10,000 Books in the Village — Bisceglie Book Town

Bisceglie, Italy's first Book Town

In the summer of 2026, the historic center of Bisceglie, in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani (BT), Puglia, will transform into a unique concept for our country: a true Book Town, where alleys, squares, and courtyards become open-air bookshelves. The "10,000 Books in the Village" project, created by the Associazione Borgo Antico, brings the international Book Town model to Italy for the first time, designed to combine reading with slow tourism and local discovery.

How it works

The heart of the initiative consists of over 10,000 books distributed among ten pop-up libraries scattered throughout the streets and squares of the old town, from Via Cardinale Dell'Olio to Piazza Duomo. Each exchange point is dedicated to a different literary genre, creating a thematic route that invites locals and tourists to explore the historic center based on their reading passions: from novels to thrillers, non-fiction to children's books.

The rule is simple and inclusive: you can borrow a book for free or swap it for one you have already read. No one pays and no one profits from the circulation of books, in a spirit of pure cultural sharing. Readers can take a novel to read on the beach or in the shade of a square, then return it or trade it for a new title.

Evenings: "Sunset Reading Recommendations"

Enriching the village days is a busy calendar of evening events titled "Sunset Reading Recommendations": children's readings, open lectures, debates on current affairs, and meetings dedicated to the dialogue between literature, art, music, and the local area. The ten pop-up libraries remain open every day from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, turning summer evenings into a slow-paced time of words, encounters, and exchanges.

A project for the region

Promoted by the Associazione Borgo Antico, led by president Alessandra Di Pierro, the event was born to meet the growing cultural demand of travelers seeking authentic experiences beyond classic seaside tourism. With "10,000 Books in the Village," Bisceglie aims to become one of Puglia's most original reading destinations, offering residents and visitors a summer where culture is experienced for free, outdoors, in the heart of the historic center.