Arguably the most famous bookstore in Portugal, Livraria Lello is both devastatingly beautiful and one of the most popular places to visit in Porto.
With (loose) ties to Harry Potter, a staircase that looks like it was ripped right out of a fairytale castle, and an easy-to-access location near the popular Igreja do Carmo in central Porto, Livraria Lello’s rise to fame seems almost inevitable.
Add in plenty of people referring to it as the most beautiful bookshop in the world, and its fate was sealed.
As ardent bibliophiles, we couldn’t pass up the chance to experience this famous bookstore for ourselves when visiting Porto.
Was it worth the hype?
We thought so… with some caveats.
If you’re hoping to visit Livraria Lello as part of your trip to Portugal, here’s what to know before you go!
Table of Contents
Did Livraria Lello inspire Harry Potter?
First things first: is Livraria Lello actually “the Harry Potter bookstore”?
While Livraria Lello is stunningly gorgeous and does, in fact, look like it would be at home in Hogwarts, its real-life connection to The Boy Who Lived is muddled at best.
Essentially, J.K. Rowling worked on Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone in Porto, ergo, Livraria Lello could have inspired Hogwarts!
It’s a stretch, yes, but the store is magnificent, and I’m convinced that in the age of social media, it’d be famous regardless.
Looking for more Harry Potter links in Porto?
Livraria Lello isn’t your only option.
Rowling worked on the first book at Cafe Majestic, which is beautiful and served us delicious (though quite expensive) cake.
Things to Do in Livraria Lello Bookstore
Check out the exterior.
Before walking in (or while you’re waiting in line, as the case may be), be sure to take a moment to appreciate the gorgeous Art Nouveau exterior of the building!
Buy books, of course!
As much fun as it is to wander through and photograph Libreria Lello, that doesn’t pay the bills for this independent bookshop!
If you come to explore and take photos, consider picking up one of the many, many books available as well.
Since you’ve already put a whopping 12 Euro toward the price of a book (more on that in a bit), it’s a good excuse to pick up a nice Porto souvenir.
The inventory includes plenty of books in both Portuguese and English.
Before visiting, we had heard that there were a wide selection of Harry Potter editions in Livraria Lello.
That didn’t seem to be the case when we visited, but they did have plenty of copies of all of the books.
Admire the staircase from every angle.
Livraria Lello’s unique staircase is undoubtedly the star of the show in this famous Porto bookshop.
There are many surprising things about it, starting with the fact that it is made of concrete!
Even up close, its regal and intricate appearance makes you think of wood, not concrete… and yet, when you step on it, the construction is unmistakable.
The stairs have also only been red since 1993 (a color that was originally painted by mistake!), though it’s now hard to picture them as anything else.
Walk the whole perimeter upstairs.
The views of Livraria Lello from upstairs are gorgeous, including plenty of angles of the staircase!
We also found the upstairs to be a bit less crowded than downstairs, as well as having a nice selection of books to peruse.
Essential Tips for Visiting Livraria Lello in Porto
You need to pre-book a ticket to visit Livraria Lello.
Yes, this is a bookshop that charges an entrance fee!
I’ve never seen such a thing before or since, but given the crowds that descend upon Livraria Lello and how small the bookshop is, it’s easy to see how the idea came about.
Essentially, it costs a minimum 12 Euro to enter Livraria Lello, and you can reserve your tickets here.
If you buy a book, the 12 Euro will be credited toward your purchase (we bought a pretty copy of Love in the Time of Cholera).
You can also book more expensive tickets that include a specific book or a visit to the off-site Livraria Lello Foundation at the Monastery of Leça do Balio.
Put thought into what time of day you visit.
The crowds at Livraria Lello can get quite over-the-top.
That’s understandable, as it’s a beautiful place without much room to spread out, but it hardly makes for a relaxing bookstore experience!
If you want to so much as glance at that gorgeous red staircase without a crowd of people on it, let alone take a photo with it, you’ll want to avoid the worst of the crowds.
We had excellent luck by showing up before opening and being among the very first people inside (we also took these photos in January, which is low season in Porto), but as of February 2026, the Livraria Lello website states that lunchtime and late afternoon are the best times to visit.
Current hours are 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, 7 days a week, with the exceptions of January 1st, Easter Sunday, May 1st, June 24th, and December 25th, when the store is closed.
Don’t expect a huge bookstore.
Livraria Lello is a fairly small shop, all things considered–it’s certainly not as big as, say, Libreria Acqua Alta in Venice (one of our favorite bookstores on the planet) or Leakey’s Bookshop in Inverness.
The bulk of the shop is visible when you first walk in, spread across two floors.
There is also a small back room.
Ultimately, even with taking copious amounts of time to snap photos and wait for good (read: people-free) angles, it would be hard to spend more than 30 minutes there.
Would we recommend visiting Livraria Lello in Porto?
We originally published this blog post after our 2022 visit to Livraria Lello, which we truly enjoyed.
I love visiting bookshops around the world, and was absolutely looking forward to this one! I feel lucky to have seen it, and especially to have seen it with so few people inside.
However.
At the time, tickets to Livraria Lello were 5 Euro, and I already considered that a high price tag to enter a bookstore!
I wasn’t surprised to see that prices had increased in the last few years, but more than doubling to 12 Euro caused me to raise my eyebrows.
For reference, that makes Livraria Lello one of the most expensive tourist attractions in Porto, pricier than climbing Clérigos Tower, exploring the gorgeous cloisters of the Porto Cathedral, or visiting the Igreja do Carmo that’s just up the street.
If Livraria Lello is high on your Porto wish list and the price seems reasonable to you (like if you’re sure you want to purchase a book), then by all means, enjoy it.
Personally, though, I don’t think we’ll ever go back. With ticket prices like that, once was enough!
Location of Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal
Livraria Lello is located in Porto’s historic center, within walking distance of many of the best places to visit in Porto.
Address of Livraria Lello
R. das Carmelitas 144, 4050-161 Porto, Portugal
Livraria Lello Phone Number
+351 22 200 2037
Map of Livraria Lello Location
Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.
Read More About Visiting Portugal (+ Bookstores in Europe!)
Excited to keep planning your trip to Porto… and maybe other places in Portugal?
If so, we’d love to be part of it!
We were lucky enough to spend around a year living in Lisbon, and traveled all over (mainland) Portugal while we did.
You can browse all of our Portugal blog posts here, or check out these guides:
- How to Travel From Lisbon to Porto (By Train, Car, or Bus!)
- Enchanting Obidos, Portugal: The Best Things to Do + Travel Guide
- The Ultimate 3 Days in Lisbon Itinerary
- Adorable Amarante, Portugal: Things to Do + Travel Guide
- 21+ Hidden Gems in Lisbon: Secret Spots + Offbeat Treasures
Love visiting beautiful bookstores like we do? If so, you might also enjoy…
- Our roundup of 11 of Europe’s Prettiest Bookstores
- A quick guide to Venice’s unique bookshop that floods semi-regularly (there’s a gondola involved to help save the books)
- An inside look at Inverness’ legendary church-turned-bookstore
- Our picks for the best books about Italy
- A review of the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the world (which is also located in Portugal!)
About Kate Storm
Kate is the founder and primary author of Our Escape Clause. Since 2016, she has been following her curiosity across the globe and turning her experiences into detailed trip planning advice for you. Her travels have taken her to 50+ countries, most regions of Italy, and most US states. After 4+ years of full-time travel, she enjoyed chapters calling Lisbon, New York City, and Texas home before deciding to base herself in North Carolina (between trips). She lives with her husband and business partner, Jeremy, their son, and their fluffy sidekick, Ranger.