Madrid's Best Bookstores

Throughout its history, Madrid has been home to Spain’s best literary minds. The Spanish capital inspired these writers who in turn inspired the city. Today, Madrid remains home to a vibrant literary community with bookstores around every corner.

Bookstores

Tipos Infames

Located in the heart of Malasaña, Tipos Infames crisscrosses Calle de San Joaquín with tandem storefronts: one focused on children and young adult novels, and one on adult books and a wine bar, hence its slogan “libro y vinos.” Crack a book off the shelf and read through the first chapters while sipping sangria.

Apart from the location and beverages, perhaps Tipos Infames’ most exciting draw is its events. You can regularly expect to find authors in the store discussing their work, answering questions, and offering signatures.

Cervantes y Compañía

In the About Me page (prominently titled “nuestro manifesto”), Cervantes y Compañía states its high ambitions: to be Spain’s version of Paris’s Shakespeare & Co. or San Francisco’s City Lights – modeling itself after bold literary spaces where writers and readers gather, share ideas, and discover the moral truths that only literature supplies.

Cervantes y Compañía is gorgeous and spacious, with an enchanting basement where visitors can spend time reading. The bookstore also offers reading groups, like the upcoming Crime Lab, focused on murder mysteries and other thrillers such as The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Arrebato Libros

Nestled on a side street just off of the Tribunal metro stop, Arrebato Libros is a cozy used bookstore with an in-house piano, calm music, and plenty of seats when you can skim through a book. Test your language skills with a Spanish novel, or if you’re in the mood for a light read, check out the English section in the back.

Check Out These Other Bookstores

• Olavide – A wine bar bookstore located near the picturesque Plaza Olavide, which also happens to be an incredible reading spot (see section below)!
• Librería Pérez Galdós - A dozen steps from Gran Vía, Librería Pérez Galdós occupies a small corner in Madrid’s bustling city center. Used books tower overhead, and you can discover any number of exciting Spanish-language titles scattered amongst the crowd.
• Desperate Literature - This international bookstore offers novels in numerous languages – though primarily English, French, and Spanish. In addition, the shop hosts readings, gallery shows, and an annual writing contest.
• Casa del Libro - A bookstore chain with numerous locations across Madrid. You can never go wrong visiting one, but I’d highlight the storefront on Gran Vía due to its impressive, sprawling size.

 

Golden quotes litter the streets of Madrid's literary quarter.

Barrio de Las Letras

Located in the city center, just a short walk from Sol, Plaza Mayor, and the iconic Cine Doré theater, Barrio de las Letras – or Madrid’s Literary Quarter – is a wonderful neighborhood to visit. Once home to Cervantes, Tirso de Molina, and more of Madrid’s greatest literary minds, the Literary Quarter now offers an array of plazas, tapas bars, and museums. While strolling through the neighborhood, you will walk over quotes from Madrid’s famous authors embedded in the streets.

While in Barrio de las Letras, also check out the Prado and Reina Sofia museums. You can even reserve tickets for Casa de Lope de Vega and explore the home-turned-museum where the playwright spent his time in Madrid.

Reading Spots

From spacious plazas to verdant parks, Madrid hosts plenty of relaxing reading spots to spend an afternoon. Here are just a few of my picks.

Plazas

Plaza Olavide sports gorgeous vegetation, plenty of terraces to grab a tinto de verano, and lively atmosphere. My personal favorite plaza in all of Madrid, stop by to snag a bench, tomar el sol, and get through a chapter or two.

Also in Malasaña, Plaza del Dos de Mayo commemorates the uprising that sparked the Spanish War of Independence and liberated Madrid from French rule. Nowadays, a central statue in the plaza is dedicated to soldiers who died in the uprising on May 2, 1808. Grab a seat around the statue or take a table at a nearby terrace. On a hot day, stop by TÖTO for some refreshing ice cream.

 

A bench designed to resemble an open book outside Retiro park.

Parks

El Retiro is Madrid’s most well-known park – and for good reason. Spanning roughly 350 acres, the park contains a lake, rose garden, and even a library! Pack snacks, lay out a blanket, and settle down in a shady spot for an afternoon read.

Commute

As an English Second Language assistant, I commute roughly an hour each morning and afternoon to teach at my school. While some may balk at that expedition, the public transportation in Madrid makes the journey painless. Buses, metros, and trains arrive at regular intervals. Riding public transportation also offers invaluable reading time before and after work. The perfect way to … bookend your working day. (I’ll see myself out.)

Feria del Libro

In late May and early June, Madrid hosts its annual Feria del Libro, or main book festival, where bookstores throughout the city convene in Retiro park with stalls, discounts, and opportunities to snag a signature from your favorite Spanish author. Stop by to catch live music, browse over four hundred bookstands, and celebrate Madrid’s literary culture.

 

At Madrid's annual book festival, the stalls stretched endlessly.

Epilogue

Madrid is a vibrant and exciting literary community. Whether you’re looking to work through that pile of unread books, practice your language skills with a Spanish novel, or read works by Madrid’s greatest literary minds, a bookstore is never far away.