As travel restrictions begin to ease, you might be starting to plan your next vacation. Here are 10 magical bookstores that will make your next travel adventure a book lover’s dream:
Cook & Book – Brussels, Belgium
This beautiful Brussels bookstore is mind-blowing and gravity-defying. With 800 books suspended from the ceiling, you’ll really understand the saying, “reading is magic.” Cook & Book also has eight stunning rooms, each housing a different theme with decor to match. The children’s book section has train tracks running through it, the travel section has a life-sized caravan, and the music section is lined with records. When you’re done browsing, don’t forget to visit the atmospheric café, lit up with Campbell soup can lanterns!
Chongqing Zhongshuge Bookstore – Chongqing, China
Located in the beautiful city of Chongqing, this bookstore is massive. Also known as the bookstore that never ends, the architectural design zigzags around staircases made of books, which are reflected in mirrored ceilings. Not only is the building a masterpiece, but it also has many quiet reading spots for the focused reader. This is one bookstore you’ll never want to leave.
The Owl Pen Bookstore – Ontario, Canada
The Owl Pen is a beautiful used bookstore located in Ontario Cottage Country, where you can find anything and everything your heart desires. Their shelves are filled with new releases you’ve been dying to read, as well as gorgeous copies of classics that have been on your TBR for years. This store is owned and operated by the loveliest, most helpful shop owners, so there’s no doubt you’ll be able to find your new favorite read in their incredibly diverse shelves.
The Last Bookstore – Los Angeles, United States
This bookstore is home to a labyrinth of books, with shelves that defy gravity. Covering over 1850 square meters, The Last Bookstore also has a book tunnel where you’ll feel as if you’ve just entered a new fairytale realm. With a huge range of genres and titles, it will be impossible not to walk out with some new reads and fantastic pictures for your Instagram.
Shakespeare and Company – Paris, France
Shakespeare and Co. is perfect for booklovers and literature geeks. Regularly frequented by seminal authors including Ezra Pound, James Joyce, and Gertrude Stein, this bookshop has a rich literary history. Forced into closure during WWII, George Whitman reopened the bookstore in another location to appreciate the historical significance of the first Shakespeare and Company.
Leakey’s Bookshop – Inverness, Scotland
Located in a stunning Gaelic Church of the 18th century and home to over 100,000 books, Leakey’s bookshop is one of Scotland’s most beloved used bookstores. Leakey’s has beautiful, vast ceilings, while also radiating comfort and warmth with its wood burning fireplace. If you’re ever in Inverness, this bookshop is a must-see.
Book and Bed – Tokyo, Japan
Do you ever fantasize about sleeping in a room surrounded by your favourite novels? Located in Tokyo, Book and Bed is a one-of-a-kind hostel, also called the “bookstore where you can stay.” This hostel is home to over 5000 titles that you can grab before crawling into bed and spending the night surrounded by books.
Livraria Lello – Porto, Portugal
Livraria Lello is the oldest bookstore in the beautiful city of Porto, with a gorgeous neo-gothic design, stained glass, and a centerpiece double helix staircase in rich red. Not only does this bookshop have stunning architecture, but also book options for all moods. There are also rumors that this bookstore was a key inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s design of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts.
El Pendulo – Mexico City, Mexico
This bookstore will blow your mind with its sky-high shelves which stand under draping, lush greenery. There are plants and vines throughout the store, making visitors feel as if they are walking through a magical, fairytale forest. El Pendulo also houses a lovely café where you can grab a coffee before browsing the overwhelming stacks of books.
Word on the Water – London, England
If you’ve ever wanted to visit a floating bookstore, Word on the Water is the perfect spot for you! Built on top of a 1920s Dutch canal boat, this floating bookshop is a stunning place to spend a sunny day. With a surprisingly wide variety of titles, live music, poetry slam performances, and an adorable bookstore dog to brighten your mood, you won’t regret spending an afternoon on-board Word on the Water.
Throughout the pandemic, book lovers have been limited to buying books online. But that’s only half the magic! These incredible bookstores are waiting for you with open arms as the world begins to reopen.