Top Bookstores in Cali and where to find them

Santiago de Cali is a multicultural city where the best of the Afro-colombian communities from the Pacifico region and the Indigenous peoples from the Andes get combined with the mestizos to create a brand new and vibrant community. Authors like Jorge Isaacs, Andrés Caicedo or William Ospina (not born, but educated in Cali) have shaped the cultural landscape and the literary picture both of the region and the country. Here I present a list of the best Bookstores in Cali to help increase the experience of foreigners and locals, and those who are specially interested on literary tourism.

Librería Nacional

This is the main bookstore chain in the country. You’ll find there all the mainstream literature from Colombia and the world in Spanish. Most of the stores around the city have also a Café in the second floor. A nice place to buy a book and take a cup of colombian coffee. My recommendation is visit the store in Plaza de Cayzedo, there one can also see a lot of the principal Sights of the city center.

Arriving or leaving the city via the airport? You can find a store of the Librería Nacional there.

Librería Nacional Plaza de Cayzedo, Carrera 5 # 11-50

La Cafebrería

It is a nice little place near the Cali River. In this tiny bookstore you can buy general literature but also a lot of small souvenirs and take a cup of coffee or eat a muffin. Sometimes you can also find indi literature. The best part of La Cafebrería is that the bookstore in inside the Biblioteca del Centenario, the first public library of Cali, so you can at the same time go and take a look of the library, a really interesting one specialised in regional and local literature of the past century. The structure is beautiful so you can enjoy a lot reading in it. Once there you can also pass by and visit the museum of modern art La Tertulia or Caliwood, the museum of cinema.

Calle 4 Oeste No. 1-16

Libertienda

Libertienda was a revolution in Cali. They changed the concept of bookstore in the city. In Libertienda one can find the best of literature, even really hard-to-find ones and rara avis. The target public of Libertienda is people interested in culture, students, and academics. You can ask also for a cup of wine or for a beer. There take place events like jazz concerts and poetical presentations. Libertienda has become a place not only to buy books, but a place to enjoy the culture in a magical environment.

Carrera 24C # 4-48 (Take the public transport to the MIO Station Manzana del Saber and walk a couple of streets).

Santa Rosa

If you are looking for used books this is your place. Santa Rosa is not a single bookstore but a collection of them. Allocated in the homonymous park in front of the Church of Santa Rosa in the city center. You can find a lot of books in a decent state for almost nothing. This could be the cheaper place in the list but if you are looking for a specific book maybe you should try another bookstore, but here one can find rara avis.

Parque de Santa Rosa. Carrera 10 #101

La Esquina del Libro

Another good place to look for an used book but also here you can find new books. They buy, sell and exchange books. The bookstore is allocated one block from the Bulevar del Río (Boulevard of the River), one of the nicest places in the whole city with a vibrant nightlife. La Esquina del Libro is a good place to make a good deal with books. They also sell old CDs and viniles among other old stuff.

Carrera 3 #9-73

Librería Papiros

This bookstore is so tiny that you can pass by and not notice it. The bookstore is well organized and usually you can find fresh literature in the place. But they also sell used book and accept them as part of the payment. If your visit to Papiros is done, take a look to the street bookstore in the corner of the same block, maybe you could find an interesting thing at a good price and visit the Plazoleta de San Francisco just a couple of  streets away. There, take a moment to appreciate the Mudéjar Tower, the most spectacular piece of Mudéjar Art in New Granada and the most beautiful in America.

Carrera 6 # 7-48

Librería Atlas

To get to the place you have to take the stairs to the second floor, but once there you’ll find a big place with a lot of literature. This is maybe the place with the more diverse type of books. From scholars, academics, mainstream and local literature. The quantity of stuff can be overwhelming but Atlas is almost a safe place to find a book if not a rara avis. The books are new and used, and they also buy books.

In the 1st floor there are other bookstores like The Brother’s and Atenas (also a nice one), but trust me, take a look first to Atlas and then feel free to visit the other ones.

Calle 9 #6-82 2nd floor.

Books & Books

In Books & Books you’ll find almost only academic books but also general literature in English. Is a good place to search for a English-Spanish dictionary or learning material for foreign languages. You can also find material in Spanish, but not so much.

Once there you could go on and visit the Biblioteca Departamental, the public library of the province, and the Biblioteca de la Recreación y el Deporte, a specialized public library on sports.

Avenida Roosevelt # 29 -100

Panamericana really is not a bookstore, or not just a bookstore. It is the colombian version of Walmart. In Panamericana you can buy technology, candies, musics, and DIY stuff. But also books, good books. With the Librería Nacional, Panamericana is the best option to buy fiction. But right now it is only one store in the city, allocated in the south. Really in the south. The Bookstore is inside a Mall, Unicentro, so after buy a book you can go eat something tasty, buy clothes or see a movie in the cinema. A nice plan for a weekend.

Cra. 100 #5-169. Unicentro (Take the public transport to Univalle Station or Buitrera)

Universidad del Valle

Yes, this is an University, so no the best place to buy the last book of G. R. R, Martin. But if you are looking for something more academic this is your place. The University publish a lot of book on a huge diversity of topics. From teaching of sciences and mathematics under the worldview of the indigenous people to analysis of the science fiction movies of the 80’s. Give it a chance and certainly it will surprise you. The library is allocated in the Edificio Central, by the capel. It is just passing the street from Panamericana and you can also there enjoy the vibrant cultural agenda of the only one public University of the city.

Calle 13 # 100-00 (Take the public transport to Univalle Station)