Gate-side books in T1
Librería Nacional in Terminal 1 sits airside after security, so you can grab something to read without backtracking toward check-in. It’s a proper Colombian bookstore, not just a rack of airport paperbacks, and it’s one of the few spots in CTG where you’ll see full shelves rather than a small spinner stand. You’ll find it along the main post-security corridor before the international gates cluster.
Expect local authors in Spanish front and center, plus some English titles mixed in, usually bestsellers and travel staples in the 40,000–80,000 COP range. Kids’ books and activity pads sit close to the entrance, handy if you’re boarding a 3–5 hour flight and need something to keep a child busy past takeoff. There are also maps and basic travel guides for Cartagena and the Caribbean coast near the counter.
Non-book items run the usual airport mix: notebooks, pens, small toys, and a few gift-y things like postcards and simple souvenirs, often under 30,000 COP. It’s not a tech shop, so don’t bank on chargers or adapters beyond the occasional generic cable by the register. Stock can lean heavily Spanish-only, especially outside peak holiday seasons.
Plan 5–10 minutes before boarding to flip through covers and pay; lines rarely back up the way they do at the coffee spots closer to the gates. If you care about an English-language option, skim the shelves near the front first, then move on if you don’t spot anything in under a minute.