10 Best Bookstores Around the World for Literature Lovers
10 Best Bookstores Around the World for Literature Lovers
Books and bookstores have always been my weakness. It’s not a secret that I’m a total bookworm – the kind who loses track of time between shelves, forgetting the outside world exists. These magical places have been on my bucket list forever, each one promising its own special kind of adventure.
My dream list stretches from New York’s grand bookshops to London’s cozy reading corners. But these aren’t your everyday bookstores – they’re the kind of places that make your heart skip a beat when you walk in. Some are tucked away in Barcelona’s artistic corners, others hide in Rome’s historic buildings, and a few gems are scattered through Melbourne’s laneways and Lisbon’s old quarters. Each one tells a story that’s bigger than the books on its shelves.
Let me take you through 10 of the best bookstores that turned my simple love for book shopping into a worldwide quest. Trust me, these aren’t just places to buy books – they’re architectural wonders and cultural treasures that prove physical bookstores still hold real magic. From the moment I started researching these spots, I knew my bucket list would never be the same.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid – Buenos Aires, Argentina
You know how some places just grab your heart before you even visit them? That’s exactly what happened when National Geographic named El Ateneo Grand Splendid the “world’s most beautiful bookstore” in 2019. Sitting pretty in Buenos Aires’ fancy Recoleta neighborhood, this place shot straight to the top of my bookstore bucket list.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid History and Architecture
The story behind this literary paradise makes my inner history nerd absolutely giddy. Picture this – it started life as Teatro Gran Splendid back in May 1919, hosting everything from steamy tango shows to the city’s first talking movies. When it transformed into a bookstore in 2000, they kept all the gorgeous bits intact:
- These amazing ceiling frescoes by Nazareno Orlandi (celebrating peace after World War I!)
- The original crimson stage curtains (how cool is that?)
- Theater boxes that look straight out of a period drama
- Carved balconies that make my architectural heart skip a beat
- This spectacular dome that I can’t wait to stare at for hours
El Ateneo Grand Splendid Reading Experience
I’ve already planned exactly where I’ll start browsing through their massive collection of 120,000 books. The best part? Even with over a million visitors each year, you can still find quiet corners in those converted theater boxes. It’s like having your own private reading nook in a palace!
El Ateneo Grand Splendid Cafe and Events
The old stage didn’t just disappear – it’s now this charming café where I dream of camping out with a good book and coffee. They still have live piano music playing through the week, which gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. There’s even a kids’ section in the basement and art exhibitions upstairs.
What makes my bookworm heart truly flutter is how this place balances its theatrical past with its bookish present. Spread across 2,000 square meters, it’s the perfect mix of jaw-dropping beauty and cozy comfort. It’s not just a bookstore on my bucket list – it’s a dream waiting to come true.
Shakespeare and Company – Paris, France
Image Source: Shakespeare and Company
Right next to the Seine, staring at Notre-Dame Cathedral, sits my ultimate literary dream spot. Shakespeare and Company has been living in my imagination since forever. The moment I read about its history, I knew this wasn’t just another bookstore – it’s like stepping into a living, breathing piece of literary magic.
Shakespeare and Company Literary Legacy
The best part about this book heaven? It’s been sheltering writers since 1951. Just thinking about walking where Allen Ginsberg, Henry Miller, and James Baldwin once browsed makes my inner book nerd absolutely giddy. George Whitman, the genius behind it all, didn’t just open a bookstore – he created what he called “a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore”. How cool is that?
Shakespeare and Company Writer-in-Residence Program
Their Tumbleweed program sounds like something straight out of my wildest dreams. Can you believe over 30,000 writers have called these shelves home? The rules are beautifully simple:
- Read one book every day (my kind of rule!)
- Help around the bookstore for a few hours
- Write a one-page autobiography for their archives
Shakespeare and Company Reading Nooks
The way people describe this place makes my heart skip a beat – it’s grown from one tiny room into this amazing maze of books. I can’t wait to discover all those hidden reading spots, especially the ones with those wonderfully weird names like “Old Smoky Reading Room” and “Blue Oyster Tearoom”.
What makes my bookish soul truly flutter is how they keep the literary spirit alive with weekly events featuring all sorts of authors. While other bookstores might wow you with fancy architecture or endless shelves, Shakespeare and Company offers something totally different – a chance to be part of a story that’s been unfolding for generations. It’s not just about buying books here – it’s about living and breathing literature in ways I’ve only dreamed about.
Livraria Lello – Porto, Portugal
Image Source: Livraria Lello
No list of magical bookstores would be complete without a mention to this place. The story goes that this store actually inspired some scenery from Hogwarts, and it’s easy to see why. You know those places that seem too magical to be real? That’s Livraria Lello for me. This isn’t just another pretty bookstore – it’s been making book lovers weak in the knees since 1906. When they classified it as a ‘Monument of Public Interest’, I wasn’t surprised at all.
Livraria Lello Architectural Highlights
My inner architecture nerd is absolutely losing it over their Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau mashup. The features I can’t wait to geek out over include:
- This incredible crimson staircase that looks straight out of a fairy tale
- A stained glass ceiling that’s a whopping 8 by 3.5 meters (I’m already planning the perfect photo angle!)
- What looks like fancy carved wood but is actually clever painted plaster (sneaky, right?)
- These amazing facade figures showing ‘Art’ and ‘Science’ (total nerd alert!)
Livraria Lello Book Collection
While other bookstores might be chasing the latest bestsellers, Lello’s got this amazing Gemma room that’s basically a treasure chest of rare books and first editions. The best part? They’ve got classics in four languages – Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French. My high school French might finally come in handy!
Livraria Lello Visitor Experience
Here’s the thing about visiting Lello – you can’t just wing it like you might at other bookstores. They’ve got this smart voucher system where your entry fee counts toward your book purchase. Pro tip: lunch hours and late afternoon are your best bet to dodge the crowds.
The photography rules used to be super strict, but now you can snap away to your heart’s content. Though between us, I’ll probably be too busy staring at that gorgeous ceiling with its ‘Decus in Labore’ motto to even think about my camera. They’re open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm daily, and I’m already plotting how to spend every minute.
They’ve recently added this amazing Sala José Saramago – it’s dedicated to Portugal’s only Nobel Prize winner for Literature. It’s little touches like this that make Lello more than just a tourist spot. This isn’t just another stop on my bookstore world tour – it’s basically my literary Hogwarts!
Daunt Books – London, UK
Image Source: Daunt Books
Let me tell you about the absolute gem that’s been living rent-free in my mind – Daunt Books in Marylebone. It’s not just another pretty London bookshop; this beauty was actually purpose-built as a bookshop in 1912. How cool is that?
Daunt Books Travel Literature Collection
Here’s what makes my inner travel nerd absolutely giddy – they’ve ditched the boring A-to-Z setup and organized everything by country. Imagine finding travel guides, novels, and history books about Japan all snuggled together. It’s like taking a world tour without leaving London!
Daunt Books Marylebone Architecture
The moment you walk in, this place hits you with total Edwardian gorgeousness:
- These amazing oak galleries with skylights that make the whole place glow
- Stained-glass windows that belong in a fairy tale
- Herringbone floors (I’m already planning which shoes to wear!)
- This stunning pink granite facade with racing green signs
Daunt Books Reading Atmosphere
While other bookstores can feel like Grand Central at rush hour, Daunt Books is my kind of peaceful paradise. Three whole floors to explore – street level, basement, and (my favorite part) that dreamy upper gallery! They even expanded into the next building in the late 90s, because apparently awesome needed more space.
I love how they’re all about taking your sweet time here. I can already picture myself curled up in one of their reading chairs, sunlight streaming through those gorgeous skylights, plotting my next adventure through the pages of a travel book.
What makes my bookish heart flutter is how they’ve nailed that sweet spot between fancy and friendly. Sure, people flock here to admire the Edwardian beauty, but it still feels like your local bookshop – just way more magical. It’s the kind of place where you could lose track of time and honestly, I can’t wait to do exactly that.
Cook & Book – Brussels, Belgium
Image Source: Cook & Book
Just when I thought my bookstore bucket list couldn’t get any better, Cook & Book in Brussels shows up like that perfect dessert you didn’t know you needed. It’s not a secret that I’m a total foodie as well as a bookworm, so finding out about this place that spreads across two blocks with nine themed universes was like discovering my personal Disneyland.
