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Who'd have thought a bookstore, featuring only about 1% of its collection in the English language, would be a 5-star experience for someone who speaks and reads only English? El Ateneo is a Buenos Aires must-visit bookstore regardless of the languages you speak or read. Housed in the one-time "Grand Splendid Theatre" (from 1919), the shop retains the original, ornate balconies, stage curtains, and detailed ceiling. At the rear is a café (Havana chain, but don't let that deter you) where, if you face El Ateneo's front door you have the most delightful view imaginable. You are essentially on stage, a marvelous place to drink in the space while enjoying a glass of wine or perhaps a latte. I walked by here on a day when I didn't enter, amazed to see people lined up at the doors awaiting the shop's opening. I'll admit, it'd been forever since I'd seen people queueing up to enter a bookstore, but this one is worth it. Enjoy the small selection of English language books, take the escalator down to check out the vinyl, and more than anything, make time for the cafe and the gorgeous space itself. It was so delightful that I was inspired to return only days later for a second visit. It remains one of my most memorable Buenos Aires experiences.
I'd seen this bookstore show up on the internet as an "attraction" of the city. It turns out that this is not just any bookstore. This location used to be a theatre since the early 1900s and was later converted into a bookstore in 2000. However, the architecture was preserved during the conversion. This place was named the most beautiful bookstore in the world by National Geographic and it was easy to see why. The stage has been turned into a cafe and the ceiling has a beautiful frescoed dome. The entire place is also surrounded by intricate balconies. It looked just like the fancy Broadway theatres I have seen in New York. I am glad I stopped by even though I had no interest in buying a book.
This was one of the most crowded but beautiful bookstores I've visited in all my travels. The bookstore took over a former theatre and left much of the splendid design and architecture in place and seemed successful in merging both. The stage was turned into a cafe that was busy that afternoon. It served coffee and light dishes. As others pointed out, the second floor was one of the best locations to take the views all in and take photos. It also was slightly less crowded upstairs but also had some seating to relax and read a book. The ground floor was best for the views up to the painted ceiling. I stayed for less than 20 minutes.
This bookstore is amazing. What was a theater has transformed into a bookstore. Voted in 2019 as the world's most beautiful bookstore by National Geographic. Our trip leader dropped those of us interested in seeing it. We were to made our own way back to our hotel. We only went in to take our obligatory picture as did many others. The 2d floor provided the best spot. After taking several shots we made our way out. There is bathroom facility if needed.
You don't really need me to tell you to come here right? The fact that you're checking this Yelp means you're debating it - well don't debate just show up. It's worth it. This is one of the most beautiful bookstores you're ever going to see and it's located in Buenas Aires cosmopolitan area so you can indulge in some retail therapy. My pictures will do it no justice.
A little impressed at first, but then not really impressed. 71.2% (2020) of books are sold online, physical bookstores seem on the decline, closing than opening. Another stat is North America has 32.9% of the world book market (2021). This bookstore is in Barrio Norte. The theater opened in 1919, with 1050 seating. The converted bookstore was opened in 2000s, the stage is now a cafe. According to wikipedia, it sold 700,000 books in 2007 and 1 million people visit it annually. It made some waves in 2008 and 2019. But isn't that impressive. Old, in a sense that it needs repair. Big tour buses park outside is a huge turn off. A Korean group was there. They juggling for photo ops, and chit chat rather loudly ... this kind of behavior just not mesh with a bookstore. Beside, how many of them will buy a Spanish language book? Tranquility is what a bookstore needs.
As a booklover there is something magical about seeing such a beautiful place filled with books but beyond the building and the natural beauty of books to a booklover it is a mediocre bookstore. It lacks the well thought out displays I love about independent bookstores and while there were a vast number of categories of books, the books within those catergories were disorganized. I was looking for manga and poetry while I was there. The manga series were not in numerical order and the poetry was all a jumble with the same copy of books on different shelves. I was willing to sift through the titles to find what I was looking for but when I sat to try and look through the bottom two shelves an employee informed me I couldn't sit on the floor. I have no idea how anyone would possibly find a slim volume of poetry on the bottommost shelf without sitting down. I love a nice bookstore cafe and this one had the set up for a great one being set on the stage but the area was just a collection of standard tables and chairs. I did appreciate that some of the original stage lighting mechanisms were still there but beyond that if you weren't looking out into the main bookstore area you'd think you were in a bland cafe lacking much character. I did appreciate that the prices didn't seem steep in the cafe, that the cafe's wait staff was amazing, and that the staff didn't seem concerned if you only made a small purchase. Overall its worth visiting but if you are looking to shop for books there are several more on that same block alone that lack the beauty but have far more character and better books.
