Mexico City for Booklovers: A Literary Guide by Local Readers

Mexico City is a dream destination for readers, writers, and literary travelers. This Mexico City for Booklovers guide brings together unmissable places for booklovers visiting CDMX, carefully selected by local readers who truly know the city’s bookstores, libraries, and literary landscape.

Curated by Ciudad Literaria, this list highlights spaces where books, history, and the city come together—perfect for anyone planning a literary journey through Mexico City:

Biblioteca de México: A Historic Reader’s Paradise in Mexico City

Located inside La Ciudadela, the Biblioteca de México is our top essential library in the city. While many visitors head straight to the famous Vasconcelos Library—and it is worth seeing—this historic library offers a deeper, more intimate literary experience. Housed in an 18th-century building, it features vast reading rooms, cultural programming, and the personal libraries of major Mexican intellectuals, including renowned chronicler Carlos Monsiváis. It is a place to read, research, and understand Mexico’s literary heritage from the inside.

📍 De la Ciudadela 4, Centro Histórico, Mexico City

Casa Rivas Mercado — A Literary Museum Dedicated to a Woman of Letters

Photo by: Casa Rivas Mercado

Casa Rivas Mercado is one of the most extraordinary literary museums in Mexico City. Dedicated to writer, cultural promoter, and patron of the arts Antonieta Rivas Mercado, this historic house honors a woman who played a crucial role in Mexico’s artistic and intellectual life during the early 20th century. Visiting the house offers insight into women’s contributions to literature and culture, often overlooked in traditional narratives, making it a powerful stop for readers interested in literary history and gender perspectives.

📍 Héroes 45, Colonia Guerrero, Mexico City

Literary Tours for Booklovers — Reading Mexico City Through Books with Ciudad Literaria

No literary trip to Mexico City is complete without joining the Ciudad Literaria walking tours. Inspired by books, authors, and urban stories, these tours take participants to the most beautiful—and often hidden—libraries in the city, as well as bookstores that most people don’t even know exist, some of which are not usually open to the public. If it’s your first time in CDMX, the Historic Center literary route is highly recommended: a journey through centuries of stories, writers, and book culture that will leave you endlessly inspired.

📍 Book a literary tour: ciudadliteraria.com.mx/eventos

Bosque de Chapultepec — Literary Corners in the City’s Green Heart

Beyond being one of the largest urban parks in the world, Bosque de Chapultepec hides beautiful literary corners. Among them is the Fuente del Quijote, a sculptural fountain inspired by Cervantes’ classic, perfect for reflective pauses. Nearby, the Porrúa bookstore by the lake combines books with scenic views. Inside the Museo Nacional de Antropología, few visitors realize there is an outstanding specialized library—an essential space for readers interested in history, anthropology, and culture. Chapultepec invites booklovers to slow down and read the city at a different pace.

📍 Primera Sección del Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City

Tetetlán — Mexican Cuisine Surrounded by Books

Photo by: Tetetlán

For booklovers who enjoy blending literature with gastronomy, Tetetlán is a must. This impressive Mexican restaurant, located in a former lava-stone house designed by architect Luis Barragán, features a specialized art library integrated into the dining experience. It is an ideal place to enjoy traditional cuisine while being surrounded by books on art, architecture, and culture—an unexpected literary stop beyond traditional libraries and bookstores.

📍 Av. de las Fuentes 180, Jardines del Pedregal, Mexico City

Librería Niña Oscura — A Hidden Treasure for True Bibliophiles

While travelers often visit famous chain bookstores like El Péndulo, we recommend exploring second-hand and antiquarian bookstores. Librería Niña Oscura, located in Santa María la Ribera, one of the city’s most bookish neighborhoods, is a true hidden gem. With more than 100,000 books, this legendary used bookstore feels magical and endless, offering rare editions and unexpected discoveries that reward patient browsing.

📍 Santa María la Ribera, Mexico City

With this carefully curated list, you can discover Mexico City through books—walking its streets, entering its libraries, and uncovering hidden reading spots that reveal the city’s many layers. From essential libraries and independent bookstores to literary museums and unexpected bookish spaces, this guide was created by local readers to help you experience CDMX in a deeper, more meaningful way. Whether it’s your first visit or a return journey, this is your invitation to plan the perfect literary trip to Mexico City, where stories and place are inseparable.