Livraria Lello has established itself as a touristic landmark and a cultural heritage of Porto and Portugal since 1906 welcoming visitors from all over the world.
Located in a neo-gothic architecture building right in the heart of historic downtown Porto, at rua das Carmelitas very close to Torre dos Clérigos, it is considered not only as one of the oldest Portuguese bookstores but also as one of the World’s most beautiful ones. Alongside its incomparable historical, architectural and artistic value, inside you’ll find a whole new experience granted by the unique ambience and by its ornamental ceilings, arches, an exquisite stained-glass skylight and a wooden staircase, made famous by the rumours of once being an inspiration to the writer J.K. Rowling settings in the Harry Potter books.
Livraria Lello wants to be more than a guardian of the past and therefore it keeps reinventing itself over the years to preserve the art and the knowledge books reward us with. With that in mind, they’ve committed themselves to some goals like setting the whole world reading, valuing the book, backing for culture, becoming a landmark for the cultural tourism sector and making sustainable development.
When visiting Porto it's mandatory to plan a visit to Livraria Lello and that’s done by going to their website (livrarialello.pt) and buying an online ticket voucher that best suits you and then wait and enjoy the experience of being in the most beautiful bookstore of the World.
In the words of Livraria Lello, “We are bold and work according to the same value. We are proud of what we do and, just like Pessoa, yearn to set off down new paths. We place the book at the centre of all our attention and actions and perpetuate an attitude of absolute freedom to provide the foundation for a far broader intervention ranging across the entire field of culture. Aware not only of who we are, of our own DNA, but also of what we dream of becoming, we establish commitments to our community and to the wider world.”
Photography: https://www.pexels.com/photo/the-interior-of-the-livraria-lello-in-portugal-10831680/