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Bookstore Love: The Midnight Browsers of Altroquando

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A brilliant little book store in Rome brings together the unexpected aspects of the Eternal City.

Bookstores like Altroquando are increasingly hard to find. Not only is this indie gem — located just behind Rome’s Piazza Navona — full of great books in a wide variety of languages but there’s also a fully fledged bar in the basement stocked with craft ales, wine and cocktails as well as cool people and tasty nibbles.  Altroquando is, in fact, a multi-dimensional creative hub that defies conventional categorisation: There’s live music, readings by authors and comedy shows and as long as the bar is open, so too is the bookshop. This means that you can browse great literature until 2AM every morning, while exercising your grey matter and social skills simultaneously.  
 
Michele Lacono has worked at Altroquando for many years and is the go-to-guy for the inside literary skinny
 
“This is a beautiful bookstore with curious and super interesting books, from essays to illustration. There’s a human dimension here that the big chains will never be able to offer.” Flavia


 
“For me Altroquando is the ideal bookstore. This is the sort of place that makes you wish you lived in Rome. Congratulations to the managers!” Nicole  

 
“There are great artisan beers here as well as a great selection of books. The place is usually full of interesting people and there are always great events themed around cinema and music.” Roberto
 
Print is not dead: Altroquando has created a culture around itself.

​“Altroquando is a real 360 degree space. It represents the way I would like to live.” Christopher


Altroquando boasts an atmospheric, distinctly cinematic and literary bar

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