Best Independent Bookshops In Tangier

Tangier is an amazing city that attracted many artists and authors like Paul Bowles, Jean Genet, Samuel Becket, and William Burroughs. All these traveled to Tangier to find inspiration, and they did. Many people traveled to this city in the 1980s because it was known to have endless art and intellectual material, and visitors today can still see the influence the past half century had on Tangier in small bookshops around the city.

The Paperback Bookshop at night in Dec 2012

1. Librairie des Colonnes

Librairie des Colonnes is one of the best bookshops in Tangier. It has a selection of great books of French, English, Arabic, and Spanish literature. They also organize events and author readings every now and then.

Extremely cosy with its wooden walls and floor and unique architecture, it’s a good spot to sit down and read a book.

Librairie des Colonnes, Avenue Pasteur, Tanger, Morocco, +212 5399-36955

Shakespeare and Company | © Alexandre Duret-Lutz/Wikimedia Commons

2. Les Insolites

Bookstore, Shop

This bookshop is like no other in Tangier since it is the most authentic in terms of atmosphere, décor, and even people that go there.

It is located in a small street, and visitors can flick through the old books and magazines placed outside. The store also has some tables in front of the shop for those wanting to grab something to eat. There is a new lunch menu served every day and inside, there is art on the walls to contemplate and even more books to choose from.

3. Librairie Papeterie Mexique

Bookstore, Library

This small library has amazing newly released books in English. It released books like The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns when they first came out, so it is definitely a good spot for those looking for recent releases to check out.

Unfortunately, they don’t have an area for readers to sit down, but it is definitely worth a visit.

4. Librairie Papeterie Tingis

Bookstore, Library

This small library has tons of books, mostly in Arabic, but people might find an English one among the endless books perfectly organized. It is located in Al Boughaz Quarter open from 10 am to 2 pm and then again from 4:30 pm to 9 pm.

5. Librarie Papeterie La Jeunesse

This is another little bookshop that locals love. It offers a lot of Arabic books, however, but there is always a chance of finding books written in other languages among the stacks.

They don’t have an area to relax and read, but it is located near the medina.

Librarie Papeterie La Jeunesse, 11 Avenue de Fes, Tangier, Morocco

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