Nerja Book Centre, Nerja

Where? Nerja, Spain

Recommended by Jeanne from California

Jeanne said: "There is a decent second hand English bookstore in Nerja in Andalucia, Spain. Actually, there are a lot of English book stores in Andalucia but most are very expensive like the ones in the malls, but the Brits do not mind the price ( just Americans do)"

The Nerja Book Centre sells second hand English language books, DVDs, videos (available to rent as well). In the bookshop you can also get free periodicals on Nerja happenings, events, etc so one may as well call them a tourist gathering point of Nerja, a comfortable place where people can get information on the town while browsing through the vast selection of books. To get to Nerja Book Center one has to go past church from Balcon de Europe and take first right - really easy to find. The prices range from as little as 90 cents for a book, though most of them range from 3 to 4 euros - still a good bargain for second-hand books. We shouldn't forget to mention that if you return the bought items, you get a discount on your next purchase.

About the bookstore
Nerja Book Centre, the second hand bookshop, has approximately 25,000 books in 12 different languages. Its owner, Derek Hands, originally from England, has always been a big fan of books and reading, and his hobby became his living when he moved to Nerja and opened the Nerja Book Centre, over 25 years ago (the bookstore celebrated its 25th birthday in Feb, 2007). He started with around 100 books on his shelves and now there are 25,000.

Most of the books in the store are in English. But as well as English books there are books written in German and Spanish, Dutch, French, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish - a total of 12 different languages. All the books in the store are arranged alphabetically and the purchase follows the motto "We sell, buy and exchange books" - a sign at the entrance to the bookstore serves to show that this bookstore is definitely different than those which sell new books.

Nerja Book Center
Address:
Calle Granada 30-32
29780 Nerja





Website: none

Phone:
952 520 908

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-14 and 17-21
Sun 17-21

The Munich Readery, Munich

Where? Munich, Germany



Recommended by: Emily Rash

Emily said: "This is Germany's largest second hand English bookstore (despite that it's still quite small). The owner takes used books, however he is quite picky... you must schedule an appointment and the books are given for credit, not cash. The selection is ok... a lot of fiction and the prices are just ok. Since the books are used, there is quite a random assortment."

This bookstore declares itself the "Largest English-Language Secondhand-Book Shop In Germany" and although some people call this statement into question (mostly arguing in favor of one of the booktores in Berlin), there is no denying that The Munich Readery is a fantastic source of books in English and a store that definitely deserves to be mentioned in our guide.

Almost 40 thousand books are stored in this bookstore and its owner claims that each one of them has been carefully chosen - the two basic criteria being the literally quality and the condition of the book. They only store second hand books and besides loads of quality fiction, there are many interesting non-fiction sections which should be able to please just about everyone. And don't let the classy environment mislead you, the prices of the books are in fact very decent, mostly around 5Є for fiction.

About the bookstore

The interior of the store is designed in a way which is not typical for second hand bookstores. Books are stocked in tall black shelves which are scattered across the bookstore in an irregular manner forming nice curvy spaces. On one hand, this enables the visitors to browse the books (those are neatly arranged in alphabetical order by the author and title and thus easy to find) while listening to music in a relaxed manner - enough light, enough space, everything ordered. On the other hand, fans of messy and jam-packed bookstores may complain about the lack of the typical used book place atmosphere. Best advice - go see for yourself and decide.

The owner of this bookstore is definitely not a rookie in the bookstore business. During more than three decades of his bookseller experience, John Browner has worked in Barnes&Noble in NYC, managed a second hand bookstore in New Hampshire where he also opened his first own store called Johnnie’s Paperback Place. Later on, he moved to North Carolina where he opened one of the first bookstore/café places in the US, only to finally end up in Munich, where he opened the Munich Readery along with his wife Lisa in February 2006 on the corner of Augustenstraße and Schellingstraße.

