Top 10 Most Impressive Bookstores In the World (5 of 6)

El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Back in 1919, over 100 years ago, this place was a theater, and in 2000, it was transformed into a bookstore. El Ateneo Grand Splendid kept its stage, balcony boxes, and ornate ceiling, so you literally browse books where people once watched stage plays and films. The old stage is now a café, the balconies are reading corners, and the whole place looks like it was designed to look amazing in your TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram posts.

The Strand Bookstore, New York, United States

The Strand might not be the best-looking location on this list, but what it lacks in showmanship, it more than makes up for in content. You can find almost everything here: from banned books, kids’ books, obscure architecture titles, all the way to indie authors, and more. It’s one of the oldest family-run bookstores in the US, and you should definitely drop by.