This is an amazing bookstore housed in a repurposed old palatial theater. The architecture and lavish decor and maybe the cafe are the main attraction for anyone not looking for books in Spanish. However being a huge bookstore they don't necessarily have everything - we were looking for a particular book in paperback but they only had it in hardcover.
El Ateneo Gran Splendid was very interesting to say the least. So apparently this was an old theatre that was repurposed as a pretty eclectic bookstore. They have about four levels including the ground level that are chock full of books on all sorts of topics in the Spanish language. They also have a pretty good cafe on the ground floor where you can get all the staple Argentinian cafe items if you are in the mood for a coffee, latte, alfajor or empanada. Truthfully I prefer for these types of structures to be retained for their original purpose (if at all possible) but I guess if it is between tearing something historical apart or repurposing, I think they really did it justice in making this a bookstore as it was tastefully done. Pretty sure this is one of the largest and best bookstores in Buenos Aires, so unless you are looking for something niche, this is the bookstore to visit, peruse and possibly try out your Spanish with some of the other visitors at the Cafe! I highly recommend that you walk if you are staying in the area as parking is very problematic; however, if walking is not your thing or you are not in the area you should catch an UBER or take a taxi. UBER is better as no need to haggle on the fare. Driving and parking in Buenos Aires especially in this district can be very challenging. If you plan on visiting the bookstore, plenty of other things to see in that local area so you may want to plan to hang out for a bit and do a little exploring. Wishing you all a great time in Argentina, be safe and happy exploring. Bonne chance mes amis!
El Ateneo Grand Splendid is an absolutely stunning bookstore set inside a grand former opera house. While you might see beautiful pictures online, they honestly do not do this place justice. It's so much more breathtaking in real life. The building miraculously retains many of its original theatrical details, including the intricate moldings, grand balconies, heavy curtains, and gorgeous ceiling artwork. The original stage has even been transformed into a Havana café, which is a fantastic touch. Even though I don't read much in Spanish, I absolutely loved just walking around and taking in the sheer scale and beauty of the architecture. You have the freedom to roam around the majority of the space, and you can even grab a spot on one of the many balconies to sit, relax, and read if you wish. If you are visiting Buenos Aires, stopping by to take a look is an absolute must. Highly recommended! read more
I would love to meet the team that thought of making an old Opera House [Grand Splendid Theatre from 1919] into a bookstore with cafe. And then, who would think it can be a 5-star experience for someone who speaks and reads only English? The shop retains the original, ornate balconies, stage curtains, and detailed ceiling paintings. On the old stage is the café. How cool is it to sit with a coffee and pastry and look back at this grand theater [book store.]. Everythng about this place is grand and ornate. A magnificent ceiling overlooks this beautiful venue almost like it standing guard over it. Don't forget, this is a huge bookstore. Every inch of it covered with books and if you go downstairs there is plenty of vinyl. There is lots of buzz and electricity in the air. Obviously, most of the stock is in Spanish but... they do have a small English section. It's nice that you can walk around just about anywhere and explore. That is truly wone of the most fun parts. Make sure you take the elevator to the top and really take in the view... It is breathtakng. It's obvious that the grand theme here is "The 'Grand' Theme." Who would think that a bookstore would turn into a major tourist attraction. It will always remain one of my most memorable Buenos Aires experiences. What will always remain a highlight of this trip is the fact that we ran into frineds who live just a few miles from our house in Long Island. Yes, we did not know that they were here [staying in the same hotel, no less] and we would get the opportunity to spend the day together 5,700 miles from where we live. KUDOs to the many teams of people who maintain El Ateneo. read more
4 months ago
While out with friends, I took them up on the opportunity to stop by this bookstore with a unique history of having been a theater (Teatro Gran Splendid, 1919). As a bookstore, it has kept the stage and ceiling mural paying homage to its theatre origins. It is beautiful and was quite the thing to see in person. We spent about 30-40 minutes perusing through the bookstore, and it was very crowded. Notably the children's section and classic music are located on the lower level. There is a fee to access the third floor, we did not do this. We also didn't purchase anything from the bookstore or the cafe so I cannot rate this. I did briefly consider purchasing postcards. Although, this wasn't our primary target for the outing of the day, it was worth slightly adjusting our schedule and walking route to stop in to see this beautiful place that brings its history right into its present. read more
Who'd have thought a bookstore, featuring only about 1% of its collection in the English language, would be a 5-star experience for someone who speaks and reads only English? El Ateneo is a Buenos Aires must-visit bookstore regardless of the languages you speak or read. Housed in the one-time "Grand Splendid Theatre" (from 1919), the shop retains the original, ornate balconies, stage curtains, and detailed ceiling. At the rear is a café (Havana chain, but don't let that deter you) where, if you face El Ateneo's front door you have the most delightful view imaginable. You are essentially on stage, a marvelous place to drink in the space while enjoying a glass of wine or perhaps a latte. I walked by here on a day when I didn't enter, amazed to see people lined up at the doors awaiting the shop's opening. I'll admit, it'd been forever since I'd seen people queueing up to enter a bookstore, but this one is worth it. Enjoy the small selection of English language books, take the escalator down to check out the vinyl, and more than anything, make time for the cafe and the gorgeous space itself. It was so delightful that I was inspired to return only days later for a second visit. It remains one of my most memorable Buenos Aires experiences. read more
