BDL Books

BDL Books is one of the best places on the island to lose an hour among shelves. The shop in San Ġwann is the retail outlet and warehouse of Book Distributors Limited, and it is probably Malta's largest bookshop, a cross between a warehouse and a shop where books come straight out of the box.

For UK visitors and new residents it is a useful stop for Maltese-language learning books, Melitensia (books about Malta), guidebooks and general fiction, all under one roof, in a setting that is easy to reach by car. Allow time to wander, because the aim is a relaxed browse rather than a quick purchase.

The shop in San Ġwann

The space is a roomy, informal book haven, and customers can browse freely through a selection of more than 20,000 titles in a calm setting. It sits in a quiet residential area just off the Tal-Balal main road, and parking is hardly ever a problem. The shop is open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. Books arrive fresh off the press, which gives the shop its distinctive smell and feel, and the informal layout suits both regular readers and gift buyers.

The outlet also works as a supply centre for all of Malta and Gozo, which explains the depth of stock. Other options are listed in our directory of bookshops in Malta.

What BDL stocks and publishes

BDL was established in 1990 by Anthony Gatt and sells, promotes and distributes books from leading publishing houses and individual authors. It is the leading publication distributor in the Maltese islands and works with the major local publishers. BDL Publishing is known for quality books such as the Richard Ellis photography books, plus children's readers, tourist guidebooks, novels, dictionaries, souvenirs and prestigious Melitensia.

The online shop highlights new titles, Maltese history, children's books in Maltese and language-learning titles in Italian and Spanish. Prices are listed in euros, from a few euros for children's stories up to €75.27 for a large illustrated history. BDL is also behind BDL Fun Games and BDL Edu Games, the first range of Maltese board games made for the local market.

Learning Maltese and reading for children

If you are moving to the island, the Learning Maltese range, including a Maltese-for-foreigners series, is worth a look, and the resources page offers podcasts and textbook answers. Our Malta relocation guide explains the wider move, and the about Malta page gives background on the islands.

Children's Maltese readers and games are a speciality, and the educational catalogue serves schools and libraries across the islands, which makes BDL a natural first stop for teachers and parents. More than thirty years in the trade lie behind the service, and the same company supplies schools and libraries as well as individual shoppers. BDL also developed Octavo with i2b in 2018, a digital reading app made in Malta that arranges books by a reader's age and device and supports the Maltese language. Teachers can also use companion resources for series such as Sensiela Fanali, L-Ewwel Kelmiet and Think & Learn, which include podcasts and answers to textbooks.

Delivery and getting in touch

BDL offers fast, efficient delivery to retail outlets, schools, libraries and individual clients, and orders over €25 qualify for free delivery. Browsing in person is easy if you are based in the north-east, and the Valletta guide shows what else to see on the same trip. Its contact form lets you direct your message to sales, website, accounts or publishing, and a website blog and an authors' corner round out the site.

For books on the island's past, our Knights of Malta guide pairs well with a visit to the history shelves. To ask about a title or order, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the business.