10 of the World’s Most Beautiful Bookstores (and How to Visit Them)

The World’s Most Beautiful Bookstores

Some of these you’ve probably seen on a mood board. Others are legends among book travelers but still largely unknown outside their cities. Each one on this list is a genuine destination. They aren’t a stop you squeeze in between other things, but places you plan your trip around. Here they are, with everything you need to visit.

1. Boekhandel Dominicanen — Maastricht, Netherlands

Named the most beautiful bookstore in the world in 2025 by more than 200,000 readers in the 1000 Libraries Global Competition, Boekhandel Dominicanen sits inside a 13th-century Dominican church in the center of Maastricht.

The church was consecrated in 1294, seized by Napoleon’s army in 1794, and spent the next two centuries serving as everything from a warehouse to a snake house, car showroom, boxing arena, and bicycle shed. In 2006, Dutch architects Merkx + Girod transformed it into a bookstore, winning the Lensvelt Award for Interior Architecture.

Stepping inside is a moment most visitors remember. A towering black steel bookcase rises through the church’s vaulted nave, reaching toward ceilings still covered with 17th-century frescoes. The oldest painting here, a 14th-century depiction of Thomas Aquinas, is also the oldest surviving ecclesiastical wall painting in the Netherlands. The former altar now holds a café from Maastricht roaster Blanche Dael Coffeelovers, and the space hosts more than 150 cultural events each year.

This is the bookstore most travelers still haven’t discovered, but that’s changing fast!

Practical info:

Address: Dominicanerkerkstraat 1, 6211 CZ Maastricht

Hours: Mon 10am–6pm, Tue–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 12pm–6pm. Free entry.

2. Shakespeare and Company — Paris, France

The original Shakespeare and Company opened on Paris’s Left Bank in 1919 under American bookseller Sylvia Beach. It quickly became a gathering place for writers like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound, and in 1922 Beach famously published James Joyce’s Ulysses when no one else would. The store closed in 1941 during the German occupation of Paris.

The bookstore you can visit today is a later chapter in that story. American bookseller George Whitman opened an English-language shop nearby in 1951, originally called Le Mistral. In 1964 he renamed it Shakespeare and Company in tribute to Sylvia Beach. The current store sits at 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, in a 17th-century building directly across from Notre-Dame.

Over the years, more than 30,000 aspiring writers have slept among the shelves as “tumbleweeds,” trading a few hours of help in the shop for a place to stay. The only requirements: read a book a day and write a one-page autobiography for the store’s archives. Whitman’s daughter Sylvia runs the bookstore today.

The store still hosts weekly literary events and readings, and it has appeared in films like Midnight in Paris and Before Sunset. It’s also one of the best places in Paris to browse English-language books.

Practical info:

Address: 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris.

Hours: Open daily 10am–10pm. Free entry.

3. El Ateneo Grand Splendid — Buenos Aires, Argentina

El Ateneo Grand Splendid opened as a performance venue in 1919, a theater where tango legends like Francisco Canaro first performed, and where Buenos Aires saw its first sound film. When it transitioned to a cinema in later decades and closed in 2000, the building was converted into a bookstore. Almost nothing was touched: the painted ceiling by Nazareno Orlandi, the ornate rounded balconies, the red velvet curtains, and the grand stage itself, which now serves as a café where readers sit under theatrical lighting and order coffee from what was once a performance space.

The Guardian has named it one of the world’s greatest bookstores. Buenos Aires, a city with more bookstores per capita than almost anywhere on earth, treats it as its literary crown jewel. Theater box seats have been converted into reading nooks. More than 120,000 titles fill the space. Visitors sometimes hear a live piano played in the old acoustic chamber, the sound carrying exactly as it was designed to in 1919.

Practical info:

Address: Av. Santa Fe 1860, Buenos Aires.

Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–9pm, Sat–Sun 10am–9pm. Free entry.

4. Acqua Alta — Venice, Italy

Acqua Alta defies every convention of what a bookstore should be. Books spill out of gondolas. Bathtubs overflow with paperbacks. A staircase built entirely from stacked books leads to a view over a canal. Cats wander freely. The owner, Luigi Frizzo, stores his entire stock in waterproofed vessels specifically because Venice floods — “acqua alta” meaning high water. The books are genuinely safe in there.

It’s cramped, chaotic, and one of the most charming spaces in a city that has no shortage of charm. People who don’t particularly like books visit it just to see the interior. The courtyard at the back, with walls stacked floor-to-ceiling with books open to the sky, is one of the most photographed spots in Venice.

Practical info:

Address: Calle Longa Santa Maria Formosa 5176b, Venice.

Hours: Open daily approx. 9am–7pm. Free entry. No pushchairs. Arrive early for the quietest experience.