I'd seen this bookstore show up on the internet as an "attraction" of the city. It turns out that this is not just any bookstore. This location used to be a theatre since the early 1900s and was later converted into a bookstore in 2000. However, the architecture was preserved during the conversion. This place was named the most beautiful bookstore in the world by National Geographic and it was easy to see why. The stage has been turned into a cafe and the ceiling has a beautiful frescoed dome. The entire place is also surrounded by intricate balconies. It looked just like the fancy Broadway theatres I have seen in New York. I am glad I stopped by even though I had no interest in buying a book. read more
This was one of the most crowded but beautiful bookstores I've visited in all my travels. The bookstore took over a former theatre and left much of the splendid design and architecture in place and seemed successful in merging both. The stage was turned into a cafe that was busy that afternoon. It served coffee and light dishes. As others pointed out, the second floor was one of the best locations to take the views all in and take photos. It also was slightly less crowded upstairs but also had some seating to relax and read a book. The ground floor was best for the views up to the painted ceiling. I stayed for less than 20 minutes. read more
1 year ago
This bookstore is amazing. What was a theater has transformed into a bookstore. Voted in 2019 as the world's most beautiful bookstore by National Geographic. Our trip leader dropped those of us interested in seeing it. We were to made our own way back to our hotel. We only went in to take our obligatory picture as did many others. The 2d floor provided the best spot. After taking several shots we made our way out. There is bathroom facility if needed. read more
You don't really need me to tell you to come here right? The fact that you're checking this Yelp means you're debating it - well don't debate just show up. It's worth it. This is one of the most beautiful bookstores you're ever going to see and it's located in Buenas Aires cosmopolitan area so you can indulge in some retail therapy. My pictures will do it no justice. read more
5 months ago
What can you say about El Ataneo the most spectacular beautiful bookstore in the world named by National Geographic. Loved roaming thru all the floors so divine and the reading nooks throughout. One of my favorite places in Buenos Aires. read more
5 months ago
The architecture is spectacular. The gift store prices are outrageous. A 4" x 4" notebook was $80 each. Check prices before getting in line to checkout. The café is not good at all. They dont know how to make ice cofffees...very bland and no taste. read more
3 years ago
Impressive bookstore in what used to be a beautiful theater. The boxes at the end of the balconies are for reading. There is a coffeeshop in the back to relax and enjoy the atmosphere with a yummy pastries. read more
A little impressed at first, but then not really impressed. 71.2% (2020) of books are sold online, physical bookstores seem on the decline, closing than opening. Another stat is North America has 32.9% of the world book market (2021). This bookstore is in Barrio Norte. The theater opened in 1919, with 1050 seating. The converted bookstore was opened in 2000s, the stage is now a cafe. According to wikipedia, it sold 700,000 books in 2007 and 1 million people visit it annually. It made some waves in 2008 and 2019. But isn't that impressive. Old, in a sense that it needs repair. Big tour buses park outside is a huge turn off. A Korean group was there. They juggling for photo ops, and chit chat rather loudly ... this kind of behavior just not mesh with a bookstore. Beside, how many of them will buy a Spanish language book? Tranquility is what a bookstore needs. read more
2 years ago
A book lover's dream! An old theatre converted into an absolutely enormous bookstore and cafe. I couldn't shopped here for a full day! read more
3 years ago
As a booklover there is something magical about seeing such a beautiful place filled with books but beyond the building and the natural beauty of books to a booklover it is a mediocre bookstore. It lacks the well thought out displays I love about independent bookstores and while there were a vast number of categories of books, the books within those catergories were disorganized. I was looking for manga and poetry while I was there. The manga series were not in numerical order and the poetry was all a jumble with the same copy of books on different shelves. I was willing to sift through the titles to find what I was looking for but when I sat to try and look through the bottom two shelves an employee informed me I couldn't sit on the floor. I have no idea how anyone would possibly find a slim volume of poetry on the bottommost shelf without sitting down. I love a nice bookstore cafe and this one had the set up for a great one being set on the stage but the area was just a collection of standard tables and chairs. I did appreciate that some of the original stage lighting mechanisms were still there but beyond that if you weren't looking out into the main bookstore area you'd think you were in a bland cafe lacking much character. I did appreciate that the prices didn't seem steep in the cafe, that the cafe's wait staff was amazing, and that the staff didn't seem concerned if you only made a small purchase. Overall its worth visiting but if you are looking to shop for books there are several more on that same block alone that lack the beauty but have far more character and better books. read more
