There’s nothing quite like escaping to another world through the pages of a book. Book enthusiasts will always enjoy getting lost in a lovely bookstore, even in this digital age.
Look no further if you’re looking for cozy reading books, kilometers of bookshelves, and dreamy décor.
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Livraria Lello – Porto Portugal
The self-proclaimed “world’s most beautiful bookstore” certainly stands up to its billing. The city’s oldest bookstore, Livraria Lello, is literally oozing with old-world beauty.
The beautiful red double helix staircase, which opened in 1906 and is known as the’stairway to heaven’ for book lovers, is the main focal point.
The stained glass skylight and bronze reliefs of literary personalities carved into the oak bookshelves lined with leather-bound volumes add to the neo-gothic bookstore’s beauty.
J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts in Harry Potter is said to have been inspired by the bookstore!
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El Ateneo Grand Splendid – Buenos Aires, Argentina
If you’ve ever wanted to visit the library in Beauty and the Beast, Buenos Aires’ El Ateneo Grand Splendid comes close.
The bookstore was originally a theatre built in 1919, and most of the spectacular Beaux-Arts décor has been preserved, including the stage and elegant balcony.
Admire the view from the balcony, where you can imagine beautiful Argentines viewing tango performances and the country’s first sound movies.
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Shakespeare and Company – Paris, France
Shakespeare and Co. is a literary lovers’ haven, being one of the world’s most historically significant booksellers. The bookstore, which is located in the heart of Paris,
was founded by American expat Sylvia Beach in 1919. When Ernest Hemingway couldn’t afford to buy books, she lent them to him.
During the German occupation of Paris in 1941, the bookstore became a popular hangout for writers such as James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound, but it was forced to close.
The bookstore never reopened in its original location, but George Whitman opened a second site overlooking the Seine in 1951. The modern bookstore pays respect to Shakespeare and Company’s historic location.
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Atlantis Books – Santorini, Greece
This lovely bookstore is housed in a whitewashed house overlooking the sparkling sea in Santorini.
Atlantis Books is owned by Craig Walzer, an American who founded the bookstore with his buddy Oliver Wise while on vacation in Santorini and couldn’t find excellent English books in the local bookstores. They built the shelves and hand-selected all of the books in the shop, which includes rare finds like the first edition of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.
Poetry, memoirs, short-story collections, and philosophical volumes are also available, and the shop conducts a variety of events, including dance parties and book readings.
Don’t forget to climb the stairs to the terrace for stunning views of the sea.
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Chongqing Zhongshuge Bookstore – Chonqing, China
Chongqing Zhongshuge Bookstore, located in Chongqing City and built by X+living, has gone above and beyond to create an architectural marvel and a book lover’s dream.
This is one bookstore you’ll never want to leave, with an M.C. Escher-style bookshelf stairway that zig-zags around mirrored ceilings,
lampshade-shaped bookshelves, and a quirky children’s reading room. With plenty of quiet reading corridors and nooks, you’ll be able to enjoy this experience for hours.
This is one bookstore you’ll never want to leave, with an M.C. Escher-style bookshelf stairway that zig-zags around mirrored ceilings,
lampshade-shaped bookshelves, and a quirky children’s reading room. With plenty of quiet reading corridors and nooks, you’ll be able to enjoy this experience for hours.
So, check the website The Mice Maker, choose your next destination, take a book and a cup of coffee or wine and enjoy.