Founded in 1732, it is the oldest operating bookstore in the world. If you want they can stamp the books you buy, certifying that they were bought there. While most books are in Portuguese there is a full shelf of English language literature, including many notable Portuguese titles translated to English. There's a small coffee-shop/bar area at the back of the shop with very helpful staff.

The Bertrand Library is a Portuguese book retailer operating 59 branches nationwide, including 2 in Madeira. Founded in 1732, its original store in the Chiado neighborhood of Lisbon was declared to be the oldest operating bookstore in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011. Bertrand has been frequented by numerous famous authors, including Alexandre Herculano, Fernando Pessoa, Eça de Queirós, Antero de Quental, Ramalho Ortigão, and the fictional protagonists of Antonio Tabucchi's short masterpiece "The Backwards Game".