The tiny town of Urueña (population 200) stands on a hill in the province of Castile and Léon, a couple of hours drive north of Madrid and a little way off the main highway.  Although it’s a pretty, picturesque place with its medieval walls, stone houses, and narrow streets, Urueña has one particular and very special distinction.  It’s a Villa del Libro, a town with an unusually high concentration of bookshops.  To be exact, Urueña has twelve – one bookshop for every sixteen inhabitants.

“Book towns” – magnets for bibliophiles like me – are nothing new.  You can find them in many countries around the world, though most are in Europe. They even have their own international organization.  Few are as charming as Urueña.  I loved my short stop there recently.