12 Independent bookshops of Bologna you should visit

Libreria Nanni

A few steps away from Piazza Maggiore and Quadrilatero food market, one of the most evocative portici of Bologna hosts Libreria Nanni.

Opened in 1820, this bookshop was loved by Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini and it is considered a landmark of Bologna's culture.

The wood panels under the portico remind you of Paris's bouquinistes and you can take a look to find cheap art magazines and novels. Inside you find books on architecture, literature, design, art, cinema and so many others.

Via de' Musei, 8, 40100 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 221841
www.libreriananni.it

Libreria Giannino Stoppani

Right in Piazza Maggiore, set in the austere bricks of Palazzo Re Enzo, you find this bookshop with an evocative name and a multifaceted spirit.

Giannino Stoppani is the unfortunate protagonist of the famous children's novel Gian Burrasca's Diary published in 1907.

It's a bookshop specialising in kids' books from Italian and foreign publishers.
Sometimes on the walls, you can find art or comics exhibitions.

Via Rizzoli 1, 40124 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 227337
www.gianninostoppanilibreria.net

Libreria Alta Marea

Opened in 1996, Alta Marea is a bookstore managed by dozens of women united in an association.
On the shelves, you find books only written by women.
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Most of the books are about politics and philosophy, in small quantities and from independent publishers.
They organize events and book presentations, making it the ideal place to meet and chat with friends.

Via S. Felice, 16, 40122 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 271754
www.libreriadelledonne.it

Modo InfoShop

In Via Mascarella, a street of jazz clubs and good restaurants, you find Modo Infoshop.

It's a space where you can leaf through comic and rare books, admire CDs and vinyl records and then drink a beer in the next room, the bar managed by the owners.

The opening hours allow you to spend a special evening among students and artists, in the spirit of art and alternative culture.

Via Mascarella 24/b
Tel. +39 051 5871012
www.modoinfoshop.com

Inuit

Amongst the Indian takeaways and pizzerias of Via Petroni, in the heart of Bologna University, you find Inuit Bookshop.

​This small library, founded in 2011, houses unique editorial products hard to find elsewhere. But Inuit is not a bookshop like any other.

It was born as a cultural association for the distribution of illustrations, comics, books, prints and fanzines, all from independent productions.
You will also find exhibitions, events and workshops dedicated to the fascinating world of printing.

Fan of illustration?
Don't miss Bologna Childrens' Book Fair which takes place every spring.

Via Petroni 19 C / Bologna
www.inuitbookshop.com

Ulisse

Ulisse was born in 1993 as a travel bookshop.

Only later did it develop as a complete library of all sectors. Above all, it was born in the suburbs to bring books where they weren't there, to people.

What surprises me the most about Ulisse is that you can find it always open. Christmas, NYE, hot summer days.

This shelter of culture is always there for you.

Via degli Orti, 8, 40137 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 623 5042

libreriaulisse.com

Trame

Hospitality is the best word to describe this bookshop.
Not only for the pleasant and tidy environment, nor because you can relax in the reading room.

But above all because of Nicoletta, the bookseller, who knows how to make everyone comfortable with her book advice, cooking tips and political discussion.

Visiting Trame doesn't mean just buying a book; it's an opportunity to get to know and exchange opinions with an interesting person.

Via Goito, 3/C, 40126 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 233333
www.libreriatrame.com

La confraternita dell'uva

Giorgio and Antonio are from Foggia, Puglia, but like many university students, they decided to live in Bologna after graduation.

The name of their cosy bookshop in Via Cartoleria is inspired by 'The Brotherhood of the Grape', a novel by John Fante in which wine and literature are combined.

There you can find reading and lectures by foreign and Italian artists, as well as acoustic concerts surrounded by books.

At La confraternita dell'uva you can also have aperitivo with delicacies made in Puglia: from taralli to cheese, preserves, olives and beers.

Via Cartoleria, 20b, 40124 Bologna
Tel. +39 371 109 1099

Igor @Senape vivaio urbano

A nursery to create your home garden?
A place to get a drink while watching photos and art exhibitions?
A gay-friendly bookshop with LGBT books and DVDs?
​
Igor, which takes the name from the owners' dog, welcomes you in a space that is all those things.

Founded by Raffaele and Gianluca in 2007, now Igor is hosted at Senape, a nursery in the Bologna city centre which is also a reference for the LGBT community.

Via Santa Croce 10, 40122 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 849 4530
www.senapevivaiourbano.com

Libreria di cinema, teatro e musica

Take a walk outside the traditional routes and get to the University area.

Between students who move through the departments and who have a coffee in the Jewish ghetto, you will bump into this unique small bookshop.
​
Ivan, the bookseller, created it in 1989 to build a space where you can share opinions, ask for suggestions and discover hidden and out-of-print books about music, cinema and theatre.

It is located next to Osteria dell'Orsa, where you can have a bowl of tagliatelle at one of the best cheap restaurants in Bologna browsing your new favourite book.
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Via Mentana, 1, 40126 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 237277
www.libreriacinemateatromusica.com

Libreria Pickwick

Is your train delayed? Impossible in Italy.
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But in case, a few steps away from the train station you find Pickwick. In this bookshop, you find a vast assortment of modern and contemporary art catalogs, design, photography and architecture books.

Pickwick is also specialized in literary essays and offers a careful selection of Italian and international books recovered in the most forgotten and dusty places. An unremembered editorial heritage unveils extraordinary value and interest thanks to Pickwick.

Galleria 2 Agosto 1980, 3/C, 40121 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 6390090
www.libreriapickwick.it

UPDATE 2023

Pickwick Bookshop closed, but you can find another bookshop taking its place.

Le due torri

It started as a small shop in Via Frassinago between a kayak and a condom shop (true story).

35 years later chess bookshop, shop and editor Le Due Torri have a larger space outside the city centre.

It's the only Italian bookshop about chess (4 in Europe).
There you find everything you can think about from chessboard to books in Italian and other languages.

Via Piero Gobetti, 52/3, 40129 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 522433

scacco.it

[Credits: this post is inspired by the book 'Guida alle Librerie Indipendenti di Bologna']