While most tourists can be found following their guidebooks to museums, art galleries and places of historical significance, I’m more likely to be found following that new book smell to the closest library or bookshop.
And on my travels, I’ve found some spectacularly beautiful libraries & bookshops, sometimes in the most unexpected of places.
I keep a list of destinations that I want to visit – not for their stunning beaches or incredible food, but for the sole purpose of finding the most beautiful libraries and bookshops in the world.
So for all of my fellow bibliophiles out there, if you’re looking for your next travel destination, you might want to consider these 10 cities. While everyone else is running around seeing the sights, you can curl up with a new book and take in that unbeatable new book smell!
Mortlock Wing, State Library of South Australia – Adelaide
Although I grew up in Adelaide, I had no idea that this absolute beauty of a library even existed until my Dad showed me while I was visiting a few years ago.
Built in 1884, the Mortlock Wing is intricate, opulent, and about as stunning as a library can get! It’s free to visit, and photography is allowed, so if you ever find yourself in Adelaide, make sure you add this hidden gem to your itinerary.
Chetham’s Library – Manchester
Manchester is home to a number of beautiful libraries, but Chetham’s is the jewel in the city’s literary crown. It’s the oldest library in the English-speaking world, and it looks like it’s straight out of Hogwarts, with dark corridors, leather-bound books chained to heavy wooden shelves and ancient chairs (which were once occupied by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels).
It’s free to visit (there’s a suggested donation of Β£3), but you can only enter at certain times, and always with a guide. Take a look at Chetham’s Library website for more information.
You might also like: Just how cool is Manchester, anyway?
Livraria Lello – Porto
Rumour has it that J.K. Rowling drew inspiration for Hogwarts from this incredible bookshop during her time living and teaching in Porto.
Everyone likes to think their destination is the one that inspired the tale, but whether this claim is true or not is beside the point: if you’re in Porto, you have to visit Livraria Lello with its winding staircases, stained glass ceiling and cathedral-like decor.
When I visited back in 2013, photography was banned (and visitors were closely monitored, so you couldn’t even get a sneaky shot in). These days, you have to pay to get in (β¬4 I believe, which is taken off any purchase you make), but you are allowed to take photos so it’s worth the cost!
Stony Island Arts Bank – Chicago
Chicago was already on my bucket list long before I had heard of the Stony Island Arts Bank, but as soon as I saw the Instagram picture above, I knew I had to make it happen.
The library section of this old bank building – which also serves as a gallery, event space and cultural centre – is packed with books from the floor all the way up to the 7m high ceiling.
From its origins as a crumbling old bank (which was sold for $1) to the spectacular cultural hub it is today, this building alone would make a trip to Chicago worthwhile.
Tianjin Binhai Library – China
This brand new (as in, it opened in October 2017) cultural space, also known as The Eye, is located in the port city ofΒ Tianjin in China. The library is five storeys high, and its terraced bookshelves hold over 1.2 million books.
Doesn’t that sound like heaven? I’m not sure I’d ever be able to drag myself away from the reading rooms and lounges in this unbelievably beautiful library.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid – Buenos Aires
This bookshop has been deemed by The Guardian as the second best in the world, and it’s easy to see why. Once a theatre, El Ateneo Grand Splendid still boasts beautiful ceiling frescoes, theatre boxes and a red velvet curtained stage, which now serves as a cafe.
I know most people visit Argentina for steak, flamenco dancing and stunning landscapes, but I’d be quite happy spending my holiday in this book lover’s paradise.
Carturesti Carusel – Bucharest
Translating to Carousel of Light, Carturesti Carusel opened in 2015 after the 19th century building underwent extensive renovation. The end result is indeed a carousel of light, with floods of natural light illuminating the white and light wood interior.
There’s also an art gallery, cafes and event spaces, so once you’ve entered this beautiful bookshop in the Romanian city of Bucharest, there’s really no reason to leave!
Daunt Books – London
This is one of my favourite bookshops in the world, in part because I can visit it whenever I want!
Located in London’s Marylebone, Daunt Books is an independent Edwardian bookshop that specialises in travel literature. It claims to be the world’s first custom-built bookshop, having opened its doors in 1912, but whatever its beginnings, it’s well worth a visit now.
The oak galleries house plenty of travel books, but most people head up the steep wooden staircases just to take in this Instagram-worthy view.
Libreria Acqua Alta – Venice
I covered this unforgettable bookshop in my guide to the hidden gems of Venice some time ago, and I’m desperate to go back (in part because I lost all my photos except this one…nooooo!).
In a city known for its constant flooding, a bookshop tucked neatly on the edge of a canal has to do whatever it takes to protect its stock.
At Libreria Acqua Alta, this means the books are stacked higgledy-piggledy in bathtubs and old gondolas, which the resident cats weave in and out of, not disguising their disdain for intruding customers.
This magical bookshop features a staircase made entirely of books, offering a great view over the canals, and if you are lucky enough to be there at high tide you can sit on a chair with your feet in the water and read a book in the most memorable bookshop in the world.
Austrian National Library – Vienna
Last, but certainly not least, is the Austrian National Library in Vienna, which I can describe in no better way than by saying it’s the real-life version of the Beast’s library in Beauty and the Beast.
Located inside a palace, this Baroque hall is filled with antiquities and treasures, and of course, thousands of leather-bound books. There are secret doors built into the bookshelves (look out for the gaps when you’re walking past), incredible frescoes on the ceiling and enormous globes showing maps of the earth and the skies.
It’s one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful libraries I’ve ever seen in my life. No, scratch that. It’s just one of the most incredible rooms I’ve ever been in, and it’s worth every cent of the β¬8 entry fee.
Have you visited any beautiful libraries or bookshops on your travels? What else should I add to this list?
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Great article! I have never heard of many of these libraries!
Thanks Anna :-)
I definitely need to go and see some of these – they’re absolutely stunning! It’s not as beautiful but my favourite bookish place to visit is Barter Books in Alnwick.
Oh, I just looked up Barter Books and it looks incredible – I must check it out one day! Thanks for adding it to my radar :-)
Iβd add Trinity College Library in Dublin to your list! X
Oh yes! I definitely should have added that, it’s on my list of places to see! Thanks for the suggestion x