L’Ornitorinco
Via di Camaldoli 10
L’Ornitorinco is a pastel-colored bookstore named after the platypus, that seemingly surreal animal that both lays eggs and nurses its young. Enter and you’ll immediately feel at home in this space that is, much like the animal it’s named for, a bit of a pastiche of several different things: a bookshop, a cafe, exhibit space, and event venue for local arts. Owners Lilith and Giuditta call their bookshop “a courtesan of culture, although there are great loves to which it will always remain faithful.” They continue, “Here, there is no need for competition. This is a place of sharing, exchange, and discovery that is a refuge and, at the same time, a seaport for all people of sentiment and goodwill.”
The space isn’t just multidisciplinary, it’s a true hub of community gathering. L’Ornitorinco hosts various events, from talks with authors and emerging publishers to slam poetry performances and photography exhibitions. There’s also a reading group, born from the inspiration of the two aforementioned booksellers, called GOL (which is an acronym for gli ornitorinco leggono–platypuses read). Every third Monday of the month, like-minded readers discuss a title they read in the previous weeks and mobilize to choose another one based on a monthly-changing theme.
Todo Modo
Via dei Fossi 15
Taking the concept of having a thirst for knowledge literally, Todo Modo is an international bookstore with its own bistro and wine bar. Walk through the doors and you’ll be greeted by the sweet smell of wine and fine paper. Walk to the back of the first room to enter the second, the real heart of the establishment. Choose between several small tables by the bar or the Scandinavian-inspired wooden staircase/desks, surrounded by bookshelves for every genre. Todo Modo’s own publishing house also releases texts, always eye-catching with vivid covers and elegant illustrations. A reading room, referred to by the owners as teatro (theater), is also often used as a venue for meetings, screenings, and concerts, as well as workshops and seminars. Similar events can also be found at Libri e-lettrici, their outpost at Manifattura Tabacchi, where they also repair vintage books. (At the old tobacco factory, you can also find Bentō Bar, a Japanese gastropub created by the booksellers, a breath of fresh air in the landscape of omnipresent Florentine fare.)
Todo Modo doesn’t just stop there, though–they also curate a regular column for La Repubblica Firenze called “belli da leggere” (beautiful to read), and host a radio show, “Radio Gridolini” for Testo Firenze literary festival. It seems there’s nothing that owners Pietro and Maddalena can’t do, and do well.
Libreria Alice
Viale Lavagnini 72
Since April, 2022 independently-run Libreria Alice–a luminous shop with large windows and ample natural light–has been in The Social Hub creative complex. Owner Caterina explains that the main objective of the bookstore is to give visibility to small publishing companies and their authors, and Libreria Alice goes beyond literature to also focus on political discourse. It’s a place that emphasizes inclusivity and is considered the primary LGBTQ+ and feminist bookstore in Florence, serving as a reference point for many. This has attracted essayists, educators, activists, and other individuals who consider it a hub for discussion and a platform for constructive dialogue. An open space that collaborates with numerous diverse organizations for talks, events, and workshops on a daily basis, Libreria Alice encourages visitors to express their thoughts freely, to engage in constructive discussions, and to, first and foremost, be themselves.
Caterina also collaborates with another favorite Florentine literary haunt, La Brac. She now sells their plant cuttings and hosts small workshops on plant care. During the month of June–pride month–Caterina will be busier than ever, working on various queer-friendly events around the city. You can stay to date with all their activities on Instagram.
Malaparte
Via dell’Agnolo 30R
Spacious and well-stocked, Malaparte was opened in October, 2022 by husband and wife duo Filippo and Chiara–the former a writer, the latter a translator. They explain that the name of the bookstore, which means “evil”, stems from their desire to position themselves on the “wrong side” of literature, which doesn’t necessarily mean going against the current, but rather an eagerness to explore different perspectives.
The environment at Malaparte is warm and welcoming, with books arranged on pastel green wooden shelves. There’s a section dedicated to children’s literature, and there are two book clubs: one entirely focused on mystery novels, called Detective che vorresti conoscere (Detective You Would Like to Meet), and another centered around fiction, Club Mala.
Chiara shares that she and Filippo chose the neighborhood of Sant’Ambrogio because they believed it could be a place of creation, community, and exchange. Their goal is to establish the bookstore as a center that fosters connections among the local community–and it’s a goal that seems achievable with their busy calendar of events, full of book presentations, translation discussions, and publishing-related meetings.
La Piccola Farmacia Letteria
Via Ripoli 7R
La Piccola Farmacia Letteraria is the brainchild of two booksellers and two psychologists–Elena Molini, Chiara Pauletto, Ester Molini, and Deborah Sergiampietri–a team that wanted to create a space where people could feel safe to go for mental health questions and be able to access the appropriate resources. After careful research, the colleagues established a veritable compendium that guides customers to select books according to their needs, on topics ranging from insecurity to nostalgia to self-love. La Piccola Farmacia Letteria’s entire catalog covers 80 mental health themes. Upon entering, grab a map and, based on word prompts drawn from jars, determine the path through the bookstore that suits you best. Additionally, the bookstore occasionally organizes events and specialist talks.