Official website:

5. Livraria Lello — Porto, Portugal

Opened in 1906 by brothers José and António Lello, Livraria Lello is one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal and easily the most visited. Its neo-Gothic facade gives way to an interior that stops people in their tracks: carved dark wood, a stained-glass ceiling inscribed with the Latin motto Decus in Labore (“Dignity in Work”), and the feature that made the store famous, a sweeping crimson staircase that curves upward like a piece of sculpture.

J.K. Rowling lived in Porto in the early 1990s and spent time in the store, which has fueled endless speculation about its connection to Hogwarts. That link has never been officially confirmed. What is clear is the reaction it inspires. Publications like The Guardian, Lonely Planet, and Time have all ranked Livraria Lello among the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

Important: Entry requires a timed ticket-voucher. The Silver ticket costs €10 ($11) and is fully redeemable against any book purchase in-store, making it effectively free if you buy something. A Platinum option at €50 ($54) includes access to the Gemma Room, which houses rare first editions and manuscripts. Book vouchers in advance. Children under 3 enter free. No pushchairs or luggage allowed inside.

Practical info:

Address: Rua das Carmelitas 144, Porto

Hours: Closed Jan 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, Jun 24, Dec 25.

6. Atlantis Books — Oia, Santorini, Greece

Most bookstores on this list impress with sheer scale or architecture. Atlantis Books is different. It’s a small whitewashed shop tucked into the cliffs of Oia, with a caldera view that makes sitting down with a book feel like a completely different experience.

The store opened in 2004 after a group of international friends decided that Santorini needed a proper bookstore. Today it still runs more on genuine literary passion than commercial logic. The shelves are carefully curated, the staff know their books, and the location on a narrow stepped lane above the Aegean has made it one of the most photographed small bookstores in the world.

Most of the collection is in English, which makes it a rare find on an island otherwise filled with souvenir shops. They publish their own titles, host readings and film nights, and have built a loyal following of visitors who return year after year. It’s the kind of place that quietly reminds you why independent bookstores still matter.

Practical info:

Location: Nomikos Conference Centre, Firostefani 847 00, Greece

Hours: Open seasonally, typically April through October. Hours vary. Free entry.

Check their website before visiting as hours shift with the season.

7. Cărturești Carusel — Bucharest, Romania

At 55 Strada Lipscani in Bucharest’s Old Town, this stunning bookstore began life in 1903 as the headquarters of the Chrissoveloni Bank, one of Romania’s most powerful financial families. After decades as a bank, the building was seized during the Communist era and turned into a clothing store before being abandoned entirely by the early 2000s. Jean Chrissoveloni, great-grandson of the original owner, spent 24 years fighting in court to reclaim the building. Once restored, architects from Square One spent five years transforming it into the bookstore that opened in 2015.

The result is Cărturești Carusel, meaning “Carousel of Light.” Inside, six bright white floors curve around a central atrium, with elegant balconies that create the feeling of a slowly turning carousel. A glass skylight floods the interior with daylight, while star-inspired lighting glows after dark. The space holds more than 10,000 books, 5,000 albums and DVDs, a contemporary art gallery, a multimedia basement, and a plant-filled bistro overlooking the entire store. Most titles are in Romanian, but there is also an English-language section.

The bookstore has won several architecture awards and is widely considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in Europe. For many visitors, it’s a highlight of exploring Bucharest’s historic center.

Practical info:

Address: Strada Lipscani 55, Bucharest Old Town.

Hours: Sun–Wed 10am–10pm, Thu–Sat 10am–midnight.

Free entry. Nearest metro: Universitate or Piața Unirii.

8. Mondadori Duomo — Milan, Italy

Mondadori has been at the center of Italian publishing since 1907, when Arnoldo Mondadori opened a small print shop as a teenager. More than a century later, the company unveiled its most ambitious bookstore yet: a three-floor flagship directly on Piazza del Duomo, inside the Neo-Renaissance Palazzo dei Portici Meridionali. When it opened in 2023, it drew 1.5 million visitors in its first year.

Designed by Italian architecture firm Il Prisma, the store feels bright, open, and unmistakably Milanese. Arched frames and skylights fill the main floor with natural light, while a central arena hosts author talks and cultural events that spill into the life of the piazza outside. Upstairs, a balcony level overlooks the main space. Downstairs, the children’s section is designed like a small indoor forest, with wooden trees and reading nooks tucked between the shelves. In total, the store spans 1,800 square meters and carries around 100,000 titles.

With twelve large windows facing the Duomo square and entrances from both Piazza del Duomo and Via Mazzini, the bookstore feels woven into the city itself. For visitors exploring Milan’s historic center, it’s one of the most beautiful modern bookstores in Italy.

Practical info:

Address: Piazza del Duomo 1, 20122 Milan.

Hours: Open daily 9am–11pm. Free entry. Directly at Duomo Metro stop (M1 Red Line and M3 Yellow Line).

9. Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus — Berlin, Germany

Unlike most bookstores on this list, Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus stands out for its scale. Opened in 1997 by Peter Dussmann, the store sits directly at Friedrichstraße station in central Berlin. Spread across five floors and 7,500 square meters, it holds more than 900,000 cultural titles, from books and vinyl to films, sheet music, and stationery. The English & International Bookstore section is widely considered the largest English-language selection in Berlin.

Despite its size, the space is designed for browsing. A living vertical garden rises in the center of the store, armchairs invite readers to linger, and a stage hosts regular readings and concerts. Visitors can also cut their own vinyl or print posters in the KulturManufaktur. Upstairs, the KulturKafé serves food and drinks while vinyl records play in the background.

The store is also famous for its hours. It stays open until midnight Monday through Friday and until 11:30pm on Saturdays, making it one of the few bookstores in Europe you can still visit late at night.

Practical info:

Friedrichstraße 90, 10117 Berlin. Mon–Fri 9am–midnight, Sat 9am–11:30pm, Sun closed (selected Sundays 1pm–6pm).

Directly at S/U-Bahn Friedrichstraße. Free entry.

10. The Last Bookstore — Los Angeles, California

The name started as a bit of a dare. When founder Josh Spencer opened The Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles in 2005, it was a response to the constant prediction that independent bookstores were disappearing. Nearly two decades later, the store has become one of the largest used and new bookstores in California, filling about 10,000 square feet of a former bank building in L.A.’s Spring Arts District.

Inside, the space feels less like a traditional bookstore and more like an art installation built out of books. There are tunnels made from paperbacks you can walk through, sculptures stacked from old volumes, and the store’s horror and mystery section tucked inside the building’s original bank vault. Overhead, a suspended installation of books hangs above the main floor. It’s wildly photogenic. With more than 113,000 Instagram tags, The Last Bookstore is often called the most photographed bookstore in the world.

Practical info:

Address: 453 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–10pm, Sun 10am–8pm. Free entry.

There are thousands of wonderful bookstores around the world, but the ones on this list manage something rare. They combine architecture, history, and a genuine love of books in a way that turns a simple visit into a memorable travel experience.

You might walk in for five minutes and end up staying an hour. You might arrive just to take a photo and leave with a book you didn’t plan to buy. Either way, these places remind you that bookstores can still be cultural landmarks, not just retail spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions: The World’s Most Beautiful Bookstores

What is the most beautiful bookstore in the world?

Boekhandel Dominicanen in Maastricht, Netherlands, was voted the most beautiful bookstore in the world in 2025 by over 200,000 readers in the 1000 Libraries global competition. It’s housed in a restored 13th-century Gothic Dominican church and widely considered one of the most stunning interiors in Europe. Entry is free.

Do you need a ticket to visit Livraria Lello in Porto?

Yes. Livraria Lello requires a timed entry ticket-voucher. The Silver ticket costs €10 and is fully redeemable against any book purchase, making it effectively free if you buy something. A Platinum option at €50 includes access to the rare books Gemma Room. Book in advance at livrarialello.pt. Children under 3 enter free.

Is Shakespeare and Company in Paris the original bookstore?

No. The original Shakespeare and Company was opened in 1919 by Sylvia Beach and closed in 1941 during the Nazi occupation of Paris. The current store was opened in 1951 by American George Whitman, originally as Le Mistral, and renamed in 1964 as a tribute to Beach. It has been run by his daughter Sylvia Whitman since his death in 2011.

What is the most Instagrammed bookstore in the world?

The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles has more Instagram tags than any other bookstore in the world, with over 113,000 posts. Located in a former bank building in downtown LA, it features book tunnels, paperback sculptures, and a horror and mystery section inside the original bank vault.

Is El Ateneo Grand Splendid free to visit?

Yes. El Ateneo Grand Splendid at Av. Santa Fe 1860 in Buenos Aires is completely free to enter. The café on the old theater stage is a wonderful place to sit and take in the space. It’s open Monday to Friday 9am–9pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am–9pm.

Which beautiful bookstores carry English-language books?

Shakespeare and Company in Paris specializes in English-language literature. Boekhandel Dominicanen in Maastricht has a solid English selection. Livraria Lello in Porto carries English titles, including beautifully designed collector editions. Atlantis Books in Santorini is almost entirely English-language. The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles has over 250,000 books, the vast majority in English.

Which of these bookstores is least crowded?

Boekhandel Dominicanen in Maastricht is surprisingly uncrowded given its status as the world’s most beautiful bookstore. Atlantis Books in Santorini, while small, sees far fewer visitors than the major European stores. Cărtureşti Carusel in Bucharest is also a peaceful experience compared to the Porto and Paris crowds, and still relatively undiscovered by international travelers.

Which bookstore is best for kids?

Mondadori Duomo in Milan has a dedicated underground children’s section designed like an indoor forest, with wooden trees and reading nooks built into the roots. Acqua Alta in Venice tends to delight younger visitors too, though the space is cramped.