Whether you’re looking for rare finds, contemporary titles, or a quiet corner to read with a cup of coffee, these are the best bookstores in Madrid.
From cosy secondhand shops and literary cafés to historic booksellers and modern cultural hubs, the city offers an impressive variety of bookshops to explore.
Madrid isn’t just Spain’s bustling capital—it’s also a paradise for book lovers…
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21 – 24 NOVEMBER 2025
Madrid Literary Retreat
From the legacy of Cervantes to the bookshop/cafés of the famed Barrio de las Letras, Madrid is a city steeped in literary history. Plus, churros. Lots of churros.
The Best Bookstores in Madrid
1. AIDA Books & More Madrid
AIDA Books & More specializes in secondhand books, giving pre-loved titles a new home. Proceeds support development projects, making every purchase meaningful.
2. Antonio Machado Bookshop
During Franco’s regime, Antonio Machado Bookshop was a key gathering place for intellectuals, standing alongside a few other notable Madrid bookstores.
Known for warm, personalized guidance, it now operates both its historic Calle Fernando VI shop and a larger location at Círculo de Bellas Artes, offering one of Madrid’s most extensive children’s and young adult sections.
3. Tipos Infames
A hybrid between a bookstore and a wine bar, Tipos Infames is the perfect place to sip a glass of wine while browsing contemporary Spanish and international fiction.
4. Libros Para un Mundo Mejor
Translating to Books for a Better World, Libros Para un Mundo Mejor is an independent bookshop that focuses on progressive titles and literature that inspires social change.
5. Librería Tres Rosas Amarillas
Founded in 2008 by bookseller Jose Luis Pereira near Plaza del 2 de Mayo, Librería Tres Rosas Amarillas specialises in pop-up books!
This artisan bookstore and gallery offers unique pop-up and three-dimensional books alongside handmade paper mobiles like hot air balloons, houses, butterflies, and more.
6. Librería Pérez Galdós
One of Madrid’s most iconic secondhand bookstores, Pérez Galdós has a vast selection of rare and antique volumes stacked floor to ceiling.
Founded in 1942 and named after novelist Benito Pérez Galdós, this Hortaleza Street bookstore near Gran Vía is a bibliophile’s paradise, with over 20,000 secondhand and out-of-print titles ranging from an 1868 Don Quixote to an English translation of Montaigne’s essays.
7. La Central de Callao
Opened in September 2012, Madrid’s La Central de Callao—a branch of the Barcelona chain—is housed in a former 19th-century mansion spanning 1,200 m² with over 70,000 books across multiple genres, a café-restaurant, an events room, and hosts cultural activities.
The chain also has a presence in the Reina Sofía Contemporary Art Museum.
8. Librería San Ginés
Tucked in an alley near the famous Chocolatería San Ginés, this open-air bookstore has been selling secondhand books since the 19th century.
9. Miguel Miranda Bookstore
Known for its eclectic selection of antique, rare and out-of-print books, Miguel Miranda is a treasure trove for collectors and curious readers alike.
10. The Secret Kingdoms
Since 2022, Madrid’s Literary Quarter has been home to Secret Kingdoms, a charming 125 m² bookshop offering nearly 20,000 English-language titles for all ages.
Founded by David Price and his wife Beatriz, it also hosts events, storytelling sessions, and sells literary-themed products, stationery, games, and tote bags.
11. Cuesta de Moyano
Next to the Royal Botanical Garden, connecting Glorieta de Carlos V and El Retiro Park, Cuesta de Moyano is a nearly century-old pedestrian street lined with a permanent market of secondhand book stalls, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025.
Home to 30 booths run by the founders’ descendants, it offers a wide variety of books, curiosities, and out-of-print volumes, and has long been a favourite spot for writers, artists, and literature lovers.
12. Rafael Alberti Bookstore
A classic Madrid bookstore since November 1975, Rafael Alberti offers over 25,000 titles in humanities, literature, poetry, art, and children’s and youth sections, along with author events, poetry readings, book presentations, and children’s activities.
Recognised with several industry awards, it has become a cherished cultural hub in the Argüelles district.
Read Next: Check out more poetry in this list of Spain’s most famous poets and their works.
13. Desperate Literature
Located near Plaza de Santo Domingo between Ópera and Callao, Desperate Literature is a favorite among expats and travelers.
This secondhand bookstore specializes in international literature, offering a wide selection of English and other foreign-language books.
While mainly focused on fiction, poetry, crime, and science fiction, it also carries history, philosophy, art, science, sociology, film, music, and Eastern religion titles, as well as children’s and young adult books, and hosts exhibitions, lectures, and cultural events.
14. Mansilla Libros y Café
Blending a café with a bookstore, Mansilla is a cosy spot to enjoy literature alongside coffee and pastries.
15. Panta Rhei
Embracing Heraclitus’s maxim “Panta Rhei Kai Ouden Menei” (“Everything flows, nothing remains”), Panta Rhei moved in 2005 to Calle Hernán Cortés to expand its facilities and catalogue, becoming Madrid’s ultimate space for visual arts.
Its shelves feature books on art, design, photography, comics, and more, alongside children’s and poetry sections, a publishing arm, a permanent prints section, and a 2019 workshop space for creative projects.
16. La Casquería
Located inside Mercado de San Fernando, La Casquería sells books by weight, offering a quirky and affordable way to discover literature.
The name translates as “offal shop”, as this is a former butcher’s stall!
