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Staircase in The Most Beautiful Bookshop in the World — In Full Colour
Find out why thousands visit every week — and why you need a ticket!
Like many people, I first heard of the Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal, because it was said that JK Rowling visited and wrote there. In fact, she didn’t, although she did live in Porto for quite a while before moving back to the UK. General opinion says that perhaps people connect Livraria Lello to her Harry Potter books because the interior looks like it belongs in the novels!
Because I love books so much, I tend to visit as many bookstores as I can when I travel. They are all different. Another time I will write about bookstores in Paris, but the Livraria Lello is very special and worth a visit. It is amazing, for many reasons.
The history of the bookstore goes back to 1869, with many changes of hands and names (for a detailed description of all this, try this — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livraria_Lello ). Originally the Chardon bookstore, it was finally sold to the Lello brothers in 1896 and the new bookstore we see today on Rua das Carmelitas was constructed and opened in 1906.
It is now in a special protection zone, which ensures the building will remain as it is, with its beautiful, painted façade and detailed, carved…
