Visiting El Ateneo Grand Splendid Bookstore in Buenos Aires, Argentina
I’ve said this about a lot of bookstores (I’m obsessed with visiting pretty bookstores when I travel), but El Ateneo Grand Splendid really is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.
Located in a spectacular old theatre, this unique bookstore is a must-visit in Buenos Aires. I spent a month in Buenos Aires a while back, and I found myself returning to this bookstore over and over.
I make it a point to visit beautiful bookstores when I travel, and this one did not disappoint.
In fact, El Ateneo Grand Splendid was described as “the most beautiful bookstore in the world” by National Geographic in 2019, and I think that it definitely lives up to that designation.
Here’s everything you need to know about El Ateneo Grand Splendid
History of El Ateneo Grand Splendid
El Ateneo Grand Splendid first opened as a theatre in 1919. It was built by Max Glücksmann, a Hungarian-born Argentine who immigrated to Buenos Aires as a teenager. He became very successful in the music and film industry later on, and hired architects Peró and Torres Armengol to design the theatre.
The attractive exterior on Santa Fe Avenue doesn’t even hint at the grandeur inside. The opulent theatre features frescoes by Italian artist Nazareno Orlandi and sculptures by Argentine artists Troiano Troiani.
The theatre seated over 1,000 people and began staging performances, including tango shows. In 1929, the theatre was converted into a cinema and started showing films. Max Glücksmann also owned a record company called Odeon, and he used the building for recording sessions. In the 1920s, he also started a radio station called Radio Splendid and began broadcasting from the building too.
Until 1991, the El Teatro Grand Splendid remained a cinema, but in later decades, it became rundown. After closing, it was even at risk of demolition, until it was acquired in 2000 by the El Ateneo chain of bookstores. Adolfo de Vincenzi of El Ateneo had visited the cinema often growing up and had to save it.
Working with architect Fernando Manzone, the theatre was renovated and restored. The rows of theatre seats were removed and replaced with rows of bookshelves instead. With over 22,000 square feet of space and a million visitors per year, the legacy of this stunning theatre lives on as a spectacular bookstore.
How to Get There
El Ateneo Grand Splendid is located at 1860 Avenida Santa Fe in the Barrio Norte section of Recoleta in Buenos Aires. This central neighborhood is close to many popular tourist attractions in Buenos Aires.
For example, it’s just a 15-minute walk from Cementario de la Recoleta. You can also get to the bookstore by public transportation — Buenos Aires has a robust system including the subway (Subte) and buses.
The closest Subte station is at Callao, which serves Line D. It’s an eight-minute walk from the bookstore. There are also several bus stations that are within a couple of blocks of the bookstore.
Info to Know Before You Go
El Ateneo Grand Splendid is open every day of the week from 9 AM until 9 PM except for Sunday, when it is open from 12 PM until 9 PM. The cafe at the back is also open with the same hours.
You’ll find the cafe at the back of the bookstore, behind the red velvet curtains on the stage. The cafe can get quite crowded, so I’d recommend going there early if you want to get a table. The cafe is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat, like a couple of Argentine empanadas or a slice of cake and a coffee.
There are multiple floors, four of which are accessible to visitors. The basement of the bookstore has a large children’s area, and you can also find a music section selling records, CDs, and more.
The majority of the books at El Ateneo Grand Splendid are obviously Spanish language books, but you can find a small English language section if you’re looking to buy a book to take home with you.
Is Visiting This Bookstore Worth It? My Honest Opinion
Visiting El Ateneo Grand Splendid is definitely worth it while you’re in Buenos Aires.
Although it’s definitely a popular tourist attraction, it isn’t totally crazy (looking at you, Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal — you have to buy tickets just to enter this bookstore, and it’s always packed!)
I like that this bookstore is very large and spans several floors, so it never feels like it’s too crowded. There are also some places where you can sit and read (always appreciated!) along with the cafe seating. My favorite place to sit was in the comfy chairs in the theatre boxes on either side of the stage.
Sometimes it feels like bookstores don’t really want you to sit and read at all, but that’s definitely not the case here. El Ateneo Grand Splendid is the kind of bookstore where you can linger.
You can easily spend an hour or two at this bookstore perusing, reading, or enjoying something at the cafe.
If you love books, you should definitely make time to visit El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires. This bookstore transports you back in time and captures that quintessential Buenos Aires glamour.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires
El Ateneo Grand Splendid is definitely one of the most unique and beautiful bookstores in the world.
No book-lover should miss this place while in Buenos Aires. It’s definitely worth stopping here to browse for a new book, or just to grab a coffee and a pastry from the cafe while you sit and read for a while.
After you visit this bookstore, I highly recommend heading over to Teatro Colón, which is a 20-minute walk away. This historic opera house is one of the most beautiful theatres in the world, and you can tour the interior. (You’ll want to book your tickets online in advance because the tours fill up fast, though!)
This is the perfect complement to visiting the most beautiful bookstore in the world.
Enjoy your visit to El Ateneo Grand Splendid!
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