Athens has no shortage of places to buy books, used or brand new. Bookstores like Little Tree in Koukaki and Booktalks in Palio Faliro even include lovely cafes where you can sit and browse while enjoying a coffee. While you may run into stands selling €1 books all over the city, it’s a little harder to find bookstores with options in English and other languages. It’s even more difficult to find bookstores with bestsellers, instead of obscure, second-hand paperbacks (but I highly recommend you peruse these, too). For bookstores catering to German and French visitors, try the bookstores around the Goethe and French Institutes. If you’re looking for books in English, read on.
To Lexikopoleio
This is the perfect neighbourhood bookshop—in fact, it reminds me of some of my favourite local stores back in Brooklyn. It’s quiet, not too big, and independently run by a knowledgeable and chatty team of booksellers. There are books in English, Spanish, Italian, and an especially good selection in French (the owner, Odile, is half French, and often organises literary events and book launches in store). You’ll find every literary category, from poetry to self-help books, new releases and bestsellers, as well as a huge selection of dictionaries in many languages, making this place a kind of community hub for translators. To Lexikopoleio is just around the corner from the lovely Proskopon Square in Pangrati, as well as Archelaou Street, one of the neighbourhood’s best spots for coffee shops and dining options. So you can take your new books out for a spin as soon as you step out of the shop.
Politeia
The first thing to know about Politeia is that there are lots of doors (this store is enormous). To find books in English, head for entrance B, about halfway down Asklipiou Street. That entire section of the store is stocked top to bottom with books in English, and they’ve got everything from bestsellers like Call Me by Your Name to classics including Oliver Twist. It’s in a part of Exarchia that is made almost entirely of small publishing houses, book shops and stands selling cheap second-hand books, so take a little time to explore it. You’ll also find some of our favourite kafeneia and vegan restaurants in this area; you can easily spend an entire day eating, drinking and reading your way through this part of Athens.
Alfeios Bookstore
This shop may appear tiny, but don’t be fooled: it sprawls across both sides of Harilaou Trikoupi Street in Exarchia. It even spills out onto the sidewalk, with books in stands inviting passers-by to browse. If you are walking up Harilaou Trikoupi from Panepistimiou Street, head to the small entrance on the right side. Inside, hundreds of new and used books are stacked on top of each other in a precarious game of literary jenga. Alfeios mostly has books in Greek, but have a rummage and you will unearth some titles in English and French too. Be warned: you won’t find lightweight beach reads or best-sellers here; most of the options are for the intellectually curious and politically inclined (like the volume I found on Western Marxism). In the arcade across the street, you’ll find a second outpost in a converted kafenio, with three tables where you can thumb through anything that pricks your interest. You’ll often find local writers, publishers, and journalists chatting or quietly reading here.
Anavasi
Instead of novels, at this specialist travel bookstore you can stock up on guidebooks that cover most of Greece—and plenty of other countries, too. If you’re interested in reading up on the Greek islands or learning more about historical sites across the country, this is the place to go. This is one of the few shops in Athens where you can find Nigel McGilchrist’s erudite and entertaining series of guides to the Greek islands. Besides books, they also sell globes and maps (including special editions for hikers, climbers, and mountaineers that they publish themselves). One of their most recent releases is a fascinating map that contrasts the landmarks and monuments of ancient and modern Athens. The store itself is worth checking out; globes hang from the ceiling, and the bookshelves extend over two floors.
Booktique
This cute bookshop in Kolonaki is not huge, but it’s a reliable choice for English-language books. It skews a bit more towards classic literature, but there are a couple of shelves devoted to more contemporary series, such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. There’s a Chinese Bookshelf dedicated to books about China, and a large section of children’s books in English, so this is a good place to stop by if you’re travelling with kids who need a break from sightseeing. Besides books, there are a few shelves of designer gifts like coffee mugs, coasters, notebooks, tote bags, as well as toys and games. Founded and run by Fani Eleftheroudaki, a fourth-generation bookseller whose family once owned the largest bookstore in Athens (now sadly closed), Booktique is the kind of friendly neighbourhood shop where regular customers pop in to share book recommendations.
Evripidis
Evripidis bookstore in Halandri spans four floors, with an international literature section that is particularly well-stocked. Most of the offerings are in English and French, but if you’re looking for another language you might get lucky. Even if you’re not in the market for a book, there are other reasons to check out this store: in 2018 Evripidis was added to Pan MacMillan’s list of beautiful bookstores around the world, and the store boasts two coffee shops, one of which sits in an outdoor courtyard. If you’re in the suburb of Kifissia, you’re in luck: there’s a second branch of Evripidis there too, which has lots of children’s books and games and a cute café.
Public
This bookstore is a bit different from the other options on this list. It’s a large department store right on the edge of Syntagma Square, housed in a gorgeous, multi-storey neoclassical building. Public sells anything you could need: electronics, office supplies, and even camping gear. But there’s also a whole floor dedicated to books, with a very large selection in English. The children’s book selection is especially large and well-curated. Once you find something you like, you can head upstairs to the rooftop cafe to enjoy your new read (and the view across the lively square to Parliament and the National Garden). There’s also a slightly smaller branch in Kolonaki (also with English offerings) and another in Zografou, so regardless of where you’re staying, you’re most likely within walking distance of a Public.
"Once you find something you like, you can head upstairs to the rooftop cafe to enjoy your new read (and the view across the lively square to Parliament and the National Garden)."
Aiora
Aiora is an independent publishing house in Exarchia that doubles as a little bookshop. Most of what they stock is in Greek, but if you want to dig into classic literature, you’re in luck: Aiora also publishes a Modern Greek Classics series, which translates famous modern Greek works into English, German, French, Italian and even Russian. You’ll find beautiful editions of poems by Cavafy and Elytis, thoughtfully researched tomes on rebetika, the songs of the Greek underworld, and novels by masters like Karagatsis and Papadiamantis. Look out for the slim works by ancient Greek thinkers too, from Hippocrates’ Aphorisms to The Golden Verses of Pythagoras.
"Aiora also publishes a Modern Greek Classics series, which translates famous modern Greek works into English, German, French, Italian and even Russian."
Museum Shops
Art and coffee table books make great gifts and souvenirs, and fortunately there are many great places to find them in Athens. The Benaki Museum has a stand-alone gift shop next to the Ghika Gallery with an intriguing selection of exhibition catalogues, monographs, and photography books. You’ll find an extensive selection of art and design books in the shop at the Benaki’s 138 Pireos Street annexe too. The Museum of Cycladic Art has a beautifully curated selection of books inspired by or about Greece. But if you’re looking for books inspired by ancient Greek history, art and mythology, the Acropolis Museum shop is probably your best bet. Head to the shop on the second floor, rather than the souvenir shop by the entrance, for a wider selection of books and stationery.
The shop at the Benaki Museum.
Photo: Orestis Seferoglou