If you’re visiting Florence with your family and hoping to pick up a book or two for your kids, or you just want to explore a bookshop with them, check out my list below.
I’m a mamma of three living here in Tuscany and although we use Kindles, my boys enjoy picking out new books. And, since we speak English and Italian in our house, I’m always on the hunt for English books in Florence.
Below, I’ve listed our top 5 bookstores in Florence that have English books for kids. I’m not listing all of Florence’s bookshops. These are bookstores I go to with my kids because they have a decent selection in English and they’re interesting stops for little ones.
So, head to one of these Florence bookstores to browse the children’s book section, choose a souvenir, or buy a gift for a friend or family member back home.
Happy reading!
In a Hurry? Visit:
Todo Modo Dilà – unique local bookshop that kids love spending time in
Paperback Exchange – best selection of English-language books for kids
Uffizi Gallery Gift Shop – best selection of art-focused English-language books for kids
Table of Contents
Map of Bookstores to Visit in Florence with Kids
Todo Modo Dilà
Via dei Serragli, 18r
This place is a gem. It’s the children’s version of the Todo Modo bookshop, and it’s a place your kids will love to spend time in. Located in the Oltrarno (the ‘other’ side of the Arno River), it’s a wonderful place to bring your kids. My boys (ages 3, 6, 9) all enjoy the shop – it’s uniquely decorated and there are plenty of places to explore and sit down to read a book.
Good To Know: When you shop at Todo Modo Dilà (and the Paperback Exchange, listed below), you’re supporting a local shop!
Giunti Odeon Libreria e Cinema
Piazza degli Strozzi, 3-5-7
The Odeon used to be the main cinema in the center of Florence, and it’s been transformed into a multi-use space, with a café, bookshop, and cinema.
You can browse the kids’ book section (large selection of Italian books, small selection of English books) and then grab a snack or drink and enjoy it upstairs in the cinema seats that overlook the bookshop floor.
This is a unique experience for little ones and a fun stop.
RED Feltrinelli
Piazza della Repubblica, 26-27-28-29r
This is the large Feltrinelli (chain) bookstore in Piazza della Repubblica. Take the elevator or stairs up to the 1st floor and browse the small and colorful children’s section. Here, RED has books in Italian and kids will enjoy browsing this section. RED does a great job of displaying books for holidays and special events throughout the year.
There’s also a small section on the ground floor with English books for kids (the main photo at the top of this article).
Helpful Tip: When you’re finished, head outside in Piazza della Repubblica and take a ride on the carousel.
The Paperback Exchange
Via dell’Oche, 4r
The Paperback Exchange is a compact but mighty English-language bookshop on a small street next to the Duomo. It’s got an excellent selection of books for adults, and a small but curated section of books for children in the back with little cushions for kids to sit on while looking at books. New and used books are for sale.
I rarely walk out of here without at least one book for my kids. The selection varies from classics that I read as a kid to Italian-focused books, and newer books for kids and young adults.
As the name suggests, you can bring in books you’ve already read and get a credit for new purchases.
Helpful Tip: Be really careful on this narrow street with kids. The sidewalks are almost non-existent and cars love to zoom by.
Good To Know: The Paperback Exchange is just across the street from Città del Sole, one of our favorite toy shops in Florence!
Uffizi Gallery
Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6
There are multiple shelves of books for kids in the Uffizi Gallery’s gift shop. Subjects include art and artists, of course, but you’ll also find plenty of books on Italian history, science, and nature.
The children’s books are grouped together by subject, not by language, so you’ll need to look for the English books.
Helpful Tip: There’s a bathroom attached to the gift shop.
Good To Know: The Uffizi gift shop is reached at the end of your visit to the Uffizi. If you don’t have a ticket, you should* still be able to enter to visit the book shop. Ask a staff member at the front entrance: “Io vorrei entrare nello shop, ma non ho un biglietto per il museo. Mi può aiutare?” [I would like to enter the shop, but I don’t have a ticket to the museum. Can you help me?]. You cannot simply walk through the back entrance – you need to go through security. *I’ve never had a problem doing this, but you could encounter someone who doesn’t want to help you enter without a ticket.
Other Places to Find Books for Kids in Florence
Città del Sole (Via dello Studio, 23r) – Italian-language books only, but they make good baby and toddler gifts
La Feltrinelli (Piazza della Stazione) – This bookshop/café is located inside the Florence SMN Train Station (on two levels, main entrance at train departure level); last I checked there were only Italian-language books for kids; manga section on the lower level
Museum Gift Shops – You can find English books for kids in many of Florence’s museum gift shops, but they’re usually limited to the museum’s works or themes (for example, the Accademia Gallery, Leonardo da Vinci Museum, and Galileo Museum. Our favorite museum gift shop for kids in Florence is the one in the Uffizi Gallery.
Oblate Library (Via dell’Oriuolo, 24) – Yes, it’s a library, so these books can’t be purchased, but if you simply want to take a break and read with your kids, the Bibiloteca delle Oblate has a great selection in many languages, including English. Bonus – You can change diapers or breastfeed in a special room in the kids section. And, there’s a café upstairs that’s got a great view (and it’s covered, so fine even on a rainy day).
Keep in Mind: You can find some of the books we have here at home too, either at your local bookstores or online. If you don’t want to carry heavy books around Italy, buying them at home is an alternative. However, there are plenty of books here that you likely can’t get at home.
