The gorgeous Livraria Lello bookshop, in Porto Portugal

Front façade today

Brothers José and António Lello, pro­minent cultivated members of Porto's intel­l­ectual bourg­eoisie, founded a busi­ness publishing and selling books in late 1800s. The bro­thers Lello, looking to expand their bus­­iness, bought the old Chardron Inter­nat­ional Book­store in 1894, and asked Francisco Xav­ier Esteves to de­sign their new bookstore in a Neo-Gothic & Art Nouveau style. It was the city’s first archit­ectural structure built with reinforced concrete.

When Livraria Lello Bookshop was inaugurated by the brothers in Jan 1906, this was an important soc­ial event for both Portuguese (and Brazilian) societies. It was at­t­end­ed by fam­ous people from all ov­er, including famous Portuguese writers. As one of Por­tug­al's oldest book­stores, its beauty came from its intr­icate Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau design in Rua das Carmel­it­as.

The shop has an fine neo-gothic façade, with 2 figures painted by José Biel­man, representing the Science and the Art. From the outside Liv­raria Lello is a stunning example of Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau ar­ch­itecture: intricate arch-ways, extravagant fres­coes, tiling and el­egant windows. Below the fig­ures is the Lello & Brother sig­nage, pain­t­ed in vivid colours to stand out from the rest of the building.

This facade is only bettered by its stunning interior. Walk through the front doors to the extravag­ant interior which spreads across two floors which has been amazing lo­cals and visitors ever since. See the grand Art-Nouveau central staircase with its elabor­ately car­ved archways and columns. Made of painted plast­er instead of wood, this curving de­sign style was popular in the early C20th.

The large stained glass windows, ceiling-high bookshel­ves adorning the walls and a grandiose stained-glass skylight with the Lello mot­to/Honour in Work make the book­shop a Por­to temple to the arts. And beyond its beauty, this funct­ioning shop ser­v­es the peo­­ple of Por­to by selling many books.

Rumour spread that J.K Rowling’s inspiration to write Harry Potter began in Porto, including this library. The author DID live in Porto as an English teacher in the 1990s, drink­ing cof­fee at the 2nd floor of Lello’s bookshop. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published in 1997, so rumour suggested that the book­shop and its intricate stair­case insp­ired the magic of the Hog­warts. Un­fortunately this rumour was debunked by Rowling, who said she could never aff­ord to buy a book but WAS inspired by Porto’s beauty.

  

The bookshop is also said to have insp­ired the creation of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series, attract­ing tra­vell­ers from all over the world. Despite the numbers in Harry Potter-manic visitors (4,000 visits a day), the bookshop was actually making a loss; tour­ists were visiting but not buying books. To raise money in early 2015, an entrance fee was add­ed. In 2016 & 2017, the shop space was fully re­novated, to help man­age the Harry Potter tourists. But the book­shop became VERY crowd­ed. So has its lustre diminished? Book a 3-hour Harry Potter and Lello Tour and buy a Livraria Lello Guide, featuring its history etc.

It’s easy to understand the impact Lello bookshop had. For Harry Potter fans visiting Porto, there is a fine 3-hour Harry Pott­er tour with access to Liv­r­aria Lello, Café Majestic 1.5 ks away and other places  that inspired her novels. 

                                    

J.K Rowling's favourite

Livraria Lello is in Porto’s historic quarter, opposite Lis­bon Plaza and close to the famous Clerigos Tower and Cordoaria Gard­ens. Take the historic #22 tram through the city till Clerigos and walk from there. To avoid queues, book tickets in ad­v­ance and arrive early. The en­try price (€4) is deducted from the cost of any books bought. Por­to is more pleasant and less crowded in the non-summer seasons, while still retaining limitless charm.