World’s Most Beautiful Bookstore? Livreria Lello: Porto, Portugal

I’ll say it: you can’t visit Porto without visiting Livreria Lello, one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores. If you do, you’ve certainly missed out. This beautiful Porto bookstore should be on every literary travel bucket list.

Livreria Lello is one of the most famous bookstores in the world for two reasons:

• (1) the common claim that it inspired Harry Potter author JK Rowling and the Hogwarts library (more on that later); and
• (2) that it’s found on countless lists of the world’s most beautiful bookstores.

I’d be lying if I said a visit to this unique bookstore wasn’t a factor when I decided to spend a long weekend trip in Porto, Portugal. I do love some literary travel.

Porto is known as Portugal’s “second city,” as in, the second most important city after the capital, Lisbon. Unsurprisingly, it has been important throughout Portugal as a well-positioned port city for trade. On this theme, Porto (or Oporto) is also where we get Port wine and the country’s name of Portugal.

While Porto sometimes gets overlooked by tourists who visit only Lisbon and the Algarve region further South, it’s well worth taking a few days to explore Porto, especially since it means getting to visit one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores.

And if you’re planning a trip to Portugal or elsewhere in Europe, make sure you check out my top travel gear picks, all based on personal experience and insight as a constant traveler.

Don’t forget to pin this post for later:

Whenever possible, I recommend buying books at local bookshops or through Bookshop.org, because shopping there puts the profits right into the hands of indie bookstores all over the country.

---

A brief history of Livreria Lello

Livreria Lello was first opened in 1881 by the Lello brothers, who wanted to bring some cultural commerce to the bustling trade town of Porto. The iconic building we know it as today was built and opened twenty-five years later in 1906. Its opening was accompanied with a lot of fanfare in Porto and even many a celebrity guest.

Engineer Francisco Xavier Esteves designed the gorgeous bookshop, but he was neither architect nor designer, which kind of makes the achievement all the more incredible. Esteves’s masterpiece of Livreria Lello didn’t take him far from his alma mater, as it’s located just across the street from the University of Porto.

The most famous and striking element of the Livreria Lello’s design is the unique, floating staircase in the center of the bookstore connecting the ground floor with the upper level of bookshelves. The Livreria Lello staircase has its own interesting history. Despite its all-wood look, it was actually made in concrete, giving it stability despite its light, floating appearance.

The staircase is also known for its eye-catching crimson color, but did you know that the red was actually a mistake? The original staircase was all brown, but during restoration work in the 1990s, the builder accidentally painted it red (not sure how that happens, but okay). Luckily for that builder, those in charge of Livreria Lello’s restoration loved the bright color and have kept it ever since.

Travel tip: If you’re also hitting Spain on your European trip, make sure you check out the best Barcelona bookstores. There are some very worthwhile and unique ones there.

---

Did Livreria Lello really inspire JK Rowling?

Let’s get to the question that everyone keeps asking: Livreria Lello is known as the Harry Potter bookstore, but did the magical Livreria Lello really inspire the Hogwarts library?

It’s true that Harry Potter author JK Rowling lived in Porto, Portugal in the early 1990s when she was a young adult. She moved there after her mother’s death to teach English as a Second Language.

During JK Rowling’s time in Porto, she taught classes at night and worked on her first draft of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (Sorcerer’s) Stone by day. She also fell in love with a Portuguese journalist, and they married and had a child, Jessica.

Rowling’s first husband was controlling and abusive. To keep her from leaving him, he even took her first Harry Potter manuscript hostage. Rowling has talked about how she had to sneak herself, her daughter, and her manuscript out of the house and the country when she finally left him in 1993.

“And yet the manuscript kept growing. I’d continue to write. In fact, he knew what that manuscript meant to me because at one point he took the manuscript and hid it and that was his hostage.”

JK Rowling on her first marriage

So, knowing that Rowling did live and write in Porto, did Livreria Lello serve as inspiration for the magical Hogwarts library, or perhaps Flourish and Blotts, the bookshop in Diagon Alley?

Sorry to disappoint, but the answer is no. Jo Rowling revealed on Twitter that she never visited this Porto bookstore while living there. She has confirmed, however, having written in the Majestic Cafe in Porto, which she calls “the most beautiful cafe [she] ever wrote in.”

If it cheers up the people who're disappointed about the bookshop in Oporto, I wrote in here sometimes. This was probably the most beautiful café I ever wrote in, actually. The Majestic Cafe on Rua Santa Catarina. pic.twitter.com/xo2UUYzb0n

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 21, 2020

If you’re interested in more spots that may or may not have inspired JK Rowling in Porto, hang out at the nearby University of Porto and see if you spot a Hogwarts student. The University of Porto students have worn a black robe uniform for 500 years, and some claim this look inspired the Hogwarts uniform.

JK Rowling has also acknowledged that the inspiration for the name Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of Hogwarts, came from fascist dictator António de Oliveira Salazar, who ruled Portugal from 1932-1968.

If you’re interested in other Harry Potter sites in Porto, or rather, what sites people claim may have consciously or unconsciously inspired JK Rowling in writing her Harry Potter series, there are a number of walking tours you can book during your visit to Porto.

I opted for a self-guided tour, so I can’t personally attest to any of these, but I’m sharing for those of you who like to minimize the amount of planning you have to do for your Porto visit.