The Munich Readery
Address:
Augustenstraße 104
80798 Munich




Website: http://www.readery.de/

Phone and Email:
089/121 92 403
bookmanjb@readery.de

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 11-20
Sat 10-18

BM Bookshop, Florence

Where? Florence, Italy


Recommended by WT from California

WT said: "We love book stores and have been traveling Europe for 16 months with a 7 year-old voracious reader who never met a book store that she did not love. Here is a great one in Florence."

BM Bookshop is probably the oldest English language bookshop in Florence, Italy. It was opened some fifty years ago by Libby, an American, and her husband Francesco, an Italian from Florence. The main boast of this bookshop is the enormous range of Italian cookery books, tourist guides and books on art, architecture, design and fashion in English. Recently they have added a French, German and a Spanish language section to their existing English one. If, after shopping, you find your purchases too heavy to carry home, it is possible to arrange their direct delivery anywhere in the world. BM Bookshop is a warm and friendly reference point for English speaking people, located in central Florence, close to the Westin Excelsior and Grand Hotel.

About the bookstore

BM Bookshop is one of the finest and most personalized English language bookstores in Italy, established in 1963. They offer the customers an extensive selection with an eye for real quality. Here you can find a large collection of books of Italian interests, including art, cooking, and history; coffee-table books, translations from Italian authors, design, fashion, jewelry and much more. From bestsellers, paperback fiction and non-fiction, recent travel guides, maps, and phrasebooks to children’s books, new and rare, including classic tales about Italian traditions and folklore. They have a large selection of old and rare books on Italian culture, history and literature. Additionally, we carry an unique collection of English and American vintage teapots, bookends, and porcelain.

BM Bookshop
Address:
Borgognissanti, 4/r
50123 Florence





Website: http://www.bmbookshop.com/

Phone and Email:
+39 055 294575
bmbookshop@dada.it

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

BSG receives Amazing Blogger Award

This is a very unusual post on this blog, but we have received a compliment, which we appreciate very much and which we would like to share with you, since any praise for Bookstore Guide is only possible because of our readers (and one should always respect the 'tag policy')... The author of one of our favorite blogs (Kimbooktu) Kim passed the imaginary torch of Amazing Blogger Award to us and it's an honor for us to be the next in the line after her amazing blog. To keep da faia burnin', we would like to pass it on to the author of another blog we like very much, Kelly, for her great blog about traveling called Lost in Place.

This award comes with the duty to "confess" seven weird or random facts about ourselves, so here goes:

1. We simply adore traveling together.
2. We met on a bridge in Budapest.
3. It was Ivan's idea to make a guide on bookstores throughout Europe and it was Sonja who made the first steps into making the idea into a project.
4. We're both vegetarian and we both thought of Remedios from Marquez's Hundred years of Solitude when we read Kim's meme notification, and there's no connection between these two facts whatsoever.. and we both like using the word 'whatsoever'.
5. We have matching tattoos - (Ivan behind his right and Sonja behind her left ear) which we got in a tattoo parlor in Sarajevo.
6. Sonja cooks (very well) but to compensate for her efforts (very successful), Ivan washes the dishes (always and with an average to below-average quality).
7. Bookstore Guide is something we can work on together although we spent most of our time in different cities and states and it also makes this time pass faster.

That's it then - 7 facts you didn't want to know, didn't need to know, but we gave you no choice.

Artazart Design Bookstore, Paris

Where? Paris, France


Courtesy of Gridskipper

Gridskipper said: "This design lover's paradise of a bookshop in Paris is an irreverent splash of orange on the verdant Canal St-Martin..."

If you're searching for visual inspiration, there aren't many better options than the Artazart Bookstore. The word "hip" isn't often associated with bookstores, but Artazart is a rare exception. This bookstore proudly declares itself the number one design bookstore in Europe. It offers a great selection of books on any topic related to visual art in all its imaginable forms. You can find books on graphic design, illustrations, architecture, photography, colors, fashion, graffiti and urban art in general, and many obscure but fascinating art related topics you didn't even know existed. Most of the books they offer are original English titles. If Paris seems too far at the moment, just check out their online catalogue, where it's possible not only to order the books but also to flip through selected pages of each book.

