Budapest is a wonderful city with many bookstores and cafes. I was quite surprised actually because I didn’t expect so many and that too SO GOOD! Now follows my two cents on exploring the many bookstores of the city of Budapest:
The Bookstores of Budapest
Atlantis Book Island: The first bookstore I visited was the Atlantis Book Island. I was probably the only customer in the English section and was surprised by the number of English titles. The store has a big section of fiction as well as non fiction from Central Europe. It opened a new world for me…..
The best part of visiting the Atlantis was that the owner knew English so I could ask him for recommendations. Even though he was slightly shy, I managed finding few new titles for myself. I only wish he didn’t stand on my head while I was browsing! The double storied bookstore has a cute stationary corner with bookmarks all made in Hungary.
Massolit Book & Cafe: A quaint bookshop in the heart of the Jewish quarter, Massolit was my absolute favorite! You can sit here and read all day inside or in the garden, use the free Wifi and order tea with homemade cake! The owner has a superb collection of historic books and iis very helpful. There is a good selection of travel related books and a second hand rack for the Hungarian readers.
Bestsellers: Right next to Budapest’s famous landmark St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the Bestsellers. Going by it’s name, it has a huge selection of bestsellers in English. The choice of Hungarian literature is massive as is for Romanian. I settled for a Romanian author and a bag of Penguin Books. Befriending the lady at the counter was fun because she told me there was always something going on at the shop whether it was book signings, author interviews or poetry sessions. The only downside of this shop is that since it is close to all the major landmarks it is usually full.
Alexandra: Formerly the Paris Department Store, Alexandra was a huge bookstore at the Andrassy Avenue. I visited in September 2016 and was informed by a dear reader that this chain of stores is now closed. The English section wasn’t very impressive but it had a lot of classics. There was a baroque cafe above the store with a lovely piano. Alexandra was the biggest bookstore chain in Hungary. I hope it opens again!
Do you visit bookstores when you travel to new countries??
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Thank you so so much. You made my evening!! 🙂 Keep reading. cheers!
Aww you are so welcome! You have a wonderful blog. Do you have Twitter or Instagram? I just made accounts and would love to follow you!
What a lovely tour round. Thanks
Thanks David 🙂
Yes, there are a lot in Budapest, and unfortunately few weeks ago they closed the building in Andrassy utca where there was the Alexandra library, and at the second floor one of the most beautiful cafè in town, the Alexandra Bookcafè – Lotz Hall….I hope it will re-open soon:
http://www.lotzterem.hu/lotz-terem-es-kavezo
Oh my that is so sad to know. Why?? Thanks for the update to the readers too.
Alexandra closed all its libraries because of economical problems I think…the cafè was in the same building, but I don’t know if it was related to the library. The only thing I know is that unfortunately is now closed 🙁
🙁 that is sad.
I always visit bookstores when I travel. They are like a magnet to me. It is always interesting to see what treasures one can find. I like that you make friends with the sales clerks as well. I do that too!! Sounds like some great bookshops in Budapest.
Similar habits 🙂 it’s always good to talk to people in a bookshop
You are driving me crazy, lady! This is what happens when you go with two boys. My husband and a friend respectively. All we did was shiver and shudder, down shots of Palinka to prevent our life force from freezing, and do crazy runs from cafe to bars to Christmas markets. But thank you, I am adding new names for the next time we land up there x P.S.: Alexandra is a fitting name to live up to its prettiness.
😀 your trip sounds fun to me in its own ways.. I’m just giving you a good enough list for next time. don’t know if I would go to libraries with anyone. These are things that I prefer doing by myself.
Yes not with my husband who would get restless after 10 minutes of walking into one 😛 I agree with you. These are kind of places you do when you mostly on your own unless you are with like-minded individuals x
Yes true. I hope you can take some time off to see it though 🙂
Yeah next time I shall drag Adi and let him sleep it off in a chair in the library. He has to pay the price of being my husband (which he actually does often). You have a lovely day x
haha you too 🙂
I love book stores and libraries. I visit them often both here in Australia and when I travel
🙂 kindred spirits
Bestsellers was my lifeline when I first lived here. Way back when. Alongside a variety of secondhand bookstores.
