The Guardian has ranked El Ateneo in Recoleta as the ‘second most beautiful bookshop in the world’ (so you know, Polare in Masstricht was first at the time, though now I see it’s closed… hmm, so where does that leave El Ateneo I wonder?). Apart from its enormous proportions – 2000 square metres – it retains the theatrical staging of its origins, including dramatic crimson curtains, tiers of intact theatre boxes (now a great spot for a quiet read), lavish ornate ceiling frescoes and a lush golden hue to the whole interior, as if just before curtain-up.
It’s housed in the old Belle Époque Teatro Grand Splendid (1919) on the equally grand and splendid Avenida Santa Fe which looks like Madrid meets Paris meets New York – the fusion of architecture and space that’s so emblematic of Buenos Aires.
Over 1 million people pass through El Ateneo year each year buying over 700,000 books… not surprisingly there are few English language books on sale (not even a pocket Spanish English dictionary, sold out – Ant), but who cares, this is one hell of a grand bookshop!
Travels With My Ant 
Wow – divina!
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Wish you were here with us darling! xxx
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We loved BA! It is amazing – especially loved Recoleta – stayed at the Park Plaza on the second visit which was soooooo camp! Do try and go over to Montevideo if you have time. Catch the ferry – worth a look! And, if you are flying out of Santiago then catch the bus back across the Andes – via Mendoza – and visit the puma at the zoo – great shoe buying there too – Loving your journey – we have just returned from Melbourne – no comparison! Hugz Sx Ix
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We are loving it here as you can imagine. We may even moving here Sheila….so easy and oh so cheap! We are nipping over next week to Colonia in Uruguay for a couple of days, have a friend coming over from Syd for our mutual birthdays. We’re here for another 7 weeks (!) and living in the most enormous Casa Chorizo apartment in San Telmo. It’s heaven. xxx
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😘💕
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LOVE TED TOWN!
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