About the bookstore
One part of the store is actually a gallery where exhibitions of talented and mostly yet-undiscovered artists from all over the world are being held on monthly basis.
The existence of this bookstore was originally limited to the virtual cyber space, where it appeared in 1999. In September 2000, the real life 3D Artazar came to life near Le Canal St. Martin in Paris' in the 10eme arrondissement in Paris. You can't miss it due to its buoyant orange facade. All in all, a visual delight, both the store and the items they sell.

Artazart Design Bookstore
Address:
83, quai de Valmy
75010 Paris








Website: http://www.artazart.com/

Phone and Email:
+33 (0)1 40 40 24 00
info@artazart.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:30-19:30
Sat-Sun 14-20

Posada Art Books, Brussels

Where? Brussels, Belgium



Recommended by Sean Dodson
The courtesy of the Guardian Unlimited

Sean said: "Located in a dear old house near St Magdalen's church in Brussels, Posada Books is as famous for its pretty interior as it is for its collection of new and second-hand art books. Has a remarkable collection of exhibition catalogues, which goes back to the beginning of the last century, and holds occasional exhibitions too."

Posada Books is said to be the best Belgian art bookstore - they have almost anything on any art subject. It is also famed for its stunning interior - every inch from the floor to the ceiling is stacked with books - an best of all, it is a second hand bookstore, although some new books can be found here as well. Of course, art is the focus of this business, and in that domain, it stores just about everything from contemporary art books to exhibition catalogs from the beginning of the last century.

About the bookstore
Posada Art Books is a bookstore with a medium/large stock located in the center of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. They specialize in new and antiquarian books on the visual arts in all languages. Almost all subjects are covered, including architecture, photography and applied arts. Their stock consists of all kinds of printed matter including studies, artist's monographs, exhibition catalogs and serials.

Posada Art Books
Address:
Rue de la Madeleine 29
1000 Brussels






Website: http://www.posada.be

Phone and Email:
00-32-2-5110834
artbooks@posada.be

Working Hours:
Tue-Sat 10-12:30 and 14-18
The bookstore is closed on Sunday and Monday.

Livraria Lello, Porto

Where? Porto, Portugal


Recommended by Sean Dodson
The courtesy of the Guardian Unlimited

Sean said: "Proving that purpose-built bookshops can be every bit as beautiful as converted buildings, the divine Livraria Lello in Porto has been selling books in the most salubrious of settings since 1881. Featuring a staircase to heaven and beautifully intricate wooden panels and columns (see for yourself with these gorgeous 360-degree views), stained glass ceilings and books - lots of lovely books."

Livraria Lello is definitely a must-see in Porto. Located near Praça dos Leões, it is an old Bookshop, with an amazing interior - stained glass, carved wood, an amazing stairway, pressed copper, glass-enclosed bookshelves arched at the top, and Art Deco facade and interior on two levels. The bookstore is a five minute walk away from downtown Porto, not far from “Soares dos Reis”, a Museum of Art, and the Photography Museum.

About the bookstore
Opened in 1906, Livraria Lello is one of the most beautiful bookstores in Porto and the world. It is the flagship store for one of the most important Portuguese publishing houses. Co-owner Antero Braga is usually around, knows the Portuguese book market in and out, and will be glad to help you find exactly what you want even when you don’t have a clue about what that may be.

Designed by Xavier Esteves, the bookstore's architecture and interior design are stunning. The facade is an excellent neo-gothic design. Once inside, there is the curvaceous red stairway connecting the two levels (inspired on the Parisian Galleries Lafayette), the heavily decorated walls and ceilings, and the magnificent stained-glass skylight with Lello’s motto vecus in labore will no doubt impress you. The pillars are ornamented with bronze bas-reliefs of Portuguese literature figures and there is a small track on the floor along which employees move carts filled with books. All in all, Lello is one of the best works of the so-called “second eclecticism” style in Portugal, with beautiful art nouveau naturalist elements. One of the best-kept secrets in Porto is the four-table coffeeshop on the second floor of the Livraria Lello– there’s coffee, port, and cigars. It’s the perfect place to stop for a moment before returning to the bustling downtown life outside; or to spend a long time browsing a few books.