17. Olavide Bar de Libros
Olavide Bar de Libros is a literary café-bookstore near Plaza de Olavide. The bookshop is also a community hub, perfect for relaxed browsing, reading, and chatting with fellow book lovers.
18. Cafebrería ad Hoc
Half bookstore, half café, Cafebrería ad Hoc combines good reads with good food. It’s an ideal spot for spending an afternoon in literary bliss.
19. Amapolas en Octubre
Owned by writer Laura Riñón Sirera and named after her book referencing Sylvia Plath’s poem Poppies in October, Amapolas en Octubre hosts literary salon-style events.
It also serves as a venue for book launches and cultural gatherings.
20. Pasajes
Founded in 1999, Pasajes Librería Internacional bookstore specialises in literature and fiction in all languages.
It has been recognized as one of the world’s top five multilingual bookstores by the Financial Times in 2012, as well as receiving the 2008 Bibliodiversity Award from the Madrid Publishers Association.
Its two spacious floors feature carefully curated sections—including language learning, essay, and history in English—selected by specialists working directly with distributors to ensure quality, independence, and occasionally highlighting less-studied languages.
21. Crazy Mary
Crazy Mary is an alternative bookstore with a rebellious spirit, offering titles that focus on counterculture, underground movements, and niche interests.
22. TuuuLibrería
A unique concept, TuuuLibrería allows customers to take books home and pay what they wish, promoting accessibility and the joy of reading.
23. Parent(h)esis
Parent(h)esis is a bilingual Spanish-English bookshop that opened in Lavapiés in November 2024, near Casa Encendida. Recognisable by its striking blue façade and graffiti shutters, it offers a wide selection of books for all ages along with monthly themed recommendations.
Founded by literary enthusiasts Giedre Pavalkyte and Eitan Felner, the space also hosts talks, debates, and presentations, and serves as a hub for their other projects, including a Read the World book club, book tastings, and creative literary initiatives.
Read Next: Wondering what you should pick up at these bookstores? Check out these books about Madrid.
Bookstore Crawls
If, like me, you like to peruse literary destinations on a bookshop safari, here are two sample routes you can try:
Route A: Historic Core & Literary Quarter Loop
Start: Cuesta de Moyano → walk through Paseo del Prado → San Ginés → Pérez Galdós → Miguel Miranda → The Secret Kingdoms → Crazy Mary → Desperate Literature → (end or loop back) through Cuesta de Moyano.
You’ll cover many of the central bookstores in a concentrated zone.
Route B: Broader Cross-District Day Tour
- Morning: Libros Para un Mundo Mejor + Tres Rosas Amarillas (Tribunal / Malasaña area)
- Then head toward Chueca: Panta Rhei + Amapolas en Octubre
- Next move toward Lavapiés: La Casquería + Mansilla Libros y Café + TuuuLibrería + Parent(h)esis
This route gives you a taste of Madrid’s variety, from bohemian to design shops to neighbourhood cafés with books.
Nomad Book Club
Spain is the Nomad Book Club pick for November 2025, where we explore a new country or region each month through books set in that place. Sign up to the newsletter to join the club and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for updates.
read around the world
Travel Book Journal
One page per country, so you can record the books you’ve read, review them in detail, and customise the page.
More Bookstores Around the World
- The Best Bookstores in Skopje, Macedonia for English Books
- The Best Mexico City Bookstores for Books in English
- The 7 Best Bookstores in Sofia, Bulgaria, for English Books
- The 11 Best Bookstores in Istanbul (for Books in English)
- The Best Bookshops in Tbilisi, Georgia
- The Best Bookshops in London
- The Best Bookshops in Chiang Mai
- 5 Cool Used Bookstores in Los Angeles You Need to Visit
- The Best Birmingham Bookshops for New and Secondhand Books
More Bookstores in Madrid
Madrid’s bookstores are as diverse as the city itself; blending tradition, innovation, and a deep love for literature.
Did I miss your favourite Madrid bookstore? Let me know in the comments below!
Travel Essentials
Here are the websites and services I personally use and recommend.
FLIGHTS: The best deals can be found on Skyscanner, Google Flights and Kiwi (learn more about Kiwi travel hacking here).
TRAVEL INSURANCE: I recommend World Nomads for travel insurance because you can purchase once you’re already overseas and you can easily extend your policy. For digital nomads, I recommend and personally use Genki (learn more about Genki digital nomad health insurance here).
E-SIM: For travel in Europe, I use an e-sim with GoMobile, which is a provider based in Malta, but you need to be there to set it up.
ACCOMMODATION: I use Booking.com for hotels and Airbnb for apartments. For Colivings, I usually book privately, but Coliving.com is a good place to start.
THINGS TO DO: I use Viator or Get Your Guide for booking day trips, city tours and other activities, though I often check reviews on TripAdvisor too.
10 Responses
Absolutely love this and the pictures are incredible
Thank you!!!
Saving this for our next Madrid visit. I had never thought of doing a bookstore crawl, but this sounds amazing!
Honestly, it’s my favourite thing to do – always the first thing I research about a city (priotities, right?). Highly recommend. Enjoy Madrid!
I didn’t get to Madrid on my last trip to Spain, but now I definitely want to make sure to visit the city next time and all those amazing bookstores!
Right? Worth a visit just for the book shopping!
Is there anything better than visiting a local’s bookstore when you travel to a new place? As an English major, I love bookstores. I will save your guide for my next trip to Madrid.
Literally nothing. Glad you liked it!
I envy you doing the research for this post!
It was so fun!