On a recent trip in December 2011, my wife, a former Language Arts teacher, avid reader, and patron of bookstores around the world, coined El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the sweetest bookstore in the world.

Argentinians are avid readers, so it is logical that one of the grandest bookstores in the world would be in Buenos Aires.  El Ateneo Grand Splendid is located at 1860 Santa Fe Ave, formerly the Grand Splendid theater where the people from Buenos Aires enjoyed local great performers.  The building was built in 1919 by Italian architects  It has four rows of stage boxes, 500 seats, and a sliding roof.  The spectacular dome was painted by an Italian Painter, Nazareno Orlandi, whom I had never heard of before.  One of the friendly workers told me this artist was a master painter.  The paintings are an allegory of peace that combines mannerism and romanticism at the end of World War I.  It truly is a masterpiece of art and ranks up with some of the fantastic painted domes we have been fortunate to have seen in our travels.

As we say in Miami, this is the Grand Kawama of bookstores.  It is the largest bookstore in South America.   We enjoyed drinking a latte where the original stage once was that is now the Impresso Cafe bar.   They even have a menu del dia.  Heavy burgundy stage curtains hang from the ceiling.  There are stage boxes with small tables and wonderful armchairs for reading.  Years ago, we went downtown in Miami to the Dade County Main Library.  We were amazed at the street people in Miami sleeping in the chairs in the library.  If those Miami downtrodden would see these chairs in El Ateneo Grand Splendid, I believe they would claim squatters' rights and never leave this fabulous place.

Kids have their own space with books and toys in Ateneo Junior, while their folks read, buy books, or grab a bite or drink.

If you are fortunate enough to be in Buenos Aires, TheSmartTraveler highly recommends feasting your eyes on El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore.  It is located at 1860 Santa Fe Avenue and is open Monday through Saturday, 9am - 10pm, and Sunday, 12pm - 10pm.  It truly is the most unique bookstore in the world where you can enjoy a coffee and pastelito in the house where some of the most important culture celebrities, musicians, tango greats, and ballet companies once performed.  Although there are thousands of books here now, we still imagined that we were enjoying a performance in this fabulous theater it once was.

Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime