It is definitely worthwhile to make the trip to get a book because they can take you anywhere in the globe. The best bookshops are run by bibliophiles, old architectural marvels, and have a treasure trove of literary culture on every shelf in addition to selling a lot of books.
There is nothing better than slipping into a book and taking a trip somewhere exotic. Book enthusiasts will always enjoy getting lost in a fantastic bookstore, even in this digital age. Look no farther if you’re dreaming about cosy reading nooks, endless bookcases, and dreamy décor. Here are 15 of the best book stores in the world, including a majestic ancient theatre in Buenos Aires, a fanciful gondola in Venice, bookshelf beds in Tokyo, and the former hangout of Ernest Hemingway in Paris.
El Ateneo, Buenes Aires, Argentina
El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires is pretty close to the library from Beauty and the Beast if you’ve ever fantasised of going there. The lovely bookstore was once a theatre that was constructed in 1919, and the majority of the exquisite Beaux-Arts furnishings, including the stage and elaborate balcony, have been preserved.
There is a tonne of room here for books. More than 120,000 volumes are stored there, and bookcases now occupy the area where the audience used to sit.
Shakespeare and Company , Paris, France
Shakespeare and Co. is a haven for book enthusiasts and one of the oldest bookstores in existence. The bookstore, located in the centre of Paris, was founded by American immigrant Sylvia Beach in 1919. When Ernest Hemingway, a famous author, couldn’t afford to buy books, she lent them to him.
James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound were among the writers who frequented the bookstore in the 1920s. However, the bookstore was forced to close in 1941 due to the German occupation of Paris. The bookstore never reopened in its original site, but in 1951, George Whitman did so in a second location with a view of the Seine. The contemporary bookstore is a tribute to Shakespeare and Company and is loved for ambience and collection.
“Time has not sundered the love-in between literature and Paris’s Left Bank,” writes Time. “The Shakespeare and Company bookstore has long been a fixture of the affair.”
Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, Italy
This unusual Venice bookstore, a wonderland of books, may be the only one in the world to employ bathtubs and gondolas as bookcases. The Libreria Acqua Alta is well-known for its beautiful stonewalls, quaint, book-filled rooms, and stunning views of the centuries-old Venetian canals.
The bookshop is famous for its enormous collections of artwork and postcards.
Additionally, many gorgeous cats liveare lots of gorgeous cats living there, so you can relax with a book and watch the gondolas go by while having a pet cat snuggled up at your feet.
Cafebreria El Pendulo, Mexico City, Mexico
El Pendulo is one of the top book stores in the world and a wonderful feast for the eyes. You’ll walk into a dreamlike environment where lush trees drape over bookcases, plants are scattered throughout, and even the railings have the appearance of intertwining green vines.
Every element of this bookstore is intended to give you the impression that you have entered a paradise of books.
The Cafebreria El Pendulo offers a comfortable place to read and relax that is simultaneously a bar, cafe, and bookstore. Living plants are used to beautify the inside, according to The Huffington Post.
Livraria Lello Porto, Porto, Portugal
It’s safe to say that the self-described “most beautiful bookstore in the world” stands up to the promise. The 100-year-old bookshop in Porto, Livraria Lello, is just oozing with old-world opulence. The main focal point of the building, often known as the “stairway to heaven” among book enthusiasts, is the eye-catching red double helix staircase that was built in 1906.
A stunning stained glass skylight and bronze reliefs of literary figures carved into the wooden bookcases filled with leather-bound volumes can also be found at this neo-gothic bookstore. There are even rumours that the bookstore served as J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Hogwarts in Harry Potter! So take a book and a seat in the cosy café with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and see what you can imagine in this beautiful bookstore.
