The Best Bookstores in Skopje, Macedonia for English Books

Skopje might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of browsing a well-stocked English-language bookshelf—but for book lovers willing to explore, the Macedonian capital may really surprise you… it certainly surprised me!

From two-storey bookstores with cafés and resident cats, to small, welcoming shops where the staff hand you a brown paper bag printed with poetry, Skopje offers a literary scene as warm as the city itself.

Whether you’re after contemporary fiction, translated Macedonian literature, or just a cosy corner to read with a coffee, these five bookstores are the best places in Skopje to find your next read:

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1. Akademska Kniga & Bar Shakespeare

• Location: Blvd. Partizanski Odredi 23, lok.4, Skopje; 1000
• Opening Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Akademska Kniga is widely cited as the best spot in Skopje—and in North Macedonia for English-language titles, and when I visited, it did not disappoint!

This may be one of the biggest, most beautiful and well-stocked English bookshops I’ve ever been to—including those in the UK. There are two floors piled high with every genre imaginable.

From horror to coffee table books, this bookstore has it all… except for books in English by Macedonian writers, which is the main thing I was looking for.

Located on Bulevar Partizanski Odredi, it also houses Bar Shakespeare, a cosy café and reading nook perfect for lingering with a good book. The staff there are lovely, as are the resident animals (the two parrots are quite interesting, but the black cat called Lucy has my heart).

2. Book Store Matica

• 2 Locations: Blvd. Saint Clement of Ohrid 23, Skopje 1000 and Gjuro Strugar 13, Skopje 1000
• Opening Hours: 8:00AM – 9:00 PM Monday to Friday, 9:00AM – 4:00 PM Saturday, Closed Sunday

The larger and more well-known Book Store Matica is on Blvd. Saint Clement of Ohrid (above), but I didn’t make it before closing time on Saturday. However, when I was passing the Gjuro Strugar branch (below, which was partially obscured by construction), the staff literally came out to welcome me in!

They have a modest selection of English books, including a stack of English books by Macedonian writers. Again, the staff were so helpful when giving me recommendations of what to read by locals and Macedonian authors of the diaspora.

My favourite part? When I bought a book (Thrombus by Olivera Nikolova), the book was given to me in a brown paper bag with a poem printed on the side!

3. Literatura.mk

• 5 Locations:
  • ul. Makedonija (Литература.мк – ул.Македонија), Skopje 1000
  • Belasitsa 2, Skopje 1000 (Located in East Gate Mall)
  • Ljubljanska, Skopje 1000 (Located in Skopje City Mall)
  • Blvd. Partizanski Odredi 1000, Skopje 1000
  • Jordan Mijalkov 31, 1000, Skopje 1000 (Located in Diamond Mall)
• Opening Hours: varies by branch, but mostly 10:00AM – 10:00 PM or 9:00AM – 9:00 PM daily. The two branches not inside malls are closed on Sundays.

Literatura.mk is the biggest chain of bookstores in Skopje, with five branches across the city, three of which are located in malls. The branch at East Gate Mall has a cute café area, and the branches within malls tend to be larger in general.

I also popped in the smaller branch on ul. Makedonija. Again, the staff were super helpful and friendly (and the English selection was really great), even though they were sold out of Macedonia books. For that, the staff recommended the nearby Diamond Mall branch as an alternative.

The design of the store is also very cool, with bright red steps and places to sit and read.

4. Kultura Book Store

• Location: Macedonia St 33, Skopje 1000
• Opening Hours: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM Monday to Friday, Closed on Weekends

A stalwart in Skopje’s literary landscape, Kultura has been operating for over six decades, located prominently on Macedonia Street in the iconic Ristić’s Palace.

It stocks a variety of world literature, including novels in English, and remains a trusted go-to for both locals and visitors.

However, it has limited opening hours and is closed on weekends, so I haven’t managed to find a time to go yet.

5. Ikona (Книготека Икона)

• Location: Gazela, Skopje 1000
• Opening Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Ikona (Книготека Икона) features a broad selection of foreign-language books across genres, along with music, toys, stationery, and gifts.

I haven’t yet ventured to this bookstore yet, but it’s on my list, especially as there’s a cute café area as well.

More Bookstores in Skopje, Macedonia

For the strongest and most reliable collection of English-language books, start with Akademska Kniga—especially if you want a cosy spot to read with a cup of coffee. Literatura.mk balances beautiful design and thoughtful selection. If you’re in the city centre at the right time, Kultura delivers tradition and consistency, while Matica is your wildcard for unexpected finds.

Do you have any other Skopje bookstores to recommend? Let me know in the comments!

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