El Corte Inglés
This one is probably the easiest to find as it's right in the Puerta del Sol in the city centre.
Inside it's pretty much the Spanish equivalent of Waterstones with a similiar layout, different sections by genre/author etc, and is of a similar price range (they occasionally have "buy one half price/2 for 1" deals etc) They also have an excellent translated fiction section so if you're on the hunt for a newly released book translated into Spanish this is the place to come. As it's so close to home and has such a good range of books I'm often to be found here on rainy afternoons.
El Corte Inglés Preciados Libros, Calle Preciados, 2, 28013 Madrid.
FNAC
The FNAC building is also hard to miss; four storeys of music, electrical gear and, right at the top, books. Think HMV but MASSIVE!
I'm not such a fan of FNAC as a bookshop as I am of the other places on this list. They have some beautiful books but the browsing experience gets me down. It's always baking hot and stuffy with fluorescent lighting that just makes me want to get out and breathe some fresh air!
Having said that though this is the place to come if you're looking for graphic novels or manga. I've never seen such a large space in a bookshop dedicated to comics and illustrated books. This fits in with the cool, techie vibe of the rest of the shop perfectly. Though cool this place is pricey; FNAC's current idea of a deal is "buy 2 books and pay €1.50 for a FREE canvas book bag"...um free??
Calle Preciados, 28, 28013 Madrid
Casa del Libro
This is the place to come if you want a specific book in Spanish; with its miles upon miles of shelves Casa del Libro is sure to have it somewhere. This shop also makes for a great visitor experience with squishy chairs, slidey shelves and brass staircases to book heaven.
Again expect to pay more or less what you would in Waterstones and have fun browsing 'til you drop!
Gran Vía, 29, 28013 Madrid
Desperate Literature
This gorgeous little shop is included in my Lonely Planet guidebook but under a different name. Petra's International Bookshop is now Desperate Literature but still sells secondhand books in Spanish, English and French.
Inside is an Aladinn's cave of twinkling fairy lights, crazily patterned carpets and floor to ceiling books.
This place is my kind of bookshop; being secondhand the books are cheaper, the selection in English is certainly my cup of tea and the staff are lovely. Speaking of tea you're likely to be offered a cup as you enter... Terry and Charlotte the couple who've recently taken charge of the shop are looking to get going with all sorts of bookish events so if you're in Madrid at any point be sure to check out Desperate Literature's facebook page (give them a "like" from me!)
Calle Campomanes, 13, 28013 Madrid
La Central
In my opinion the queen of the bookshops in Madrid is La Central; think Foyles of London and you'll know what I mean. With the selection of Casa del Libro and FNAC combined, foreign language sections and housed in a beautiful old building just off Callao it's everything you could want in a bookshop...except of course for the price. But ah well, we can't have everything.
In La Central a genre has its own room rather than its own shelf and what rooms they are! Just look at how they kick off the children's section:
The complete opposite of the stifling FNAC with it's honey wood staircases, creamy white walls and cosy reading room, I think I might just move in for the summer.
Calle del Postigo de San Martín, 8, 28013 Madrid
The next few on the list aren't exactly bookshops (more bookstalls) but I just couldn't leave them out!
San Ginés Book Stall
At the corner of San Ginés and Calle Arenal is undeniably the cutest book stall I've come across.
It stocks secondhand books but also old posters, postcards and prints. Nice for a quick browse while en route somewhere else.
Claudio Moyano Book Stalls - Retiro
This is one of my favourite places to actually buy books due to the selection and the price (the cheapest I've found in Madrid). Plus its proximity to the park doesn't hurt. Read my full blog post here: Book Stalls - Calle de Claudio Moyano
Calle Claudio Moyano, 28014 Madrid
El Rastro
And finally El Rastro, Madrid's biggest flea market, you can find pretty much anything for sale here. In terms of books look out for hidden gems amongst the jewellery, old furniture and paintings; there are some true antiques to be found. Check out my earlier post about the market here: El Rastro
Well that's it for my bookshop roundup! I've loved compiling this list and I'm sure there'll be a part two in the future what with the number of bookshops still to explore. I hope you've enjoyed reading this and if any of you have any suggestions of posts you'd like to see in the future (book-related or not) just let me know!
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