You'll find Livraria Lello fascinating even if you're not into books. A bookstore with loads of character not found in malls, this building from the early 20th century features Neo-Gothic details that add a punch of magic to the usual shopping experience. "Harry Potter" author JK Rowling, who lived in Porto in the 1990s, allegedly used one of the shop's twisting stairways for inspiration. Stop by and you might be inspired to read--or write--something too. Use our Porto trip itinerary planning app to visit Livraria Lello on your trip to Porto, and learn what else travelers and our writers recommend seeing nearby.
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Livraria Lello reviews
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Their website suggests buying a ticket gives priority access. Indeed it does but you can buy a ticket at the front of the store. The shop does not manage numbers so it was packed to the max with...
Their website suggests buying a ticket gives priority access. Indeed it does but you can buy a ticket at the front of the store. The shop does not manage numbers so it was packed to the max with... more »
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We visited the library for the sole purpose of taking some photos for our grandkids. We went early ( be sure to buy a ticket online first) , but then had to wait an hour and a half before we could...
We visited the library for the sole purpose of taking some photos for our grandkids. We went early ( be sure to buy a ticket online first) , but then had to wait an hour and a half before we could... more »
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Whether or not you are a fan of Harry Potter, this bookstore is one of the must-visit places in Porto. I would say that getting your ticket online is a MUST if you don't want to waste a lot of time in the queue. Seriously, the lines at this place are insane. When you book your ticket online you can select the time you want to enter and it is important that you are there at that time. Thanks to this you will be able to avoid the queues (at least we were able to avoid the queue the time we went thanks to this). When you arrive at the site, tell them that you have reserved for X hour and they will tell you what to do. The bookstore is beautiful, it looks like something out of a story. Of course, if you want to take a photo without people... good luck because it is practically impossible unless you arrive first thing in the morning. Inside you can find a wide variety of books and also Portuguese literature. They have their own bookstore collection with some of the most iconic books, these having special covers and decoration. With your ticket you have a discount of 5 € to buy books (the price of the ticket). In short, a must-see in Porto, as long as you book online and manage to avoid the queue, because if you don't, you will wait a long time in line, losing time for other activities that you can do in the city.
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Beautifully designed. Total tourist trap. Small book store with a very limited selection of books. Definitely caters to tourists with the book selection. €5 entrance charge but they do credit you that much if you purchase a book. The stairway is beautiful but good luck getting a picture without someone posing on it. The staff was very friendly. Not really worth the wait in line if you are looking for an actual book and not just a social media post. But the staff was nice and it is beautiful inside.
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