Nobody knows why they closed the café, which was truly beautiful and out of this world (think 1920s Bohemian posh but not pretentious). Guesses range from bankruptcy to corruption scandal.
Bestsellers English collection is hands down the best! I feel sad when bookstores and cafes close
Same here! And they belong together! And should stay open!
Only been in one bookstore of note … the Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht, Netherlands. I used to frequent Beach’s in Salisbury (where I once met former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath) but, sadly, it’s now an Italian restaurant!
Wow meeting a PM in a bookstore 😉 fancy bookstore I’d say.
We had a conversation, too! (He said ‘Don’t forget your umbrella’ and I said ‘It isn’t mine!) 😀
LOL!! Memorable 😉
Wasn’t aware that Hungry or rather Budapest had so many wonderful bookshops. A very different aspect of the city that I haven’t seen anyone talk about. Brilliant.
Thanks a lot Raghav 🙂 I missed visiting many…Hoping to return someday!
Thanks for your interesting book store blog. Will be following you, especially more after I finish my travelling. Blogging takes time and learning!
That’s so kind of you. Thank you. Blogging needs time and passion both. Learning comes with time
i love your writes, ishi..
i love bookstores, and yes ofcourse it will be 3rd place of my “mustvisitslist” while am going around new place, after beach and culinary ofcourse.. xixixi
keep doing freakingreat works!!! 😀🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Thanks so much 🙂 I am glad you enjoyed it. The bookstores of a city speak a lot about the city no??
uhuh,,
speak more than a guide travel book we buy before we visit that place haha
and recommended place to buy something to bring home☺️
Hi, thanks for sharing your research! I only wish I had found your blog before I went to Budapest! But now I know where to look before my next visit. By the way, I think it’s safe to say I’m also an Italophile.
That is so kind of you. Yes pls bookmark it 🙂 when do you go next?? Hello from another Italophilie 🙂
No plans, I just got back a week ago, but I would like to return sometime. It’s really an amazing city and requires a lot more coverage by my feet in the future!
Wow lucky you! A week 🙂 yeah you are right.
It feels so nice to have this city loved by so many people, despite its faults. I feel like its’s mine (albeit only by 1/4), because I lived here before (even if only for five years) but after fifteen years of absence, I’m also the tourist all over again, the newcomer, discovering everything anew.
🙂 it is nice that a city is not as touristy yet and still wonderful.
That’s true. I’m sure I’ve been to overly touristy places, and definitely areas in some cities. We’d sometimes go to typical touristy areas / cafes with friends in our hometowns just to see what it’s like, but I tend to block them. From what I gather, if you take a boat cruise here it can get really touristy. Some of them can. Last time we did that was 25 years ago, and it wasn’t one of those themed boats, just a means to get to Esztergom. But if there was a 200-year-old boat somewhere, I’d do that in a heartbeat.
Budapest is a wonderful city! <3 Thank you for sharing!
Indeed. I wish to return
Did not have time to visit shops, on our Viking tour. We did have great guides and got some insight into Hungarian food, architecture, history and art. A real eye opener!
Yes I loved the history and architecture too. Viking tour I keep hearing so much but don’t know a lot about it.
Viking Tours are luxury tours. The service is excellent. It is a good idea to reserve early (June 30 for the 2018 season) to take advantage of two-for-one pricing.
thanks for sharing! Sometime in life 🙂
I had NO idea Budapest had such lovely libraries. Wish I’d read about this before I went there :/
it is such a great city that must be explored through its literature!
Will keep that in mind next time I visit!
🙂 Yes cheers!
Wow, This is like a dream post. I wish I could own such a bookstore – imagine spending the day surrounded by books – even though I still work out of my library. Goosebumps is all I have right now 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!! Next time you go to Hungary, visit the Sbazo Ervin library 🙂 I wish to own a bookstore too!