The Shop

Livraria Esperança is one of the local shops dedicated to the commercialisation of books with the most historic background. It occupies a distinctive place in the national cultural paradigm being considered one of the biggest bookshops in Portugal.
It is currently based on an old palace, factor which explains the exquisiteness and the luxurious details of the building such as the gilded wood roofs, the white stucco and part of the original pavement from the restoration campaign of the late XIX and early XX century. In the exterior, characteristics from the construction work campaigns of the mid and late XVIII century can be found. The bookshop’s entrance flaunts the 1930’s iron gates which belonged to the Quartel do Colégio, a construction found on the other side of the street.
Livraria Esperança is recommended by several external entities, websites and other advertisement media as a must-visit spot if the city.

Shop History

The primitive bookshop, founded by Jacintho Figueira in 1886, occupied all the area between Travessa do Nascimento, Travessa do Forno, Ferreiros Street and the current 5th of October Street (then known as Príncipe Street, the name was changed after the implementation of the Republic in 1910).
In 1914, the bookshop and typography Esperança moved to Alfândega Street and in 1973 moved again to their current facilities in Ferreiros Street, 119 along with a 12.000 different book stock.
In 1991, the public utility Livraria Esperança Foundation was created. It distributes half of the revenue by offering books to children in Madeira, having as a goal the dissemination of reading habits.
In 1996, Livraria Esperança acquired an old palace from Carvalhal family in Ferreiros Street, 154 to 162. The building was in front of their facilities and there were stored and made available 40 000 different books displayed by the cover. The branch space was successively enlarged, currently having 1200 m2.
In 2012, Jorge Figueira de Sousa won the Special Bookseller Prize, one of the LER/Booktailors Edition Prizes.

Products and Services

Livraria Esperança Foundation offers an array of books displayed by the cover to their clients. Several book editions are no longer found in any of the other bookshop in Portugal.

Business Hours

Additional information:

Shop closed on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.

Contacts

Parish: Funchal (São Pedro)
Address: Rua Ferreiros 156 , 9000-082 Funchal
Postal Code: 9000-082 Funchal
291221116
geral@livraria-esperanca.pt
https://www.facebook.com/FundacaoLivrariaEsperanca/
https://www.facebook.com/FundacaoLivrariaEsperanca/

General Data

Main activity: Bookstores, tobacco shop and Stationer’s
Opening Year: 1886
Main Code of Economic Activity (CAE): 47610