Rosalía de Castro, 41 - Centro - VUT-CO-01904

Lots of second-hand books to choose from, with excellent prices and great discounts.

The staff are still the same and know the books well. They know what’s in stock and can recommend something from their selection, as they could at the old shop. If you read for fun without a particular title or author in mind, it’s a good place to browse for an affordable find. If that’s not how you shop, this probably isn’t the bookstore for you, though there are other good options nearby. This is the old 'Librería Fonseca,' under a different name and about two hundred meters farther up the street. It’s smaller now, and the books are packed together; there are often untidy piles that make browsing awkward and can be a tripping hazard. The quality of the layout has clearly dropped. There are few new releases, mostly publishers’ leftover stock, cheap editions, and books from small publishers that didn’t find an audience. It can be hard to find something appealing: essays may be outdated, while novels may be poor editions or simply uninteresting. The university textbooks that used to be more plentiful are now fewer, though there are still some, along with the occasional curiosity.

I spent money on two tolls and parking to get there, only to find the bookstore shut. Please update the website hours. They’re closed on Sundays.

A pleasant and attentive staff, and a wide range of books at reasonable prices. You can turn up out-of-print editions too, which makes it a fun place to look for literary gems. A good spot for anyone who loves books.