Retail therapy in my case means buying books, and I readily confess to late night online binges when I feel like every fresh release is something I absolutely need in my life. As I browse the colourful covers, I nevertheless start having doubts: will I really like this book? Will we become friends, so to speak? For such conundrums, there is but one solution: Bestsellers, one of the few remaining independent foreign language bookstores in town, incidentally situated dangerously but pleasantly close to St Stephen’s Basilica and Gelarto Rosa.

Bestsellers always stocks the most tantalizing new titles, the staff are friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere is that of an unhurried oasis in the heart of town. A couple of comfortable armchairs invite you to take some time and get to know the books you’re about to buy. The peril of ending up with much more than you bargained for is very real, but sponsoring an independent bookstore is always money well spent. Besides a large collection of English language fiction and non-fiction covering arts, science and social studies, with a focus on local and regional topics, French, Spanish, Italian and Russian books are also available, plus a large collection of foreign magazines.

If you can’t find something on the shelves, you can always enquire for a possible order- while for English books you may do that easily for yourself as well, in the case of say, Russian, it can be a life saver.