This blog post is an accumulation of many astonishing bookstores that I found during my many travels around the world and I love so much that I would take on a whole journey to visit them again.
This is your warning that those bookstores may cause you to travel and spend a lot of money, just for you to see and visit! They will want you to get cosy right away and read a book somewhere in a foreign city!
They are not sorted, but just sprinkled very randomly around the globe. We wanted to dedicate a post just to have them all together, for every person who loves being in a great bookstore and is a reading lover like myself. We just love to spend time in bookstores when abroad because nothing feels better than this. Even though you most of the time can’t buy some because your luggage is already too heavy, it is still great to spend some time in a bookstore.
There is a high chance that actually no one will ever read this post or is even slightly interested in cool bookstores all around the world, but it is a deeply rooted love of ours, so this post will be published nevertheless. If you are intrigued by one or more of those charming bookstores, make sure to save them for later.
These are my 10 favourite bookstores that are worth traveling the world for:
1. Galignani
Location: Paris, France
A hidden gem in Paris. Everyone is visiting Shakespeare and Company in Paris, so there are always long lines and many people inside the bookstore. Still worth a visit though, in my opinion. But if you are searching for a lesser-known but equally beautiful bookstore, with a huge English book selection, I would rather recommend Galignani. This bookstore is a real architecturally cosy bookstore that also has a gallery where you can overlook the beautiful downstairs, with many English books and cute bookmarks that you get when you buy a book there. The old wood finish makes the whole ambiance just as amazing, and the location is also perfect for every traveler who is visiting Paris. This bookstore has a lot of history because it has been open since 1804, and the location is actually perfect for a tourist to reach. This bookstore is my favourite in Paris because the selection of books that I like to read is just perfectly crafted for my taste, and I never have issues finding a good book there.
2. Abbey Bookstore
Location: Paris, France
Another rustic bookstore in Paris that is worth a visit if you enjoy being around books a lot is this one. The Abbey Bookstore is not far from Shakespeare and Company and is a Canadian-owned bookstore with English books from the floor to the ceiling. Very small but cute interior, perfect for every book lover, and wandering around the small pathways and looking for books everywhere is really whimsical. They also, of course, have very cute tote bags, but the books are a bit on the pricier side in my opinion. This is a book lovers paradise!
3. Daunt Bookstore Marylebone
Location: London, Great Britain
This bookstore is in one of the coolest neighbourhoods in London. Very great for walking around and then taking a look into this outstanding beauty. You may have heard of it because of its cute tote bags that many people wear out and about. The tote bags are aesthetic, but the bookstore is even more inviting with its beautiful wooden interior and coloured glass ceilings, which give it this amazing light and ambiance. There are many Daunt Bookstores in London, but the one in Marylebone is the most beautiful one in my opinion.
4. Shakespeare and Company
Location: Vienna, Austria
One of my favourite bookstores in Vienna is Shakespeare and Company. Since the location is close to Schwedenplatz and also Stephansplatz, two very busy and touristy places in the city, it’s still quite hidden. Every single time I go up the stairs and turn left to get to the bookstore, there are only a few people passing by. I’m not sure if I’m just lucky and visited at the right time, but there were always only a few people in the store. Comparing it to Shakespeare and Company in Paris (where you literally have to wait in a row to get inside), the complete opposite is happening here. The staff is super friendly and chill, the room gives you the cozy atmosphere you wish for while looking for books. It has this perfect old classic architecture, combined with high walls, wooden floors, and books stacked from the bottom to the top. It’s quite small, until you find another little hidden room, filled with even more special books. My highlight is definitely the mirrorball, you’ll spot right when you enter!
5. Unity Bookstore
Location: Auskland, New Zealand
Auckland has many cute bookstores and antiquarian bookstores around town, but this one was my favourite. We also bought a cute tote bag there and just dived into this small but cute bookstore with book stacks with English books everywhere. The people were so friendly and nice, and it definitely had a very cosy vibe for sure.
6. Libreria Acqua Alta
Location: Venice, Italy
A very famous bookstore in the middle of Venice, featuring a cute outside area where you can climb up stairs made out of books to see the canals, and also a very cute boat and bathtub in the store, which are filled with loads and loads of books. This is a more well-known bookstore on my list, but I just loved it so much that I had to include it in this blog post. This bookstore is very small, and even back in the day there were already quite a few people pushing through this small interior and little terrace, but it is just so sweet and charming and also a good photo spot.
7. The Book Room
Location: Byron Bay, Australia
This sweet bookshop in Byron went kind of viral for its exterior on Pinterest because of its very cute white sign that just fits perfectly into the aesthetics of Byron Bay. But also the inside is very sweet, with small little souvenirs and a good selection of books of different genres.
8. Paperback Bookshop
Location: Melbourne, Australia
This is my absolute favourite bookshop in Melbourne, which says a lot because Melbourne has an outstanding selection of bookstores all around the city. I definitely have to say that I have been to probably all of them during my time living there because, as you know, I love bookstores. Even if I can’t buy a book, I still spend most of my time in bookstores just to look around and enjoy the vibes. And to this one in particular I have been many times with different people, because of its uniqueness, and I wanted to show it to all of them. The exterior but also the interior is so special and cool in my opinion, that you definitely have to visit it when you are in Australia. Books from the bottom of the floor to the roof, with a very rustic but simple outside of the store.
9. Ler Devagar
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
This bookshop is in an old factory hall with a bicycle hanging from the ceiling, which offers a great photo spot and a unique setting. It is in a perfect location in one of the coolest markets in Lisbon called LX Factory, with lots and lots of amazing food options and specifically the hummus and the bread from “The Therapist” at LX Factory is amazing. It’s perfect for unwinding and walking around the bookstore with only English books. I was most astonished by their classics selection in all different kinds of formats and covers that I just couldn’t resist and bought one with a cover I had never seen before. A place you have to stop by if you are in Lisbon!
10.Better Read Than Dead
Location: Sydney, Australia
We found this tucked-away bookstore in Newtown, in one of Sydney’s coolest neighbourhoods, when we stayed there for the first time. This bookstore is really inviting, also with shelves from the floor to the very high top of the ceiling. They have a big community of readers in Sydney and offer many events like workshops but also literary trips. This bookshop really gives you the impression that every little detail is made with love, and that is what makes it so warm and charming.
These were the 10 best bookstores all around the world that I have visited and would travel back to anytime. I am always looking for new and amazing bookstores everywhere around the world, so if you have a favourite one from your travels or even in your hometown, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment and let us know so that we can expand this list and check out all the other charming bookstores. These were the most memorable bookstores I’ve visited so far—but the list is far from complete. If you know a hidden gem, let me know in the comments.
Live a life to remember!
Emma
About the Author:
If Emma were a word, she would be „daydreaming“ - the kind of daydreaming that feels more active than dreamy. No matter where she is, you’ll catch her thinking about the artsy city of Melbourne, wishing to take a walk through Central Park, dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights, and so on. The list is long. What’s adorable and also very impressive is that Emma doesn’t stay lost in the haze of her dreams; it won’t be long before the first opportunity appears, and she’ll be on her way to fulfill them.
Emma
About the Author:
If Emma were a word, she would be „daydreaming“ – the kind of daydreaming that feels more active than dreamy. No matter where she is, you’ll catch her thinking about the artsy city of Melbourne, wishing to take a walk through Central Park, dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights, and so on. The list is long. What’s adorable and also very impressive is that Emma doesn’t stay lost in the haze of her dreams; it won’t be long before the first opportunity appears, and she’ll be on her way to fulfill them.
