I would love to meet the team that thought of making an old Opera House [Grand Splendid Theatre…read morefrom 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.

While out with friends, I took them up on the opportunity to stop by this bookstore with a unique…read morehistory 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.

This is my favorite bookstore in Buenos Aires. They have a huge variety of books and display them…read morewell. You can browse and discover books you'd never find on Amazon. I even discovered British and American authors I did not know. But I especially loaded up on Spanish language books related to Argentina. The staff is very friendly and welcoming.

Cuando in Buenos Aires...you better go to Libros del Pasaje. It is comfortable to bring your…read moreMacbook to. The WiFi can be overloaded at some times and therefore it might make you have to leave. However, the service is amazing and the Campari con Jugo de Naranje es muy rico.