From 17th-century bookstores to art-filled libraries, Madrid is a paradise for readers. Explore the best literary gems the Spanish capital has to offer.
Spain’s capital has a lively literary scene, evident in its many beloved bookstores and historic libraries.
Santo Mauro Hotel
Once a 19th-century French mansion belonging to a duke, Santo Mauro has since been transformed into a luxury hotel that retains much of its historic charm. Of special interest to fellow literary lovers out there is the duke’s extravagant personal library that has been converted into an elegantly appointed restaurant, bookcases intact.
It also has all the modern amenities one might hope for in a hotel. It’s a pleasant mix of gorgeous architecture and convenient comfort.
Location: Calle de Zurbano, 36, Chamberí, 28010 Madrid, Spain
AIDA Books & More Madrid
This charity bookstore is run by volunteers and supports educational and cultural development projects around the world. They sell secondhand, donated books across all genres, from history and philosophy to literature. Much of the collection is in Spanish, but there’s a decent selection of English-language books as well, plus foreign works translated into Spanish.
AIDA has three locations across Madrid. Their shop in the Salamanca neighborhood is smallish but cozy, manned by people who care very much about the causes they’re supporting.
Location: C. de Claudio Coello, 112, Salamanca, 28006 Madrid, Spain
Biblioteca Nacional de España
Founded in 1711, the Biblioteca Nacional de España is not just the biggest library in Spain, but one of the biggest in the world. With an intricate facade reminiscent of the Neoclassical style that would come to fruition in the mid-18th century, these historically preserved halls hold over 30 million items, including books, manuscripts, maps, and photographs.
Entry is free; the library as a whole is set up more like a book museum where you get to browse ancient texts and marvel at impressive architecture.
Location: P.º de Recoletos, 20-22, Salamanca, 28001 Madrid, Spain
Antonio Machado Bookshop
This half-century-old bookshop is a cornerstone of Madrid’s literary scene. During the country’s Francoist dictatorship, it served as an invaluable hub for intellectuals and artists. Even nowadays, it’s the go-to venue for many local authors, frequently hosting book signings.
Being spread across two stories, it contains a sizable Spanish collection along with a decent English section. It’s also notable for having one of the largest children’s and young adult sections in Madrid.
Location: Pl. de las Salesas, 11, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Tipos Infames
For those looking to slake both a literary and literal thirst, Tipos Infames is where you want to go. This bookstore features both a wine bar and café, making it a great casual meet-up point for book lovers far and wide.
The shop’s book collection focuses primarily on contemporary literary fiction and is entirely in Spanish. It also regularly plays host to a variety of events—not just the typical literary ones that you might expect of any decent independent bookstore, but also wine tastings. (The wine bar isn’t just for show, after all!)
Location: C. de San Joaquín, 3, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Libros Para un Mundo Mejor
Libros Para un Mundo Mejor is a cute little escape known for its comfortable atmosphere, crafts, and resident black cat. It sells secondhand books, particularly those on personal growth and spiritual topics, in multiple languages, including Spanish, English, French, and Italian. In addition, it has a nice selection of merchandise, from trinkets to T-shirts.
Not only that, this quaint, independent bookshop offers a variety of literary workshops and classes. It’s beautifully and lovingly decorated, making for a pleasant stop.
Location: C. del Espíritu Santo, 13, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Librería Pérez Galdós
Named after the famed Spanish author, Librería Pérez Galdós has been around since 1882. (And it’s not even the oldest bookstore in Madrid—more on that later.) As is fitting for such a well-aged shop, it keeps its pulse on rare, out-of-print, and antique books, making it the perfect place for collectors to gather.
Filled with stacks upon stacks of Spanish vintage books on poetry, classical literature, and more, it has a pleasing, old-world charm.
Location: C/ de Hortaleza, 5, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain
La Central de Callao
La Central de Callao is a major independent bookstore known for its vast selection of over 70,000 books on pretty much every topic under the sun: philosophy, history, social sciences, art, comics, literature, and children’s books. Its collection also comes in multiple languages, including English.
Housed in a 19th-century mansion, this bookstore also features a café-restaurant and cocktail bar, and regularly hosts cultural events.
Location: C. del Postigo de San Martín, 9, Centro, 28013 Madrid, Spain
Librería San Ginés
Here’s a hole in the wall you don’t want to miss. Librería San Ginés is one of the oldest bookstores in Spain, having been established in the 17th century. Its shopping area is entirely outdoors, marked by a wooden storefront/stall with a short, ceramic-tiled roof jutting out of a larger brick building.
Its outdoor bookcases and tables piled high with secondhand texts make it immediately recognizable, and it’s a favorite for discovering unique and rare books.
Location: Pasadizo de San Ginés, 2, Centro, 28013 Madrid, Spain
Iván de Vargas Library
Despite its blunt granite facade, Iván de Vargas Library has a surprisingly calming and welcoming interior. Opened in 2011, its reading and work rooms are spacious and light-filled, offering an ideal space either for study or relaxation.