Besides the wide array of Portuguese fiction and non-fiction titles, Lello sells many English and French books, including translations of Portuguese literature and poetry works. If you’re looking for books on Porto, Lello has the widest choice.

Livraria Lello
Address:
Rua das Carmelitas 144
Porto








Webiste: http://lelloprologolivreiro.com.sapo.pt/

Phone:
(+351) 22 200 2037

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

Treehugger Dan's Bookstore and Cafe, Budapest

Where? Budapest, Hungary



Recommended by: Tünde Husanyica
Visited: February 2008

Tünde said: "Last week I visited Budapest, and I found a very nice, little secondhand bookstore. It's Treehugger Dan's Bookstore and Cafe."

The motto of this bookstore is: "The local bookstore with a global conscience." And yes indeed, this place seems to be a lot more than a regular bookstore. Treehugger Dan's Bookstore and Cafe reflects two passions of its founder and owner Daniel Swartz - environment and books. The combination of these two lead to the creation of this unique bookstore in Budapest. The bookstore offers a wide selection of well over 4000 second-hand English paperbacks. Besides fiction books, you can find non-fiction titles from many different fields such as environment, gender studies, politics, history, sociology, philospohy, religion or art. The store is also known for its well stocked travel section, offering all sorts of travel guides and other travel related titles. The bookstore also buys used books and offers the possibility to swap English language magazines.

As the word Cafe in the name of this bookstore indicates, Treehugger Dan's is not only about books. While browsing through the shelves you can enjoy a cup of Fair Trade coffee, tea or hot chocolate. One more important information - one of the things Dan seems to be keen on is keeping the prices reasonable and thus affordable for all of his customers, and this is true for the books just as for the offered drinks. The prices of the used paperbacks mostly range from 3 to 6€. Literary, but also environmental, cultural and political events related to the philosophy of this bookstore take place on regular basis, the precise dates can be found in the events calendar on the website.

About the bookstore:

The original Treehugger Dan's bookstare was opened in March 2006 and can be found at Csengery u. 48, near the Oktogon square. However, since the stock has obviously been growing ever since and the number of books doubled, Dan decided to open a second store. The second location offers more space, comfort, and even wifi internet, and of course lots of books and organic and Fair Trade products. Treehugger Dan's Bookstore and Lounge is was opened in November 2007 in the Lazar u. 16.

Treehugger Dan's Bookstore and Cafe
Address:
Csengery u. 48
VI. District
Budapest



Website: http://www.treehugger.hu/

Phone and Email:
(36-1) 322-0774
info@treehugger.hu

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-19
Sat 10-17
Sun 10-16

Treehugger Dan's Bookstore and Lounge/Yellow Zebra
Address:
Lazar u. 16
1065 Budapest

Phone and Email:
(36-1) 269-3843
info@treehugger.hu

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 9:30-18:30
Sat-Sun 10-16

A Report from Poland

During our recent visit to Poland, we made several stops at several bookstores - some of them we already had a knowledge of, some of them were the new ones which are yet to be added to the Guide. We were unfortunate enough ('unfortunate' strictly from the Bookstore Guide point of view that is...) to be in Warsaw during the New Year Eve's holidays so none of the bookstores' doors were open to either us or anyone else. However, we peeked through the windows of one of the American Bookstore shops and a couple of days later, we actually visited one in a mall in Krakow - an were pleasantly surprised by the selection of books and their prices, having expected them to be higher (most of the books that we held in our hands were in the 'around the acceptable 10 euros' category). Perhaps one of our bigger disappointments was not visiting the Tarabuk bookstore in Warsaw but we already knew that no shops would be open by the 2nd of January.

