A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say. - Italo Calvino
If there was ever a week to hold onto that dream, it is this one and honestly I have a good reason to talk about books because this Thursday, April 23rd, marks World Book Day, and here in Florence, we are celebrating with the first edition of “A Firenze fioriscono libri” (Books Bloom in Florence).
Inspired by the charming Catalan tradition of gifting a book and a rose, our city is doing something rather special. If you buy a book from any of our participating local independent shops this Thursday, you’ll be gifted an Iris—the historic symbol of Florence.
But the magic doesn’t stop there. Simply by showing your receipt, you’ll get free entry to the Stefano Bardini Museum or the Salvatore Romano Foundation until the end of May (art and books and all of the stuff we love!)
Beyond this week’s festivities, Florence has a thriving community for those who live and breathe the written word. If you’re looking for your “tribe,” I recommend checking out the Florence Book Club on Facebook for regular meetups and lively discussions. And for the wordsmiths among us, the Florence Literary Society is an incredible resource, they often host events at various places around town, providing a wonderful way to socialize and find inspiration alongside fellow writers. And honestly? Start your own book club. Pick a book, invite some friends, add food and wine, and see what happens. You might be surprised how quickly it becomes the best night of your month.
It’s also worth poking your head into the British Institute of Florence, a local fixture that’s been holding down the fort on the Lungarno for over a century. Housed in a proper palazzo with a 50,000-volume library and views of the Arno that actually live up to the postcards, the place manages to be storied without being stuffy. The program here is the real draw—specifically the Wednesday night lectures on Florentine life that have been running since the Ford administration, plus the usual rotation of “Meet the Author” nights and live music among the stacks. If you’re looking for a project, they’re currently hosting a six-week deep dive into the Divine Comedy led by Alexandra Lawrence (Tuesday evenings, April 28th – June 1st). It’s the sort of thing that sounds dauntingly academic until you remember that Dante was essentially just writing about hitting rock bottom and the grueling hike back out—a narrative arc that, depending on your current stress levels, feels remarkably contemporary if you know what I mean. You can join in person or via Zoom, and they provide recordings for when life inevitably gets in the way of your spiritual ascent.
And if I’m honest, this all serves as a healthy reminder that culture, kindness, and community always walk hand-in-hand. To help you decide where to pick up your flowery prize, I’ve curated a list of my favorite literary haunts in town.
If you live in Florence, chances are you have been to Todo Modo. Years ago, I did an interview with the team at Todo Modo for the blog, and their philosophy of creating a space for “all ways” of reading still rings true and it remains a point of reference for many of us in the city. A place to browse books, read in peace, study, grab a glass of wine or attend a talk. Whether you are there for the incredible selection of indie publishers or a glass of natural wine in their “gastroteca,” it remains one of the most vibrant cultural hubs in the city. Pietro Torrigiani, who has run it for years, is refreshingly unsentimental about the state of things, in this piece in La Nazione last year he notes the customers who actually buy, which he'll tell you, tend to be over fifty — drawn to poetry, research literature, the kind of esoteric travel writing you won't find on a Feltrinelli table but also notes that tourists keep the place alive too. Everyone else, as he puts it, comes in, has a look, and leaves. It's a pattern you hear from every independent bookseller in Florence, sadly, people who say all the right things about supporting local shops, then go home and order on Amazon. Which is why I felt inspired to write share this list.
A bookstore named after the platypus, that wonderfully surreal creature that defies every category, L’ORNItorinco is located on Via di Camaldoli near Piazza Tasso in San Frediano and is a place that has already carved out a real identity: part bookshop, part bar. You can browse, stay for a coffee or a glass of wine, and end up in a conversation you weren’t expecting, which is exactly the point. Lilith and Giuditta run the place with the kind of genuine passion that shows up in the program. There’s the monthly book club, GOL (Gli Ornitorinchi Leggono), which meets on Mondays, deliberately chosen, as Lilith puts it, to rehabilitate a notoriously cursed day of the week. Beyond that, the calendar regularly pulls in events around literature, publishing, slam poetry and readings, a superb kind of multidisciplinary mix.