---

Related: Harry Potter lover? Check out the ultimate list of Harry Potter attractions in London, an amazing Harry Potter festival in Virginia, and a perfect 1-day NYC itinerary for Potterheads.

---

What’s it like visiting Livreria Lello?

Okay, so Livreria Lello may not have inspired JK Rowling’s Hogwarts library. Once you get over that disappointment, let’s talk about why this gorgeous Porto bookstore is still worth a visit.

Livreria Lello’s humble exterior belies its over-the-top, breathtaking interior. The flowing, floating staircase commands the center of the bookstore, but everywhere you look is a feast for the eyes, from the dark wood bookshelves that run floor to ceiling, to the beautiful stained glass ceiling by Samuel Van Krieke that allows a moody sort of light in, to the ornate carvings all around the room.

This bookstore in Porto is a visual feast for any book lover and one of the attractions that makes Porto worth visiting.

Livreria Lello deserves its place as one of the world’s most famous bookstores.

The merchandising department has really maximized on this: you’ll find merchandise all over Livreria Lello with the moniker “the world’s most beautiful bookshop.” It’s written across tote bags and even their own line of book editions (these editions aren’t cheap, but they could make a fun and unique souvenir from Portugal).

All that being said, from the moment it opens until the minute it closes, Livreria Lello is CROWDED. As in, keep your elbows in, be ready to side shuffle around people and crane your necks over other visitors to see the books on the shelves kind of crowded.

As in, wait in line to jostle amongst a crowd of people going up the famous staircase kind of crowded. As in, don’t expect to take a single photo without hundreds of people in it kind of crowded. As in, there’s a line down the block to get in kind of crowded.

There is no getting around it: this famous Porto bookstore is just plain crowded. Do the crowds detract from the magic of this beautiful bookstore? Honestly, yes.

I’d be lying to say it doesn’t, in the same way that the crowds take away some of the magic at Paris’s famous Shakespeare and Company Bookstore or at the iconic Acqua Alta bookstore in Venice. But it is still breathtakingly beautiful and a once in a lifetime literary travel experience to visit Livreria Lello.

So, while it’s not the most peaceful book browsing experience, I still think it’s worth it to visit Livreria Lello, crowds and all.

---

Related: If you enjoy visiting beautiful bookstores on your travels, check out my list of amazing Amsterdam bookstores.

---

Tips for Visiting Livreria Lello

My first tip for visiting Livreria Lello is to manage your expectations. No matter how well you plan, you will be sharing this Porto bookstore with a crowd of other people. That also means your pictures will have lots of people in them, so if you’re visiting to get a perfect instagrammable shot, you may be better off buying a stock photo online.

Second, buy your tickets for Livreria Lello online. Online tickets cost 5 euro, which can then be applied toward the purchase of anything in the shop. This is WORTH it, because there are two lines outside: one for ticket holders, and one for everyone else. With your pre-booked ticket to Livreria Lello you can breeze past those chumps in the other line like the VIP you really are and get inside the bookstore with much less wait time.

If you’re not pre-booking your tickets, check google maps to see the busiest times, because it’s not always what you’d think. For example, I visited on a Saturday evening one hour before closing, and while the store was packed with people, the line was relatively short compared to what I saw the following Monday morning, when the line went down the block.

Note that books aren’t cheap in Livreria Lello, something you could probably predict. The minimum price I saw on most books was 20 euro, and prices increased steeply from there. You can also buy a host of Livreria Lello merchandise, if that’s your kind of thing.

---

Travel tip: My favorite travel rewards credit card for European travel is the Chase Sapphire Reserve card (I also use the Amex Platinum, but Amex is not widely accepted in Europe). Perks of the Chase Sapphire include access to airport travel lounges, a $300 annual travel credit, free TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, and built-in travel insurance. Points are also worth 50% more when you redeem them for travel.

---

What else to do in Porto

There are a lot of unique things to do here, even if you only have one day in Porto. Here are a few ideas:

Tour the world famous Douro wine valley

The Douro Valley is easily accessible from Porto via the Douro river. It’s a UNESCO heritage region and beautiful to boot. Wine has been made here for more than 2,000 years. The best way to explore the Douro region is to cruise on the Douro river on a wine tasting tour.

Do a port wine tasting

If you’re looking to stay in the city of Porto, you can still taste the world famous Porto wine. Across the Douro river is the region of Port called Gaia, where most of the Port wine cellars are located. You can visit these cellars and have a great wine tasting experience while learning more about how port wine is made.

I did the tour of Cálem Wine Cellar that is combined with a Fado musical performance, and I can personally recommend it as a great way to experience the culture of the region. As a bonus, this tour and performance is kid-friendly.

Visit the Ocean

From anywhere along the Douro river in Porto, you can easily hop on the 500 bus, which will take you along the river and all the way to the shore. Porto has a number of beautiful beaches, lined with restaurants and flea markets.

---

Where to Stay in Porto

Luckily, Porto is a relatively compact, walkable city (although be prepared for some uphill walks). It’s not difficult to find affordable accommodations in Porto that are central to all the sights. Portugal is actually notably cheaper than many other Western Europe destinations.

If you’re looking for privately owned vacation rentals, I recommend checking VRBO. I’ve personally had much better experiences with their owners and rentals than I have with their primary competitor.

---

---

Is Livreria Lello, the most beautiful bookstore in the world, on your literary travel bucket list? What other beautiful bookstores and libraries should I write about?

Don’t forget to pin this post for later: