSt. George's Bookshop
Address:Wörther Straße 27
Prenzlauer Berg
10405 Berlin





 

Website: http://www.saintgeorgesbookshop.com/

Phone and Email:
(030) 81 798 333
info@stgeorgesbookshop.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 11-20
Sat 11-19


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John Sandoe Books, London

John Sandoe Books logo
Where? London, UK



Courtesy of
Gridskipper




Gridskipper said: "A Chelsea institution, John Sandoe Books has legions of fans, who praise the amazing stock, the miraculous use of space, the pleasant and knowledgeable staff, the website, and the catalogs. Well, they praise just about everything really, and it's justified. John Sandoe makes book buying the pleasurable, exciting experience it should be."

John Sandoe started this shop in 1957 - before that, the premises were devoted to the grooming of poodles and the other half was a junkshop where books were sold by weight. In 1989, the shop was bought by the members of staff who have made the business flourish and despite moving the location of the store it had remained essentially the same - an independent literary bookshop with many regular customers.

The John Sandoe bookstore occupies three floors of an eighteenth century building. There are books literally everywhere - up the stairs, piled up on the table - no surface escapes except a few seats and computer keyboards. And a few pathways - yes, you can get up the stairs provided you are fit. The bookstore stocks over 25.000 books arranged in a special system which takes time to crack but customers are always welcome to ask for help.

john sandoe books londonJohn Sandoe (Books) LTD
Address:
10 Blacklands Terrace
Chelsea
London SW3 2SR








Website:
http://www.johnsandoe.com

Phone and Email:
020 7589 9473
sales@johnsandoe.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 9:30-17:30
Wed 9:30-19:30
Sun 12-18
Closed on Bank Holidays

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J&J Books and Coffee, Madrid

J&J Books and Coffee bookstore logo

Where? Madrid, Spain




Courtesy of
Gridskipper




Visited:
August 2008
(Read more on J&J Books and Coffee in our Report from Madrid)

Gridskipper said: "Small, cozy. J and J's Bookstore is the second best thing to being curled up at home in your favorite chair with your favorite book. Perhaps the only cafe/library/second-hand bookstore in Madrid, J&J's has got to be one of the coolest expat hangouts in the capital. Jamie, a UCLA graduate from Alabama and her Spanish husband Javi, are the J and J behind the place that was set-up 3 years ago to cater to expats wanting to speak Spanish, and Spaniards wanting to speak English. So other than being 'THE' place for EFL teachers, that is exactly what it is: a cheap used bookstore. It has over 25,000 new and used books (English) for trade and on sale for as little as a dollar. It has c involving free drinks almost every night, an opportunity to practice your Spanish, and the best pizza on the block. Located just around the road from Gran Via, it is a must stop for expats, if only but to get a free mug of coffee. It is open 7-days a week, all day long, with the best day being the intercambio Wednesday night where it's not jam packed, and you will meet a bunch of crazy Spaniards craving to speak English - something rare across most of Spain."

Once we entered the bookstore's basement, we immediately knew that this bookstore is going to be our favorite in Madrid. Zillions (ok, not literally zillions but almost close to that) of books on any topic imaginable and at very favorable prices (try denying that a novel for 2€ and a Rough Guide to Madrid for 3€ isn't a good bargain!). We were left alone in the basement to explore the delights J&J had to offer for hours. And we enjoyed every moment of it.

J & J opened in December of 2003 but the idea had begun a lot earlier. The founders of the bookstore are an American living in Madrid and her Spanish husband Javi who moved to Los Angeles to buy thousands of books from used bookstores, library sales, yard sales or anywhere else they could find good used books. Then they returned to Madrid and converted a Chinese restaurant into their dream Bookstore/Coffee shop.

J and J MadridJ&J Books and Cafe
Address:
c/ Espiritu Santo 47
(Metro Noviciado)
28004 Madrid
J&J Books and Coffee Madrid










Website:
http://www.jandjbooksandcoffee.com/

Phone:
91 521 85 76

Working Hours:
Mon-Thur 11-00
Fri-Sat 11-02
Sun 12-00


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