Of special note is its beautiful inner courtyard with an almost zen-like arrangement of trees, stones, and outdoor furnishings. It blends together well, creating a pocket of peace in the bustling city.
Location: C. de San Justo, 5, Centro, 28005 Madrid, Spain
Ateneo de Madrid Library
The Ateneo de Madrid Library, founded in 1835, is a private research library with a collection of around 350,000 items, including monographs, pamphlets, newspapers, and scientific journals. Its extensive wealth of information makes it an invaluable resource for researchers. But for the average lay person, its most notable feature is its vast reading room lined with multi-story bookcases and the uniquely elegant design of Ateneo de Madrid as a whole.
You need to buy a day pass in order to enter, or just straight up get a membership if you’re a researcher planning to visit regularly.
Location: C. del Prado, 21, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Miguel Miranda Bookstore
This antiquarian bookshop is located in the heart of Madrid’s Literary Quarter. Founded in 1949, it was named after a famous playwright and possesses an elegant, almost regal interior dominated by an intricate spiral staircase. The antique clocks, poised paintings, and wooden furniture only add to the shop’s historic charm.
It’s renowned for its collection of rare and antiquarian books. Most is in Spanish, but if you do a bit of digging, you can find a decent number of texts in English, French, and German.
Location: C. de Lope de Vega, 19, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
The Secret Kingdoms
This family-run bookshop is Madrid’s largest 100% English-language bookstore, offering over 20,000 books across a wide array of genres. It’s especially notable because it’s one of the few bookstores in Madrid that sells new English-language titles rather than just secondhand, making it a magnet for literature-starved English speakers in the city.
The shop’s interior is bright and inviting, with plenty of space for the many events it hosts, particularly its book club and writer’s club.
Location: C. de Moratín, 7, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Biblioteca Casón del Buen Retiro (Museo del Prado)
Part of the Museo del Prado, the Biblioteca Casón del Buen Retiro is an art library specializing in European art history from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The library holds loads of books, plus auction catalogues, audiovisual materials, and plenty of rare works.
Its reading room is probably the most famous, though. If you chance a look up, you might just get stunned speechless by an 18th-century ceiling fresco gorgeous enough to rival the Sistine Chapel.
Location: Retiro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Cuesta de Moyano
For a bit of a breath of fresh air (and I mean that quite literally), head to Cuesta de Moyano—Madrid’s very own open-air book market. Seated next to Retiro Park and the Royal Botanical Gardens, this market has been going on for a century on this charming cobblestone street.
Recently renovated to block off vehicle access, this pedestrian-friendly path maintains a picturesque charm, plain to see in the painted wooden stalls selling new, secondhand, rare, and out-of-print books.
Location: Cuesta de Moyano, C. Claudio Moyano, 19, Retiro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Biblioteca Escuelas Pías (UNED)
As a former 18th-century church, the Escuelas Pías Library came pre-fitted with elaborate, almost reverent architecture with high ceilings and enormous arches. Though at one point destroyed and abandoned, it was restored at the end of the 1900s to become one of the most gorgeous libraries in Madrid.
It’s actually the university library of the UNED Associated Center, but luckily, it’s open to the public with free visits during limited hours.
Location: C. del Sombrerete, 15, Centro, 28012 Madrid, Spain
Rafael Alberti Bookstore
This 50-year-old bookshop, known by many locals as “la Alberti,” is a neighborhood staple. Bibliophiles flock to this shop not only for its diverse book collection but also for its lively literary events. These include author meetings, book presentations, poetry readings, and more.
While it seems to only have Spanish-language books on offer, its stylish interior design and friendly, welcoming staff are enough to lift anyone’s spirits. It also has a colorful, dedicated children’s section sure to delight any young reader.
Location: C. del Tutor, 57, Moncloa – Aravaca, 28008 Madrid, Spain
The IPCE Library (Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute)
The Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute (or IPCE, according to its name in Spanish) stands out with its spiked, multi-tiered roof, known aptly as the “crown of thorns.” Belonging to the University City of Madrid, it houses roughly 45,000 books on art, restoration, and cultural heritage, distributed across the three concentric rings of its unique interior design.
It welcomes researchers and the general public upon reservation and is considered one of the most unique libraries in Madrid.
Location: C. Pintor el Greco, 4, Moncloa – Aravaca, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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K Lou
K. Lou is a writer born in the U.S. who found her way to Japan through a spiritual calling—or, more precisely, better access to tea. She writes about travel, culture, and the occasional creative piece, inspired by her enduring love of books. This love began in high school when K. Lou carried books around to avoid seeming odd while lost in thought. Once she started reading, she never stopped. With zero regrets, she continues to explore the written word and invites others to join her in celebrating its varied forms.
