Despite being named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2014 and being the birthplace of renowned poet Federico García Lorca, Granada is not really known for any celebrated or famous bookshops. However, if you do find yourself in the city looking for reading materials for research or pleasure, you will find a handful of good places.
Tienda Librería de la Alhambra
Bookstore
If you’re looking for reading material on Granda’s history and culture, the obvious choice is the Alhambra bookshop, situated in the center of the city and close to many sights. Of course, there are many books here all about the historic Alhambra Palace and the Generalife, but you’ll also find other books here on the history of the city, including the Moorish Albaicín district. The bookshop caters for everyone, from those who are just interested in a touristic guide to Alhambra and the Generalife to books for children with stories about the palace to in-depth history books focusing on the Moorish invasion of Spain. You’ll also find other knick-knacks and gifts for sale such as coasters, scarves, and jewelery. Their bookshop also has two other branches located up in the Alhambra complex itself.
Most of the bookshops in this list stock books only in Spanish, with the exception of the Alhambra bookshop, but if you’re looking for something else in English, then the city’s specialist language bookshop — Metro International Bookshop — is your best bet. Located next to the University’s department of Translation and Interpretation, it stocks many dictionaries and books on grammar, as well as guidebooks, travel books, and literary fiction. Calle Gracia 31, Granada+34 958 261 565
People browsing in a bookshop
Librería Bakakai
Shop, Bookstore
Old books
One of Granada’s most interesting bookshops is Bakakai, a real treasure trove in the literary world. Stepping in here feels like walking into a bookshop in Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, with old antiques and quirky titles piled up high to the ceiling. The bookshop focuses on political and social ideologies and features many titles on things such as revolution and counterculture. You’ll find everything here, from old magazines to literary journals and even rare leather-bound books. The shop also holds regular events where members of the public can come to discuss and debate various literary and political theories.
Granada’s largest and most comprehensive bookshop is Babel. Popular with students from the University of Granada, it stocks a lot of textbooks and academic works. The shop mainly focuses on humanities themes such as anthropology, philosophy, political science, and sociology, but you will also find comics, books on fine art, cookery, and travel. In addition, their large literary section featuring many of the classics translated into Spanish, as well as many famous Spanish novels like Don Quijote by Miguel de Cervantes.
One of the city’s best second-hand bookstores is Librería Reciclaje, meaning recycled bookshop. Located very close to Granada Cathedral, it doesn’t only sell books, but also comics, vinyl records, films, CDs, and collectors’ items.
