Livraria Lello

Livraria Lello | Porto, Portugal (Bookstore)

I visited what is supposed the most beautiful bookstore in the world and inspired JK Rowling in writing Harry Potter. It is gorgeous indeed and their collection is great (for example all the works of all the Noble prize winners in all languages) but tourism has rather spoiled it. People who never read a book but talk too loud and are only there for taking selfie crowded the famous stairs 🤷🏻‍♀️

squirrelbrain Wow, that is gorgeous! ❤️ 7mo

LeahBergen It‘s so beautiful! And I‘ve heard that it‘s overrun with tourists. 😑 7mo

Simona Breathe taking beautiful❣️ 7mo

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BarbaraBB @Simona Hi Simona! How good to see you back here ❤️ 7mo

Simona Thank you 😊 7mo

Megabooks Wow! Stunning! 7mo

Suet624 It sure is gorgeous!!! 6mo

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Henrik_Madsen

Livraria Lello | Porto, Portugal (Bookstore)

As a booklover going to Porto I obviously had to visit the famous and incredibly beautiful bookshop Lello with the famous red staircase in the middle.

It is as wonderful as advertised but it is also a perfect example of how tourists spoil what we visit. We all seek this authentic feeling, but when there are too many of us the authenticity is lost.

(Continued in comments)

Henrik_Madsen Lello is still a bookshop, but you have to buy a ticket which becomes a voucher (so if you actually buy books it is free). It is very crowded, the girl in the information desk boldly stated she didn‘t know anything about the books but only worked with the tourists (she did find a person who could help me), and lots of people were clearly there for the photo opportunity and not the books. (1/2) 5y

Henrik_Madsen I did buy a book and I am happy to have seen such a beautiful shop, but I also felt very much aware of the falseness of it all. Whoever once used Lello as their go-to shop has found more quiet places and it is not the place for browsing. I don‘t have a solution, but I do understand how the people who actually have the famous cathedrals as their parish church must feel. (2/2) (edited) 5y

Bklover So disappointing! Wouldn‘t it be wonderful to visit after hours? I think that bookstores should take much greater care with whom they employ. The people you speak to help set the tone of a place. Still glad you found something to buy! 5y

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Henrik_Madsen @Bklover A visit after hours would be brilliant! It was somewhat disappointing but I can see their problem. It‘s a small shop and it‘s in every guide book so people will come. Sometimes tourists just ruin it for themselves, I guess. 5y

Liz_M Oh no! I am sorry to hear that a beautiful bookstore is almost unable to function as a bookstore. 5y

Henrik_Madsen @Liz_M Yes, it is sad. If I go back in autumn or winter, I`ll try again. Maybe it will be a bit less sought after then. 5y

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