It is famous as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world and Ι visited it last October.
The famous bookstore “Livraria Lello” is located next to the also famous for its blue tiles “Dos Carmelitas” church in the Carmo neighborhood, only a few minutes away from the Porto center in Portugal.
You may find it in a 2-storey building with a neogothic-style façade and art nouveau details, whereas the interior combines the art nouveau with the eclectic style. The bookstore’s history starts in 1906, when the mechanic Francisco Xavier Esteves supervised its construction, taking the name of its two inspirers, the brothers José and António Lello. It became famous for its beautiful interior decoration and the amazing indoor wooden staircase that connects the ground level with the first floor. Quite recently it became even more famous worldwide as the Harry Potter bookstore, as it inspired the author J.K. Rowling on the Hogwarts library. As a matter of fact, there is even a small room at the ground floor dedicated to Harry Potter, full of books and souvenirs for his fans.
If someone wishes to enter the bookstore, first has to buy a voucher (entrance ticket), either from the nearby ticket sale point or online, which costs 5€ per person and can be cashed out by buying anything from the bookstore (international books are also sold). The visitor must be patient, as usually there are big queues waiting outside and this means it can also get really crowded inside.
The visit is definitely worth it!
It doesn’t matter if you are a book fan or not, do not hesitate to visit it! And who knows, maybe you can become one of the talented Hogwarts wizards, too!
More info you may find in the official webpage of Lello.
