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BLOG | January 8 2019

10 of the World’s Best Book Towns

We believe that exposing yourself to different cultures and art forms will enrich both your professional and personal life. It stimulates you with new ideas and ways of understanding the world and helps you reach a healthy work/life balance. This month, @SUPERGREYBEARD is sharing some of the best book towns in the world via – @GUARDIAN. You can […]

We believe that exposing yourself to different cultures and art forms will enrich both your professional and personal life. It stimulates you with new ideas and ways of understanding the world and helps you reach a healthy work/life balance.

This month, @SUPERGREYBEARD is sharing some of the best book towns in the world via – @GUARDIAN. You can read the original article here.


Catalonia, Spain 

Small villages are the perfect locations for book towns. Just 90kms outside of Barcelona, Catalonia’s population is enthusiastic about welcoming book-loving visitors to its medieval centre

On the first weekend in June, Catalonia holds a festival where several homes around the village are turned into secondhand shops temporarily. Creative writing workshops and family weekends which have suggested reading lists, treasure hunts, and craft sessions. 

And there are plans for expansion with four more book towns opening before 2020. 

Lucas Daglio and Guada Boocles, Catalonia, Spain
Lucas Daglio and Guada Boocles, Catalonia, SpaiLucas Daglio and Guada Boocles, Catalonia, Spain

Paju, South Korea

Paju Book City is a member of the International Organisation of Book Towns where it only has bookshops, book cafes and publishers. Nothing else. All members of the community’s primary focus is on publishing, selling and promoting Korean books. 

Paju is divided into three zones; a publishing district, a printing district, and a support district. Each year, Paju host the “Booksori Book Festival” which welcomes nearly half a million visitors. 

The Forest of Wisdom in Paju has towering eight-metre-high shelves and over 50,000 donated books.

Forest of Wisdom Library, Paju, South Korea
Forest of Wisdom Library, Paju, South Korea

Gold Cities, California, USA

Gold Cities Book Town was set up in 1997 by local book folk; Gary Stollery and John Hardy. The town fell between two main locations – Grass Valley and Nevada City.

Booktown Books opened it’s doors in 1998 and was established by a group of dealers. The co-operative expanded over time and by 2005 Booktown Books operated from a two-storey building. 

Booktown Books co-operative in Grass Valley, California, USA
Booktown Books co-operative in Grass Valley, California, USA

Patrick Delaney, Managing Partner, SoolNua

Patrick Delaney

Managing Partner

www.SoolNua.com