Av. Corrientes (from 9 de Julio to Callao), Buenos Aires City Center

The famous bookstores of Avenida Corrientes

Welcome to Buenos Aires, one of the most literary cities on the planet. The people here know the value of a good book, whether it’s poetry, fiction, anthropology, self-help, psychology (not only can you bet that most porteños have read some Freud, but there is even an area of Palermo – Villa Freud – named after him!), or art.

If you wish to properly observe this social fact, you absolutely must visit the bookstores of Corrientes, the famous avenue that bristles with the action of theaters, cinemas, cafes, shops, and people with their noses stuck in used copies of anthologies of Argentine history or poetry.

Buenos Aires’ bookstore hotspot

Every bookstore has its own history and character, but all of them proudly display extensive collections of works by Argentine and Latin American authors and artists, as well as North American and classical European works, calendars, and CDs. Very few of them have any English language sections, although if you dig around you should find a few English offerings here and there.

Most of the bookstores have primarily new books, and some used books too. With books scattered here, there and everywhere, presentation is not a priority – very different to more upscale bookstore chains in Buenos Aires like Boutique del Libro or El Ateneo.

If you don’t read Spanish, you’re probably still going to enjoy perusing the stores simply because they are unique in their atmosphere and awesome in their vast quantity of texts. You could always get a children’s book or calendar as a souvenir. Or maybe it’s about time you learned to read Spanish! It’s a beautiful language that is truly rich in expressions and has hundreds of years of literary heritage.

Here are some of my favorite spots for book-hunting on Corrientes. The best way to visit them is to start at the Obelisco (subway station Carlos Pellegrini, on Av. 9 de Julio) and walk up Corrientes going westward (towards Av. Callao). The places listed below go in order from east to west so you can follow them like a walking tour. You could spend thirty minutes briefly poking your head into them, or an entire afternoon going through the immense selections…

Obel Libros

This modest bookstore has been in operation for about ten years and is run by a friendly middle-aged man who will be excited to practice his English with you. The special items you will find here are encyclopedias for students, books focusing on Latin American social and economic matters, and used novels. Books are AR$15-30 on average.

Cuspide Libros

If you want professional guides for things such as computers, culinary arts, tourism, and hostelry (in Spanish), Cuspide offers a wide range of these books. It also has the usual offerings of cheaply produced novels and non-fiction books, ranging between about AR$20 and AR$40.

Libreria Lucas

At Lucas you will find a good selection of well-kept used books, which might interest collectors or book sellers. Also here are plenty of children’s books.

Libreria Hernandez

There are two Hernandez locations on Corrientes, within a few blocks of each other. A very extensive selection of books is offered, with topics such as Latin American revolutions, Che Guevara, economics, politics, Peronism, Argentine history, religion (you may notice that there are a lot of books about Judaism, a subject Argentines are fascinated by, due to the large Jewish population here), self-help, and psychology.

A nice gift idea would be one of the colorful cookbooks with recipes for traditional porteño favorites. You can even find a few cookbooks in English, such as one that explains methods for the traditional Argentine asado (barbeque). Also at Hernandez is a great collection of art books, with a focus on artists from Argentina and Buenos Aires. There is no English section here.

Libreria Libertador

Don’t miss this classic Corrientes bookstore, with its unbelievably cheap classics by Spanish and Latin American authors (AR$5-10), poetry collections (AR$6), children’s books (AR$3), and offerings by Shakespeare, Kahlil Gibran, Henry James, and more. The prices are low enough that you might buy books even if you can’t read Spanish!

If you are traveling around Argentina, you might also look for the nicely done travel guides published by the newspaper El Clarin (AR$5). They can come in handy and are much lighter than the Lonely Planet you are probably lugging around.

Also at Libreria Libertador there are random items such as dollhouse parts and furniture, calendars with themes of Argentina and Buenos Aires, old magazines that will delight collectors, heaps of crossword puzzle books, great CDs by famous composers such as Beethoven and Vivaldi with booklets providing information about the music (just AR$5, incredible), and best of all, a backroom full of dirty magazines and videos. Bring one of those home for the kids!

Posada Libros

This enormous bookstore stretches back into a building big enough for two businesses. You’ll find the usual suspects here: cheap novels (AR$10-15), books on the humanities (philosophy, anthropology, religion, AR$15-40), CDs (Latin and classical music), and so on. Mainly it’s worth visiting Posada Libros just to see so many books in one place.

And there ends this short Corrientes bookstore walking tour through this busy section of Buenos Aires City Center. I think you deserve a break…

Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tips

While you are bookstore-hopping, watch out for the plenty of artisans who set up their displays on the sidewalks of Corrientes. Also you’ll walk by some of Buenos Aires’ famous theaters, so you could inquire about the latest spectacles.

If you get hungry, head to Pizzeria Guerrin (Alan’s favorite pizza restaurant in Buenos Aires), or for a mid-day coffee break, to El Gato Negro (a beautiful old cafe and spice store).