{"id":9832,"date":"2022-02-07T14:57:26","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T14:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/livraria-lello-porto\/"},"modified":"2024-01-18T14:21:19","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T14:21:19","slug":"livraria-lello-porto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/livraria-lello-porto\/","title":{"rendered":"The Livraria Lello in Porto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A stone’s throw from the Clerigos Tower, in the center of Porto, the Livraria Lello is unanimously considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world! JK Rowling, author of the famous Harry Potter saga, was actually largely inspired by this mythical bookstore! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the guide! \u26a1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 The Captain\u2019s tip<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83e\uddd0 Want to know more about Porto’s history?<\/strong> Captain Ulysses highly recommends this free guided tour of the city<\/a><\/mark>. It\u2019s up to you to choose how much you wish to tip the tour guide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Looking for an hotel in Porto?<\/strong> Be sure to check out the Captain’s article: Where to stay in Porto? Advice & recommendations<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfdb Planning your trip to Porto?<\/strong> Be sure to check out Captain Ulysses’ complete article on what to see and do in the city: a Guide to Porto<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc76 Planning a family adventure to Porto?<\/strong> Discover all of the Captain\u2019s top tips in the article: Exploring Porto with the Kids: Family-Friendly Activities<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Brief history of the Livraria Lello in Porto<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The origins of the Lello Bookstore<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let’s go back in time to the 19th<\/sup> century: Ernesto Chardron founded in 1869 the Livraria Internacional de Ernesto Chardron<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twenty-five years later, brothers Jos\u00e9 and Ant\u00f3nio Pinto de Sousa Lello bought the business and renamed it Livraria Lello e Irm\u00e3o<\/em> (\u201cLello and Brother Bookstore\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the building which now houses the bookstore\ndid not exist at the time. The Lello brothers entrusted the\nconstruction of the bookstire to the engineer Francisco Xavier Esteves, and the brand new Livraria\nLello opened its doors to the public on January 13, 1906. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

St\nRowling, Harry Potter & the Livraria Lello<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the early 1990s, English author JK Rowling moved\nto Porto, where she taught English for two years. She gave English classes in the\nevenings, and spent most of her days writing\u2026 She was a regular at\nthe Livraria Lello, as well as the Caf\u00e9 Majestic, an historic caf\u00e9 located at\nRua de Santa Catarina (which Captain Ulysses definitely\nrecommend checking out). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1993, JK Rowling left Porto with the first three chapters of Harry Potter in her suitcases. Her 2 years in Porto left her with a lasting impression, to such an extent that she drew inspiration from the “Northern Capital” to write her mythical saga. The Flourish and Blotts bookshop, located on Diagon Alley, as well are the moving stairs of Hogwarts, are inspired from the Livraria Lello in Porto! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the bankruptcy to resounding success<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 2015, the Livraria Lello was on the verge of bankruptcy. In order to save the bookshop, the management decided to start charging an admission fee to visitors (5 \u20ac, convertible into a deductible voucher to purchase books).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bet paid off! The Lello Bookshop\nwelcomes some 4,000 visitors and sells an average of 1,200 books per day!\nThe bookstore now counts 60 employees (only 9 in 2015) and has never\nbeen this profitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other side of the coin: the queues are very long at the entrance and you will need to be patient to be able to enter the bookstore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Livraria<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Porto<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Visiting the Livraria Lello<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The facade of the Livraria Lello<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before entering the bookstore, take some time to admire its immaculate facade<\/strong> blending neo-Gothic and art nouveau influences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two figures painted<\/strong> by the artist Jos\u00e9 Bielman on the facade represent Art (on the left) and Science (on the right). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Facade<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Inside the Livraria Lello<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While the facade of the building is beautiful,\nthe interior of the bookshop is quite simply sumptuous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walls, lined with large bookcases<\/strong> from floor to\nceiling, are filled with books of all kinds<\/strong>:\nheaven on earth for book lovers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The busts of famous Portuguese writers<\/strong> (Antero de\nQuental, E\u00e7a de Queiroz, Camilo Castelo Branco, Te\u00f3filo Braga\u2026) are also\non display all over the bookstore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upstairs, don’t forget to look up to admire the stunning stained glass windows<\/strong> decorated with the monogram and the motto of the bookshop: Decus in Labore<\/em> (dignity in work). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lello<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The highlight of the visit: the emblematic forked \n staircase<\/strong> with its lacquered red steps. While it may seem made of\nwood, the staircase is actually built of plaster:\nimpressive! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here again, you will have to be patient: the Livraria\nLello is often packed and traffic jams on the stairs are\ncommon ! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Livraria<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Getting to the Livraria Lello<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Lello Bookstore is located a stone’s throw from the Cl\u00e9rigos Tower\nand the University of Porto, at number 144 Rua das Carmelitas<\/em> .\nThe ticket office is located some twenty meters away, at the corner\nbetween the Rua das Carmelitas<\/em> and the Pra\u00e7a de Gomes Teixeira<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you haven’t purchased your tickets online, you will have to\nqueue twice: first at the ticket office and then at the entrance\nto the bookstore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To avoid wasting too much time, Captain Ulysses\nhighly recommends: <\/p>\n\n\n\n