Cook & Book Themed Rooms
Block A is where the real magic happens. Picture this:
- A comics section where books float in mid-air like Superman in flight
- A kids’ area that would make my little ones lose their minds
- Travel books housed in an actual vintage camper (total Instagram moment!)
- Fine arts that would make my art teacher proud
- A music section where instruments dangle from the ceiling like musical stalactites
Then there’s Block B with its Art of Living, Literature, Cooking, and English sections. The Literature room has books suspended from the ceiling – it’s giving me major Doctor Strange multiverse vibes!
Cook & Book Dining Experience
The struggle is real when you can’t decide between food and books – but here you don’t have to! Their Sunday brunches in Block B sound like absolute heaven. The restaurant stays open until 10 PM, which means I could literally spend all day alternating between reading and eating. My kind of paradise!
Cook & Book Book Selection
Each themed section is like stepping into a different world. The travel section is my favorite already – they’ve got this vintage camper that doubles as a cozy reading nook. It’s giving me total wanderlust vibes.
Block A stays open until midnight, and trust me, I’ll need every minute. While other bookstores might rush you out at closing time, Cook & Book lets you take your sweet time exploring their nine universes. Between the hanging books, amazing food, and themed spaces, this place is basically what would happen if a bookstore and a restaurant had a baby and gave it superpowers.
Libreria Acqua Alta – Venice, Italy
Image Source: Libreria Acqua Alta
It’s not a secret that I’m a sucker for bookstores with character, but this one in Venice’s maze-like streets takes quirky to a whole new level. Libreria Acqua Alta, opened in 2002, grabbed my attention the moment I learned how they deal with Venice’s flooding – it’s like they looked at Mother Nature and said, “Challenge accepted!”
Libreria Acqua Alta Unique Design
My inner MacGyver is totally geeking out over how they’ve turned everyday stuff into the coolest book displays ever. While other bookstores worry about fancy shelves, these folks are living in 3022 with:
- A full-sized gondola as a bookshelf (giving me total Venetian Batman vibes)
- Vintage bathtubs doubling as book homes
- Rowboats and canoes filled with literary treasures
- Waterproof containers that look straight out of a steampunk novel
Libreria Acqua Alta Book Protection Methods
The name means “High Water Bookstore” – how perfect is that? While other bookstores stress about dust bunnies, these genius bookkeepers turned Venice’s flooding problem into part of their charm. Their solution? Waterproof everything! It’s like they’re running a literary Noah’s Ark, and I’m here for it.
Libreria Acqua Alta Reading Spots
The reading spots here sound like something from my wildest bookish dreams. There’s this staircase made entirely of books that looks out over Venice’s canals, and get this – their ‘fire exit’ opens right onto a waterway! The whole place calls itself the “most beautiful bookstore in the world”, and honestly, they might be onto something.
Their book collection is this amazing mix of new releases and rare finds, with tons of books about Venice. Unlike those super organized stores where everything has its perfect place, this is more like your cool aunt’s attic – if your aunt was a Venetian book wizard. The best part? They’ve got resident cats who went from street life to bookstore royalty, and I can’t wait to make friends with them.
What makes my book-loving heart skip a beat is how they’ve turned Venice’s biggest challenge into their superpower. Sure, some people might come for the Instagram shots, but I’m dying to experience how this place tells Venice’s story through every waterproof bin and floating bookshelf. It’s like they took the whole “go with the flow” thing literally, and somehow made it absolutely magical.
The Last Bookstore – Los Angeles, USA
Image Source: The Last Bookstore
Edit : My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Los Angeles during this horrible time.
You know those places that look like they jumped straight out of a Tim Burton movie? That’s The Last Bookstore for you. Spreading across 22,000 square feet of pure bookish magic, this place has been haunting my dreams ever since I first saw pictures of their crazy book sculptures. It’s like someone took all my favorite things and threw them into a literary blender!
The Last Bookstore Art Installations
While other bookstores might go for that whole sophisticated vibe, this place embraces its inner weirdo with installations that make my inner art nerd squeal:
- This book tunnel that looks like a portal to Narnia
- A giant mammoth head (giving me serious Ice Age meets Night at the Museum vibes)
- A yarn shop that would make my crafty aunt jealous
- Five art studios full of local talent
- Random pockets of funkiness everywhere you look
The Last Bookstore Book Collection
Over 250,000 books spread across two floors? Yes, please! The Arts & Rare Book Annex is where they keep all the fancy stuff, but what really gets me excited is their horror section hidden in an old bank vault. It’s like they took Gringotts and filled it with Stephen King instead of gold!
