A Book Lover's Guide To Barcelona
Whether you’re on a short weekend break or have a full week to discover Barcelona, there’s plenty of bookish spots and hidden corners to get your literary fix in the city. From cafés still holding the mystical air of old-time writers to literary festivals and street celebrations with books and roses, the capital of Catalonia offers endless opportunities for book lovers. To truly get the literary flavor of Barcelona, get out and explore these unique places scattered throughout the city.
1. Café Els Quatre Gats
Bar
Café Els Quatre Gats
One of the most touristy cafés in Barcelona, Els Quatre Gats is hidden on a narrow street behind the more bustling shopping pedestrian avenue, Portal del Angel. The original café was open only for six years, between 1897 and 1903, but it gathered such a fame that it was reopened in 1989 after restoring it to its original condition. In its day, the café was the meeting point of modernist artists like Antoni Gaudi, Pablo Picasso or the poet Rubén Dario. They even published a literary review for a few years, to promote the Catalan modernism. Touristy as it is, it would be a pity to miss it. Stop by for a drink at least to inhale the breathable artsy and literary air of Barcelona in the 1900s.
Els Quatre Gats, Carrer de Montsió, 3, Barcelona, Spain. +34 933 02 41 40
2. The Library of Catalonia
Library
3. La Central bookstore
Bookstore, Building
On April 23rd, the stands with books and stalls selling red roses spill over throughout the entire central area of Barcelona. It’s the UNESCO World Book Day, but in the Catalonian capital it’s been ‘The Day of the Rose’ since the 1400s. The locals celebrate it by offering books and flowers to each other. The bookshops in the city dust off their volumes and take them out under the spring sun to fill the central streets like Rambla de Catalunya and Passeig de Gracia. For a few days it’s hard, if not impossible, to walk on these streets; all you see around are books and more books.
4. Bar Marsella
Bar, Pub, Spanish
Kosmopolis and BCNegra festivals
Barcelona hosts two literary festivals in various locations around town, all connected in a way with literature. The Kosmopolis festival takes place at the Contemporary Culture Centre, CCCB, every two years. You’ll get to attend workshops, symposiums and even readings by well-known writers if you’re lucky. The second festival, BCNegra, takes place every year and is dedicated to lovers of crime literature and noir fiction. The events range from round tables, radio talks and audiovisual shows, concluding with the grand literary prize, Pepe Carvalho.
5. Altaïr bookstore
Bookstore, Shop
6. Sunday book market
Market, Vegetarian, Spanish
7. Francesca Bonnemaison Library
Building, Library
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