The other centrepiece is a sinuous staircase – built in reinforced concrete, with the appearance of wood. The steps were painted red by accident but left in that shade because it works so well. The store charges €8 (£6.85) for entry to control traffic, which you get back with the purchase of a book; they stock a few in English.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink on the nearby Rua das Galerias de Paris, and even a book-themed bar and nightclub called Casa do Livro. For somewhere mellow, try the Jardim de João Chagas at Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, a garden which pays homage to a well-known liberal republican, who, in addition to being a politician, was a journalist, literary critic and writer, published by Livraria Lello shortly after opening.
Where to find it: Rua das Carmelitas 144; 0035 122 200 2037
Plan the perfect trip with our travel guide to Porto.
2. Evripidis, Athens, Greece
Although most of it may all be Greek to you, there are foreign-language books and stationery as well as a small café in this handsome bookstore in Athens, so after you’ve earnestly perused the alphas and omegas you can grab a copy of The Iliad for Beginners and sit down with a sketos (plain black coffee).
Founded in 1955, this was once a small corner shop but it has grown into one of the largest bookshops in Athens. Stylish light fixtures, a dangling mobile and bench seating, plus packed shelves, make this space feel like a particularly stylish library. Kifisia – a half-hour by train from the centre – is an affluent suburb and was once a summer retreat for wealthy Athenians and philosophers. There are leafy streets and parks as well as a great natural history museum for cultural enrichment.
Varsos is a Greek patisserie established in 1892; grab a table and try a galaktoboureko (filo pastry, custard and syrup) with your coffee.
Where to find it: 11 Andrea Papandreou, Halandri; 0030 21 0807 5792
Plan the perfect trip with our travel guide to Athens.
3. Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, Italy
The name means “high water” and this irreverent bookstore in Venice keeps all its volumes in sort-of waterproof receptacles – including bathtubs, half-barrels, trunks and a gondola.
The interior is chaotic, with books on every surface and in every corner. A staircase made from books is popular with local stray cats; follow them for a great view. Though only two decades old, Acqua Alta has some very old books and looks as if it has been here forever.
