When it rains, nothing beats a bookshop with a sofa, a coffee and shelves up to the ceiling. Here is our selection.
The basics
With a café Calders, Byron, Laie and La Central · Second-hand Taifa and La Pila de Llibres
Until 1 November Fira del Llibre d’Ocasió Antic i Modern on Passeig de Gràcia
With a café or bar
- Calders (Passatge de Pere Calders 9). A former button factory specialising in books in Catalan; dogs welcome. It has a bar with a stage, piano and tables.
- Byron (c/ Casanova 32). A spacious shop with a fireplace, armchairs and a quiet reading area; café at the back.
- Laie (c/ Pau Claris 85). Two floors and a dining area.
- La Central del Raval. Huge shelves, a busy cultural programme and a bar with a terrace.
With atmosphere
- Finestres (c/ Diputació 249). A palace feel with lamps, sofas and rugs.
- Nocturama (Raval, c/ Peu de la Creu 19 bis). A neighbourhood bookshop with workshops and book clubs.
- La Memòria (Gràcia). A small gem of fiction and history.
- On the road (Born, c/ Verdaguer i Callís 14). Book clubs in unusual places.
Second-hand and rare books
- Taifa (c/ Verdi 12). A mix of second-hand and new titles.
- La Pila de Llibres (Nou Barris). Stacks from floor to ceiling.
- Fira del Llibre d’Ocasió Antic i Modern: 75th edition on Passeig de Gràcia, until 1 November.
More neighbourhoods, more books
Fahrenheit 451 (Barceloneta), Nollegiu (Poblenou) and La Llama Store (c/ Villarroel 34).
Tips
Allow plenty of time, ask about events and buy from independent bookshops. For more shelter, see Barcelona when it rains and a cultural route through Poble-sec, Raval and Gràcia.
Keep exploring Barcelona with me
More calm plans: free museums in Barcelona and free art galleries.
Which bookshops in Barcelona have a café
Calders, with a bar, stage and piano; Byron, with a café at the back; Laie, with a dining area; and La Central del Raval, with a bar and terrace.
Where to buy second-hand books in Barcelona
At Taifa, which mixes second-hand and new titles, and at La Pila de Llibres in Nou Barris, with stacks of books from floor to ceiling. Until 1 November the Fira del Llibre d’Ocasió Antic i Modern is also on Passeig de Gràcia.
What to do in Barcelona on a rainy day among books
Pick a bookshop with a café and give yourself time: Calders, Byron or Finestres to settle in and read, or Nocturama and La Memòria to discover books in a neighbourhood atmosphere.