The Last Bookstore Events
Their book clubs are totally my jam. <citation index=”28″ link=”https://www.lastbookstorela.com/book-clubs-events?srsltid=AfmBOorv_HEXdvnyCTiWzT_64B4D2q9xioWfpHMSDzWH5bfLmbyFhuZ6” similar_text=”# BOOK CLUBS AT THE LAST BOOKSTORE Our book clubs are led by professional moderators, specific to the genre. They read a different book every month. There is no extra ‘membership fee’.
The cost includes the book plus AUD 7.64 to cover the moderator. Shipping is AUD 7.64 — and since all clubs are on Zoom, you can join from anywhere in the continental United States.
We have at least one (probably more than one) book club for everybody. (Please note that the prices vary between clubs and change every month simply because they are based on the price of the books.)”>Each one has proper book nerds leading the discussions, and they’ve got the best names ever – I mean, who wouldn’t want to join a dystopian book club called ‘We’re All Gonna Die!’? I can’t wait to curl up in one of those worn leather chairs during an author reading, probably geeking out way too hard over everything.
What makes my bookworm heart truly flutter is how they’ve turned this century-old bank into the coolest book hangout ever. It’s like someone took a serious old building and let their imagination run absolutely wild. This isn’t just another bookstore – it’s what would happen if your favorite comic book artist designed a library!
Cafebreria El Pendulo – Mexico City, Mexico
Image Source: El Péndulo
Just when I thought my bookstore obsession couldn’t get any bigger, I stumbled across this Mexican gem that’s basically what would happen if a bookstore and a coffee shop had a baby and raised it in an enchanted forest. Since opening in Condesa in 1993, CafebrerÃa el Péndulo has turned into this amazing cultural hotspot that’s giving me total Beauty and the Beast library vibes!
Cafebreria El Pendulo Atmosphere
The moment you walk in, there’s this hypnotic pendulum swinging over sand like something straight out of a Doctor Strange movie. The whole place is decked out with:
- These gorgeous wooden floors that make me want to ditch my shoes
- Green handrails that curve like something from a fairy tale
- Plants growing right out of the bookshelves (my kind of jungle!)
- This absolutely massive 90-year-old palm tree that’s 16 meters tall (that’s taller than three giraffes stacked on top of each other!)
Cafebreria El Pendulo Cultural Programs
With seven locations across Mexico City, each spot is like its own little universe of awesome. They’ve got everything from book readings to live music, and I’m already planning which concert to catch while surrounded by books in two languages (finally, a use for my high school Spanish!).
Cafebreria El Pendulo Dining Options
Here’s where it gets even better – they’ve gone full-on restaurant mode, with four locations even sporting proper bars! I can totally see myself camping out here from breakfast until their late closing time (11 PM weekdays, 1 AM weekends – perfect for us night owls!).
The Polanco location is such a showstopper it’s made it onto lists of the world’s most beautiful bookstores. Between the cozy reading couches inside and the outdoor tables, it’s like they designed this place straight from my daydreams. It’s not just a bookstore or just a café – it’s the kind of place where books, food, and culture come together in the most magical way possible!
Selexyz Dominicanen – Maastricht, Netherlands
Image Source: Visit Maastricht
You know those dreams where you’re wandering through some ancient magical place filled with books? That’s literally what Selexyz Dominicanen is – a 700-year-old Gothic church turned bookstore! When they transformed it into this literary heaven in 2006, it’s like they read my mind about what a perfect bookstore should be.
Selexyz Dominicanen Church Architecture
The history of this place makes my inner history nerd absolutely giddy. Before becoming book paradise, it was everything from a bicycle shed to a ‘carnival temple’ (how wild is that?). The Gothic architecture is giving me serious Hogwarts vibes with:
- These incredible vaulted ceilings with original frescoes from 1619
- The oldest wall painting of St. Thomas Aquinas from 1337 (older than some countries!)
