The Harry Potter Bookstore Phenomenon

The Livraria Lello bookstore in Porto, Portugal, is one of the world's oldest bookstores and frequently ranked as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

An age-old coastal city in northwestern Portugal with cobblestone streets and a historic medieval center, Porto is one of the country's premier tourism destinations. And Livraria Lello is one of the top attractions in the city.

Opened in 1906 by the brothers José and António Lello on Rua das Carmelitas, the bookstore is a stunning architectural landmark and was once a frequent hangout for Portugal's literary scene. The neo-Gothic building features a stained-glass ceiling, gorgeous wood carvings, ladders, and rails to move the books around, and a special room to protect the bookstore's oldest and rarest books.

If all this sounds like a scene from a "Harry Potter" story, you'd be forgiven for thinking so. J.K. Rowling lived and taught English in Porto from 1991 to 1993 and was a loyal customer of Livraria Lello at the time.

Many have suggested that the bookstore's ornate neo-Gothic architecture bears a striking resemblance to depictions of both Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the central setting of the books, and the Flourish and Blotts bookshop, where characters in the books purchase their books on magic.

Even with all of the tourist hullabaloo, I found Livraria Lello to be worth a visit. It's a gorgeous architectural work and certainly conjures images of J.K. Rowling's magical world. In the future, I hope the owners learn to better manage the bookstore as a tourist attraction — as that is its primary purpose these days, like it or not.

Normal admission price: 8€

Ticket-Voucher Gold: 15,90€ (fast access, no waiting in the line)