Books are sometimes a way to express yourself and allow others to learn more about you. However, they also create a comfort zone whenever you want to be on your own. When these are the alternative cases, it’s normal to search for the places that sell the perfect books for your taste.
We’ve listed some of the foreign language-friendly bookstores in Istanbul, perfect for first-time comers to the country.
Pandora
Although it gets confused with the famous jewelry brand, the bookstore Pandora welcomes its customers in its homely and cozy stores around the city. You can find many English books as well as other world languages. And, the books are not like basic language books but mostly in literature, art, and reference genres.
Pandora currently has three stores located in different parts of the city. One in Beyoglu might be the right spot for a visit since it’s in the most attractive district of Istanbul.
Homer
This bookstore is just positioned at the head of a historic street in Beyoglu. You may not be able to catch a sight first but when you find it among the lined historical buildings, try to absorb its unique ambience. Homer sells truly eclectic books for certainly refined book lovers.
The store is open is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and not available on weekends.
Robinson Crusoe
Another bookstore in Beyoglu is Robinson Crusoe as a part of SALT Galata, a cultural and art institute. There are many Turkish and other foreign languages as well as magazines. The bookstore also has a section dedicated to Turkish interest books. Visit their place in Beyoglu or shop online from their website.
The store is open between 12 a.m. to 7 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays and 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Assouline
Assouline is a world-renowned publishing house with a store in the city’s luxury part Bebek. The bookstore has a great selection of theme books such as art, design & architecture, fashion, travel, and more. Since it’s a high-end bookstore, prices are way higher than usual, but they’re certainly worth it if you like a lifetime and collectible books. Not to mention they make a great decoration as coffee table books around as well.
The Assouline store in Bebek is open between 10 a.m. till 7 p.m. every day except Sundays, which is available till 6 p.m.