This is an amazing bookstore housed in a repurposed old palatial theater. The architecture and lavish decor and maybe the cafe are the main attraction for anyone not looking for books in Spanish. However being a huge bookstore they don't necessarily have everything - we were looking for a particular book in paperback but they only had it in hardcover. read more
El Ateneo Gran Splendid was very interesting to say the least. So apparently this was an old theatre that was repurposed as a pretty eclectic bookstore. They have about four levels including the ground level that are chock full of books on all sorts of topics in the Spanish language. They also have a pretty good cafe on the ground floor where you can get all the staple Argentinian cafe items if you are in the mood for a coffee, latte, alfajor or empanada. Truthfully I prefer for these types of structures to be retained for their original purpose (if at all possible) but I guess if it is between tearing something historical apart or repurposing, I think they really did it justice in making this a bookstore as it was tastefully done. Pretty sure this is one of the largest and best bookstores in Buenos Aires, so unless you are looking for something niche, this is the bookstore to visit, peruse and possibly try out your Spanish with some of the other visitors at the Cafe! I highly recommend that you walk if you are staying in the area as parking is very problematic; however, if walking is not your thing or you are not in the area you should catch an UBER or take a taxi. UBER is better as no need to haggle on the fare. Driving and parking in Buenos Aires especially in this district can be very challenging. If you plan on visiting the bookstore, plenty of other things to see in that local area so you may want to plan to hang out for a bit and do a little exploring. Wishing you all a great time in Argentina, be safe and happy exploring. Bonne chance mes amis! read more
7 years ago
Indeed the most beautiful bookstore in the world!! Old theater converted to a bookstore, if you like to read this is your spot. I walked to this bookstore from Panamericano Hotel Buenos Aires, its not to far. It has several levels with stairs and a elevator. Its amazing place to browse and just relax a few. They have a small section of English books. Very similar to Barnes & Noble in the US. They do have a coffees shop. This should be on your list of must sees in BA. read more
3 years ago
Translates to "The Athenaeum". A grand bookstore that use to be a historical theater in Buenos Aires on the famous Ave Sante Fe shopping street. The architecture of the store is phenomenal but most of the books written in Spanish is just like browsing a mega book store in cities world wide. read more
I had heard about this bookstore that use to an ex-theatre which eventually got converted. The lay out is beautiful. The ambiance and décor is phenomenal. There are multiple floors and there is a café towards the rear of the bookstore. The collection is extensive and there are plenty of employees with work stations who can assist you in finding what you're looking for. Also there are several body guards keeping a close eye on all the customers. I didn't think stealing books was such a priority. I did spend a good amount of time in the travel section as I wanted books about history of Argentina and several other destinations. After purchasing our books, we went to the café to enjoy some local coffee and sweet treats. If you are touring Buenos Aires, then I definitely recommend to pay a visit to this one of a kind bookstore. read more
7 years ago
Classic Theater turned Book store, a must see while in Buenos Aires. Come in stroll through check out the books, records, cd's yup they still have those. There's a coffee shop up on the stage, which still has the grand curtains, and switches. You can pick a book and cozy up in one of the many balconies to read. Take in the ceiling it has an amazing fresco. It's just an amazing piece of history read more
Ahh, the smell of books, paper and magazines, a rarity nowadays. I had the same nostalgic sensory experience after walking into our local Barnes & Noble back home. THE STORE: Opened in 1919 as the Teatro Gran Splendid, the 1,050-capacity theater was transformed into a bookstore in 2000. When you enter, it's pretty obvious what the place used to be. Bookshelves have taken the place of seats on the main floor and in the box/balcony areas. The stage has been turned into a cafe complete with tables and chairs. Another large area of retail was underground but we didn't explore. OVERALL: Check it out if you're nearby but I wouldn't go out of your way to do so. read more
The BEST Bookstore in the world. If you like to read and love architecture, this is the place to be. I spent legit like 3 hours in here. It's 3-4 floors of great reads and every type of book you could want. Heaven for me. If you speak spanish or are learning, there's obviously a great selection. And for the normies who don't speak Spanish, there's options for you too. read more
Very cool! If you are in the area it is worth stopping by this bookstore. It used to be an old theatre that was converted and it is huge. If you are looking for a book I imagine they would have it because it is multiple levels and full of books. You can also find games, note pads, postcards, etc. Very similar to a Barnes & Noble in the US. read more
7 years ago
7 years ago
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11 years ago
What a gem!!! Perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon. Grab a book, "submarino" and get lost. read more
9 years ago
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11 years ago
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More info about El Ateneo
Av. Santa Fe 1860
C1123AAN Buenos Aires
Argentina
Recoleta
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El Ateneo - libraries - Updated June 2026
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