Besides the fact that you are able to easily find the book, cd or dvd that you are looking for, the…read morebook stores of Saraiva are well organized and a nice atmosphere. A lot of Saraiva stores have a catering corner where you can enjoy a good cup of coffee and a 'pastel'. The online store is also a good option to buy your stuff on the internet.

This is a fantastic book store with unique interior architecture and wonderful kids section which…read moreyou can get lost in, right in the heart of downtown. I love the kitchenette for food demos to promote culinary books and the stage for live music or story telling. The children's area had tons of great books, one author we stayed with in São Paulo, who specializes in children's books on dinosaurs. They also have a huge selection of toys, stuffed animals, fluffy backpacks and more. We didn't get a chance to check out the cafe but will try and stop by next time we're in the area, since we heard it was good. Unfortunately we weren't able to find the papeleria even though it's listed in the directory on the maps. But otherwise, it's a very fun bookstore with wide open spaces and plenty of nooks to stop and check out a book.

What can I say....I love bookstores, so of course I had to check out Livraria Cultura after moving…read moreto Rio. I was a fan of the one in Sao Paulo, and I am a fan of the one here -- the former movie theater turned bookstore is a great building with a wide array of titles, CDs, movies, kid's section (I'm kind of envious of the cool wooden dragon skeleton - some adults might enjoy chilling in one of those with a book, too! haha....) -- and a cafe on the top floor to give you your caffeine fix to go with your love of books. Drop by! And stick around for a few hours - and be careful how much you might end up spending...