- Windows that make natural light look like something from a fantasy movie
- Stone details that have survived longer than my entire family tree
Selexyz Dominicanen Book Selection
While other bookstores stick to boring old shelves, these folks built this amazing three-story black steel structure that looks like modern art. It’s like they played Tetris with bookshelves! They’ve got new books, old books, books in languages I can’t even pronounce, plus an entire floor of music stuff. My wallet is already crying!
Selexyz Dominicanen Visitor Experience
Can you believe 700,000 people visit this place every year? I’m dying to join them! The old choir area is now this super cool café called Coffeelovers – because obviously, books and coffee are a match made in heaven. They host hundreds of events throughout the year, from art shows to debates, and I want to experience every single one.
Just thinking about walking through those ancient doors makes my bookish heart skip a beat. I can already picture myself climbing that black steel masterpiece, probably looking like an overexcited puppy, trying to take in those gorgeous ceilings while hunting for my next read. It’s not just another pretty bookstore – it’s what would happen if Game of Thrones had a library designed by modern architects!
Atlantis Books – Santorini, Greece
Image Source: Greek News Agenda
It’s not a secret that I’m a total sucker for dramatic locations, and this place is like someone took my dream bookstore and perched it on the edge of paradise. While other bookstores might wow you with fancy architecture, Atlantis Books is literally hanging out on the cliffs of Firostefani, serving up books with a side of Mediterranean magic.
Atlantis Books Mediterranean Views
They’ve recently moved to the base of the Nomikos Cultural Center, and honestly? Best. Move. Ever. While I’m browsing books, I’ll be able to peek out at views that look like they’re straight out of a Marvel movie (Thor’s vacation home, anyone?). They even do these amazing film screenings under the stars on their terrace – it’s giving me total outdoor cinema in paradise vibes!
Atlantis Books Rare Collection
My inner book nerd is absolutely losing it over their collection. We’re talking:
- Books in seven languages (English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese, and Greek) – my high school French might finally come in handy!
- All the modern classics you could dream of
- These incredible rare first editions that make my wallet nervous
- Everything from poetry to philosophy (because why choose?)
Atlantis Books Cultural Events
Their Caldera Arts Literature Festival sounds like someone took all my favorite things and threw a party:
- Movies under actual stars (not just ceiling stickers!)
- Learning to bind books like a medieval wizard
- Chess tournaments for my inner Queen’s Gambit
- Author readings that’ll give me total fangirl moments
- Food, wine, and music by the sea
The whole thing started in 2004 when some friends had this brilliant idea over a bottle of Greek wine (best wine night ever!). Now it’s this huge deal, and I love that they were inspired by Shakespeare & Company in Paris – it’s like they took that magical bookstore energy and gave it a Mediterranean makeover.
I can’t wait to discover all their handwritten book reviews scattered around like little literary Easter eggs. While everyone else is chasing the perfect sunset selfie, I’ll be curled up in some corner, probably with my nose in a book and the sea breeze making the pages dance. It’s not just another pretty bookstore – it’s what would happen if a bookworm’s daydream came to life on the edge of the Aegean!
Conclusion of the best bookstores around the world
You know that feeling when you finish an amazing book series and don’t want it to end? That’s exactly how I feel wrapping up this literary best bookstores world tour. It’s not a secret that I’m a bit of a nerd about bookstores, but these ten? They’re basically the Avengers of the bookstore world – each with their own superpower!
From El Ateneo Grand Splendid giving us total phantom of the opera vibes to Atlantis Books serving up literature with a Mediterranean sunset, each one is like a chapter in my dream travel diary. The struggle is real trying to pick a favorite – I mean, how do you choose between Livraria Lello’s staircase that looks straight out of Hogwarts and Selexyz Dominicanen’s Game of Thrones meets library aesthetic?
Shakespeare and Company is giving us that classic Paris romance while The Last Bookstore’s got that Tim Burton-meets-books charm. Then there’s Daunt Books organizing their collection like a world map, Cook & Book turning books into dinner theater, Libreria Acqua Alta’s Venice-proof genius, and El Pendulo making me want to move to Mexico City just for their book-and-coffee magic.
These aren’t just stores – they’re proof that physical bookstores still have real magic, like each one’s got its own little sprinkle of fairy dust. My bucket list might be getting out of control, but hey, sometimes the best dreams are the slightly crazy ones, right? These places aren’t just on my travel wishlist – they’re basically my version of collecting infinity stones, and I can’t wait to start the adventure!
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