Alas, our next stop (Krakow) was far from a disappointment. The notable Massolit bookstore left us speechless as we entered its door. Once you enter, there is a map (provided right here as well) because one indeed needs a map to find one's way among all those books. We had a small chat with Martin, an employee of the store, who told us about the bookstore in general and also recommended the sections which according to him deserved our special attention. Then we went on to browse and browse the infinite number of books, climbing onto ladders to reach the top shelves. We left with a couple of books - among which was Irvin D. Yalom's 'Love's Executioner' - a book we thought we'd never find - for only 24 zloty (some 7 euros). Most of the books were new, though we had expected to find more second hand books - but all of those new books seemed to be cheaper than in other bookstores.

All in all, Massolit is a unique bookstore, which is worth a visit even if visiting bookstores is not on your "things to do in a foreign city" list. Its atmosphere is special, a combination of a lively café, a serious academic bookstore, a cozy used books den, a public library and every book-lover’s dream flat – all mixed up into a cocktail of impressions that make it almost impossible to leave once you enter and perfectly impossible to leave without at least one book under your arm.

photo: Ivan
in the photos: Sonja

The Bookàbar Bookshop, Rome

Where? Rome, Italy

Recommended by Kelly Amabile



Kelly said: "Not sure if this one sells English language books, but it looks fantastic."

Indeed it does look amazing! And plus, it contains publications in the English language - mostly on art but no wonder since it is an integral part of one of Rome's leading exhibition centers. The Bookàbar Bookshop is located in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, the largest inter-disciplinary exhibition area in central Rome: over 10,000 square metres on three floors. The Palazzo also includes a cinema, an auditorium (a multi-media hall with seating for 90 people) and a Forum. Other services include a restaurant and Bookàbar - a bookshop and a café - located in an amazing space definitely worth a visit.

About the bookstore

The large Bookàbar bookshop, designed by architect Firouz Galdo, occupies an area of about 450 square metres and consists of three large rooms: two devoted to books, catalogues, music CDs and DVDs – national and international mainly about art but also architecture and design, and particularly rich in subject matter connected with the Palazzo exhibitions; the third, connected to the other rooms, sells dedicated merchandising, closely following current trends. The bookshop has an independent entrance from Via Milano, at the corner of Via Nazionale, making it independent from the exhibition area.

The Bookàbar Bookshop
Address:
via Milano 15/17
Rome




Webiste: http://english.palazzoesposizioni.it/canale.asp?id=14

Phone and Email:
06 48913361
bookshop.pde@palaexpo.it

Working Hours:
Mon Closed
Tue-Wed 10-20
Fri-Sat 10-22.30
Sun 10-20

Le Hall du Livre, Nancy

Where? Nancy, France


Recommended by: Cécile Benedic

Cécile said: "In Nancy, we have one bookstore "Le Hall du livre" (rue Saint Dizier, on the opposite of the McDonald's, downtown) which has ranges of books in English, Spanish & other languages. "

Le Hall du Livre is also known as “La librairie promenade” and it really offers a pleasant promenade to all its visitors. While strolling through its three floors, you can find many other interesting things besides books – CDs, DVDs, classy postcards, a selection of international newspapers and lots of other stuff you wouldn’t expect to find in a bookstore. Nonetheless, Le Hall du livre is a bookstore above all, and books are its primary focus. The bookstore mainly focuses on fiction books, but it also has sections dedicated to art, history, biographies and even science fiction. Although most of the books in this store are in French, it also offers a selection of books in foreign languages, mainly in English. Another interesting thing about this store is the fact that it is also open on Sundays. The bookstore doesn’t sell second hand books, but the prices of the new English books (according to the catalogue available at their website) mostly seem to be in a reasonable range from 8 to 15€.

About the bookstore:

Located in the center of Nancy, Le Hall du Livre belongs to the group “Librairies Privat”, a network uniting independent bookstores in France and Belgium.

Le Hall du Livre
Address:
38, rue St Dizier
54000 Nancy



Website: http://www.halldulivre.fr/

Phone and Email:
03 83 35 53 01
nancy@privat.fr

Working Hours:
Mon - Sat 9 - 20
Sun 11 - 19