Behind a door inside a restaurant—the kind you could walk right past without imagining what lies behind it—is one of the most magical places in Guadalajara: the secret Strega bookstore.
Entering feels like crossing an invisible border. The noise of the city is left behind, and suddenly you are in an intimate space, with soft lighting and a pace that invites you to browse without haste.
This very special project is led by Guadalajara-based writer and cultural promoter Tessie Solinís Casparius, and it shows in every detail. Nothing is there by chance: each book was chosen with intention.
She herself runs the bookstore, which makes the experience incomparable, because she guides you with great care and shares her passion with you in a warm and honest way.
This is not a bookstore where you buy “what everyone else is reading,” but rather where you find that book you didn’t know you were looking for. A small act of resistance in these hurried times.
Strega, the secret bookstore in Guadalajara where books still have magic
Photos of Secret Guadalajara
The shelves hold real treasures: illustrated books and carefully selected editions, both for children and adults.
Some books are accessible, others rarer and more expensive, but they all share the quality of being multidimensional and inviting you to reflect a little more.
Strega also serves as a meeting place, with read-aloud sessions and workshops inspired by the books themselves.
A place for those who still believe in the magic of things well done. The secret bookstore Strega is located at Calle José María Vigil 2991, in Providencia.
It is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information, follow them on social media.
Photos by Guadalajara Secreta and Tess Solinís