A true institution for the English-speaking community since 1979, Paperback Exchange is where I basically spent all of my babysitting money when I first moved to Florence. Emily Sue Rosner and Maurizio Panichi built it from scratch, literally constructing the shelves themselves in the original Via Fiesolana location before opening in March of that year. For four decades it was their "third child," as Emily called it, before being handed over in 2019 to Icaro and Gianluca, two Florence-born, half-Canadian friends who grew up here and were determined to keep the spirit intact. Steps from the Duomo, it's still the best spot in the city to pick up a classic, a bestseller, children's books, or the latest edition of The Florentine, and the trade-in scheme that's been running since day one means you can feed the habit without completely emptying your wallet.
Founded by Elena Molini and a team that includes psychologists, this “Literary Pharmacy” treats books as medicine, which is a beautiful concept. Their catalog covers 80 mental health themes covering topics such as nostalgia and self-love. Upon entering, you can use word prompts to find a reading “path” that suits your current state of mind. It’s a safe, healing space that proves books really can mend the soul. Elena recently opened a second location in Via del Castellaccio (Piazza Brunelleschi) to help re-energize the neighborhood and offer deeper experimental paths with on-site psychologists. I was actually privy to them after a sad event when last year thieves stole all the books from their “free exchange” boxes outside the shop. In true Florentine spirit, they didn’t back down. Quoting Antonello Venditti, they reminded us that in a “world of thieves,” there’s always a group of friends who don’t give up to help refill the boxes.
Opened in late 2022 by Filippo (a writer) and Chiara (a translator), Malaparte sits in Sant’Ambrogio and operates less like a bookshop and more like a cultural outpost. Before opening, Filippo toured Sicily in a van called Pianissimo, bringing books to tiny, isolated villages… which tells you everything you need to know about the kind of people running this place. The name pays homage to the irreverent Tuscan writer Curzio Malaparte. Their logo, a sea monster, stands for the constant urge to push forward and never feel fully “arrived.” Everything is hand-selected, and the owners prefer readings over standard presentations to let the text do the talking. They also run a mystery-focused book club, Detective che vorresti conoscere, if you want a reason to keep coming back.
Located near the historic heart of Santo Spirito on Via de’Serragli, this is officially the “second smallest bookstore in Florence,” proving that substance matters far more than square footage. Born from the famous literary festival of the same name (which has hosted everyone from Ian McEwan to Irvine Welsh), this shop is purely about the love of reading. It features the world’s first "Buchetta del libro"—a playful twist on the city's wine windows where you can "taste" stories instead of wine. Inside, you’ll find their curated "never-without" titles and ironical touches like sustainable recycled paper armchairs. It’s an intimate, ironical space designed to promote dialogue without distractions.
As if your girl would forget the kids! Nani Pittori is an absolute treasure situated in the Gavinana neighborhood. This independent bookshop is personally curated with a magical selection of children’s books, illustrated albums, graphic novels, and educational resources designed for young readers and the “grown-ups who want to be their heroes.” Beyond its beautifully stocked shelves, it serves as a vibrant cultural workshop, offering specialized training courses and video workshops for parents and educators. It’s a place where the spirit of Gianni Rodari lives on; they often host workshops like "Giallo&Blu," where kids play with the Binomio Fantastico (Fantastic Binomial). It’s that magical game where you put two random words together—like a dragon and a bathtub, to see what story emerges. Their "storytelling dice" events prove that when it comes to books, the only limit is your imagination.
Brac was first well known as a veggie and wine haven hidden nicely near Santa Croce but they also have a bookshop/cafe that is pure heaven (or haven). This “libreria con cucina” is a cult favorite among many and specializes in a deep, scholarly selection of contemporary art, photography, cinema, and dance. It’s a multidisciplinary sanctuary where the aesthetics are as lovely as the tea selection.
If you want to join the “A Firenze fioriscono libri” initiative this April 23rd, make sure to visit one of these independent protagonists:
Libreria Alfani & Libreria Alkìmia
Libreria Centrolibro Scandicci & Libreria Claudiana
Libreria Farollo e Falpalà (Great for kids!)
Libreria Florida & Libreria Fortuna di Pontassieve
Libreria Francese & Libreria Leggermente
Libreria Menabò & Libreria Nani Pittori (Great for kids!)
Libreria On the road & Libreria ed edicola Periodico 11.11
Libreria Piccola Farmacia Letteraria (Gavinana & Brunelleschi)
Libreria Todo Modo
Buona lettura,
Georgette
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