The ‘Sit down and read 2024’ initiative returns to Madrid for another year. An initiative that seeks to promote reading and commerce in local bookstores. In addition, this year it will have new benches shaped like books spread throughout the city.
In total, 26 book-shaped benches are placed in different locations in the city, while local bookstores, neighborhood libraries and the main commercial arteries of the capital are energized.
One of the large-scale books that pedestrians can sit in is 100 iconic recipes of Madrid with a stop at its markets, published by the City Council and which can be downloaded using a QR code engraved on the bench itself, located in Plaza de Santa Ana, from the Center district.
The other banks in the campaign are located in the following locations:
- Plaza de Callao: ‘The crack of silence’ by Javier Castillo.
- Plaza de Alonso Martínez: ‘Before December’ by Joana Marcús.
- Gran Vía, 29: ‘Harry Potter’ by J.K Rowling.
- Gran Vía with Alcalá: ‘Mafalda. All the Strips’of Quino.
- Puerta del Moro: ‘The nine kingdoms’ by Santiago Díaz.
- Fuencarral with Barceló: ‘10,000 miles to find you’ by Mercedes Ron.
- Seville Street with Alcalá: ‘Esnob’ by Elísabet Benavent.
- Calle de Huertas, 71: ‘Something that serves as light’ by Fernando Navarro.
- Plaza de la Prosperidad: ‘Love again your chaos and the friction of living’ by Albert Espinosa.
- Chamberí Square: ‘A wild animal’ by Joel Dicker.
- Raimundo Fernández de Villaverde with Cuatro Caminos: ‘Maker of Tears’ by Erin Doom.
- Avenida de Monforte de Lemos, in front of La Vaguada: ‘My name is Goa’ by Míriam Tirado.
- Entrance to the Caleido Shopping Center: ‘The forgotten son’ by Míkel Santiago.
- Princess Street: ‘Panties in the Sun’ by Regina Rodríguez.
- Plaza de Cibeles: ‘The final problem’ by Arturo Pérez-Reverte.
- Independence Square: ‘Rome is me / Damned Rome’ by Santiago Posteguillo.
- Entrance to the Paseo de Coches of El Retiro, gate of Madrid: ‘See you in August’ by Gabriel García Márquez.
- Entrance to El Retiro on Menéndez Pelayo Street: ‘All the King’s Men’ by Laura Gallego.
- Cuesta de Moyano with Atocha street: ‘Paris 2024’ by Francisco Ibáñez.
- Plaza de Felipe II: ‘Do not make mountains of grains of sand’ by Rafael Santandreu.
- Plaza de Colón – National Library: ‘The Germans’ by Sergio del Molino.
- Plaza de Colón with Jorge Juan Street: ‘The Cursed Countess’ by Reyes Monforte.
- Side of Paseo de la Castellana near Moda Shopping: ‘Anatomy of Evil’ by Jordi Wild.
- Cuzco Square: ‘Breaking the Ice’ by Hannah Grace.
- Alberto Palacios Paseo, next to the market: ‘Amanda Black 1’ by Juan Gómez-Jurado and Bárbara Montes.
‘Sit down to read 2024’ serves as an appetizer for the Madrid Book Fair, which will celebrate its 83rd edition between May 31 and June 16, 2024 in El Retiro Park.
