Not so long ago I was looking for my next city trip. So many places I had already visited, even more, places I still have never been to. There are lots of choices and numerous things to consider. This time I was looking for a city in Europe. Since I have been really into reading again lately, I decided to check out some cool bookshops to be part of my city trip. Here are a few of the coolest bookshops I found.
Source: Paris Perfect
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The Oldest Bookshop in the World: Paris
Shakespeare’s in Paris is the oldest bookshop in the world. Strangely enough, it was founded by English people and not French. Even today the majority of their collection consists of English books rather than French. The shop breathes a charming “Hogwarts like (Harry Potter)” feeling. Books are charmingly stored in all nooks and crannies of the store. When you purchase a book, you can get a lovely stamp in your book as a memory of your visit.
A Bookshop like a Library: London
Just north of Covent Garden, you find the wonderful bookstore “Daunt” in the area called Marleybone. It’s very much a walkable distance when you are strolling around downtown London. Even if you don’t wish to purchase any book, the store is worth visiting. You will rarely find such wonderful-looking stores or buildings from the inside for that matter.
London is absolutely full of stunning bookshops, finding other bookshops like ‘Daunt’ will be an easy task with the variety throughout London. If you’re struggling to find them, PlumGuide has curated an in-depth guide to help you locate the best bookshops in London.
Source: Evening Standard
Livraria Lello in Porto
If you want your city trip to be accompanied by lovely weather, it is recommended you go a bit further South. Porto has more than a wonderful Port, although you should definitely make Port tasting an essential part of your journey. Porto is a wonderful city to discover with lovely foods, wines, and architecture. The Livraria Lello is just as imposing as bookshop Daunt and maybe even more so. The Portuguese style is not only visible on the outside of the building, but also in the way they have decorated the inside. Furthermore, Porto is a very affordable city and has everything to offer than any other major city in Europe has.
Bookshop on the Water
If you have a few more dollars to spend the Acqua Alta bookshop is a nice place to visit. This bookshop in Venice simply looks marvelous. Since most books are in Italian, you are probably not likely to buy a book there, but you should surely visit this charming bookshop if you have the opportunity. We recommend you stay away from Venice during peak season in July August. June has very good weather too and this month it is far less crowded. The bookshop is only reachable through water and purchasing a lovely gondola ride in Venice does not come cheap. If you do not want to spend more than 200 USD a night for a fairly crappy hotel, we recommend you stay outside of Venice. Public transport from and to Venice is very well arranged.
Source: Amusing Planet
The coolest bookshops in my mind have been selected above. This is my main source of inspiration. Skyscanner also makes a nice list with very nice bookshops all around the world.
