Books sorted by mood rather than genre, knitting to an audiobook or art books tucked away in a hidden courtyard: Cologne’s bookshops have much more to offer than just bestsellers.
Readings and events add to the mix – and you can even sip a freshly made coffee while leisurely flicking through the books.
- Manulit
- Litty
- Der andere Buchladen
- Buchsalon Ehrenfeld
- Kalker Buchladen
- artbooks store
- TASCHEN
- Buchhandlung Walther König
- BUNT Antiquariat
Manulit
Right in the heart of the Belgian Quarter, manulit is a small bookshop with a fresh, new concept. Instead of being sorted by genre, the books are grouped into themed sections such as “New Horizons”, “Pearls” and “Reality”. “Everyone comes into the shop in a certain mood – perhaps without even realising it – and lets themselves be guided by our personally curated themes, each reflecting a different reading mood or motivation,” says Sophia Bahl from manulit. These range from suspense and inspiration to self-improvement, laughter and simply reading for entertainment.
If you like discovering different perspectives, you can join one of 5 book clubs or take part in one of the many events. On 10 December 2026, for example, new.lit will be taking place for the 7th time – a reading event showcasing previously unpublished texts and their authors.
The cherry on top: There’s a little café right inside the shop, complete with a comfy armchair for chilling out, cappuccino fresh from the espresso machine and a warming chai latte.
Address: Limburger Str. 37, 50672 Cologne
Opening hours: Mon–Thu and Sat 10 am–7 pm; Fri 10 am–8 pm
Litty
Small but brilliantly curated: litty bookshop in Südstadt packs plenty into a tiny space. From Spiegel bestsellers to under-the-radar literary gems, there’s lots to discover. A particular strength is its selection of feminist literature and books by marginalised authors. And the winding book display deserves at least as much attention as the books on it. Still looking for your next read? The shop’s own WhatsApp channel has plenty of recommendations.
Nice extras: Alongside readings, litty hosts cosy events such as “Knit & Novel“, where people get together to knit while listening to an audiobook. Summer evenings and Christmas get-togethers are also part of the programme.
Address: Kurfürstenstr. 29, 50678 Cologne
Opening hours: Tue–Fri 11 am–7 pm; Sat 10 am–3 pm
Der andere Buchladen
Der andere Buchladen has its roots in the late 1960s, when students founded a shop called “Das politische Buch” (The Political Book) to make critical works, by the likes of Hannah Arendt and Simone de Beauvoir, available. Today, its shelves include non-fiction on history, sociology, philosophy and politics, including books from countries across Africa, Latin America and Asia – plenty to spark conversation and debate. The 2 branches also occasionally host events, mainly readings but sometimes concerts and exhibition openings too.
Our tip: On the first Wednesday of every month, the Feminist Book Club organised by Melanchthon Akademie meets at the Südstadt branch. There’s also a FLINTA (–for women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender people) reading group as well as another book club in Sülz.
Address: Cologne-Sülz: Weyertal 32, 50937 Cologne & Cologne-Südstadt: Ubierring 42, 50678 Cologne
Opening hours: Mon–Fri 10 am–6 pm; Sat 10 am–2 pm (Südstadt)/3 pm (Sülz)
Buchsalon Ehrenfeld
The shop now known as Buchsalon Ehrenfeld was formerly known as “Der andere Buchladen Wahlenstraße” and first opened its doors back in the 1970s. Its main focus is fiction and children’s books, but political and philosophical non-fiction also has a special place on the shelves.
Regular readings and book presentations cover a wide range of topics. And the bookshop has won awards for its work too: in 2023, it received the German Bookshop Award in the “Outstanding Bookshops” category for the 3rd time.
Big plus: If you’re not in the mood for yet another bestseller, you’ve come to the right place. Thanks to its partnership with Büchergilde Gutenberg – Germany’s last remaining book club of its kind – the shop offers a distinctive selection that goes well beyond the mainstream.
Address: Wahlenstr. 1, 50823 Cologne
Opening hours: Mon–Fri 10 am–7 pm; Sat 10 am–4 pm
Kalker Buchladen
More than just a bookshop, Kalker Buchladen sees itself as a place for community, participation and diversity. Run by a non-profit company, it brings people together through books. You’ll find fiction, non-fiction and multilingual literature, alongside a dedicated children’s section. The programme includes free readings, often with a focus on social and political issues. Some events even feature live music.
Beyond the shop: Kalker Buchladen regularly takes part in cultural projects, including this year’s European Literature Festival Cologne-Kalk (ELK) and Black History Month, bringing different perspectives into the mix.
Address: Kalker Hauptstr. 170, 51103 Cologne-Kalk
Opening hours: Mon–Fri 10 am–7 pm; Sat 10.30 am–6 pm
artbooks store
Tucked away in an idyllic courtyard in Deutz, the artbooks store does exactly what its name promises. Its shelves are mainly devoted to books exploring art in all its forms – from painting and design to photography and architecture. The selection also includes a range of children’s books. “We think their beautiful illustrations make them a wonderful addition to our selection of art books,” says the artbooks team. If you love a good browse, keep an eye out for the warehouse sale: 2 to 3 times a year, a wide range of books is available at reduced prices. The next sale runs from 11 to 12 December 2026.
Our recommendation: The books & art exhibition series is currently back for its 4th edition, featuring Special Editions by contemporary artists.
Address: Deutzer Freiheit 107, 50679 Cologne
Opening hours: Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm
TASCHEN
Just before his 19th birthday, Benedikt Taschen opened a 25-square-metre bookshop in Cologne in 1980, just around the corner from today’s TASCHEN store. It began as a tiny comic-book shop and grew into an internationally renowned publishing house specialising in high-quality art books. A key moment came in 1984, when Taschen bought 40,000 copies of an English-language book on René Magritte and resold them at an affordable price. Today, TASCHEN has stores in cities including London, Paris and Miami. But its Cologne roots remain.
Art takes centre stage: Every now and then, the store itself becomes a meeting place for the art scene. In 2024, for example, Walton Ford and Anton Corbijn stopped by to sign their books.
Address: Neumarkt 3, 50667 Cologne
Opening hours: Mon–Sat 11 am–7 pm
Buchhandlung Walther König
You might not find the latest BookTok sensation at Buchhandlung Walther König, but across 2 floors you’ll find books on art, fashion, photography, design and architecture, including some real gems. There are branches in many German cities as well as further afield in London, Paris, Milan and Vienna. It’s a great spot for anyone who likes to explore the more niche corners of the book world.
Worth a look: The interior is at least as creative as the books themselves. Books fill huge shelves, lie on stairs and displays or simply hang on the walls. It’s the kind of place where you’ll happily linger and see where your browsing takes you.
Address: Ehrenstr. 4, 50672 Cologne
Opening hours: Mon–Sat 10 am–6 pm
BUNT Antiquariat
This modern second-hand bookshop has a huge selection spread across around 300 square metres, with books showing minor blemishes or signs of storage available at bargain prices. You’ll even find bestsellers on many reading lists, such as Lázár by rising star Nelio Biedermann and novels by Caroline Wahl. Prefer the classics? There’s Kafka, Jane Austen and much more. Also the selection is constantly changing.
The large children’s section, complete with a play area, has books for all ages, from picture books to The Three Investigators. The shop is also popular with creators from the BookTok scene, TikTok’s community of book lovers.
And there’s more: Alongside books, you’ll also find postcards, small design objects and gift ideas.
Address: Breite Str. 161–167, 50667 Cologne
Opening hours: Mon–Thu 10 am–7 pm; Fri–Sat 10 am–7.30 pm
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