40 Libraries And Bookstores Around The World That Every Book Lover Should Explore
For bibliophiles and casual readers alike, stepping into a beautifully designed bookstore or library can feel like walking into a real-life fairytale. These spaces are more than just places to find books—they’re temples of knowledge, creativity, and culture. Some boast centuries-old architecture and house rare manuscripts, while others push the boundaries of modern design and innovation. Whether nestled in historic buildings, hidden in quaint alleys, or set inside repurposed opera houses, these book havens offer more than just literature—they offer atmosphere, inspiration, and a reason to linger.
From the lavish halls of European libraries to whimsical independent bookstores tucked away in remote corners of the world, this list of stunning and impressive bookstores and libraries showcases the magic that happens when architecture, imagination, and the love of reading come together.
#1 Stift Admont Bibliothek And Museum, Admont, Austria
Image source: carrie_borden
#2 Real Gabinete Portugues De Leitura, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Image source: J. Balla Photography
#3 The Book Of Kells, Dublin, Ireland
Image source: rubinaajdary
#4 Netherlands Bookstore
Image source: iam4real
#5 Corner Bookstore Selling Vintage Books In Buxton, A Market Town In High Peak, Derbyshire, England
Image source: ManiaforBeatles
#6 Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland
Image source: mana5280
#7 Livraria Lello, Porto, Portugal
Image source: adKeeper_
#8 Juristische Bibliothek, Munich, Germany
Image source: Ilia Bronskiy
#9 Used (Books) Bookstore In Edinburgh, Scotland
Image source: nastratin
#10 National Library Of The Czech Republic, Prague, Czechia
Image source: Cedric Letsch
#11 New Bookstore In Chengdu, China
Image source: wakeup2019
#12 “Word On The Water” The Floating Bookshop On The Regent’s Canal, London, United Kingdom
Image source: Jim Linwood
#13 Perhaps One Of The Most Beautiful Bookstores In Europe, Cărturești Carusel, In Bucharest
Image source: adymma90
#14 The Old Cincinnati Library Before Being Demolished, United States
Image source: reddit.com
#15 The King’s Reference Library, Denmark
Image source: Nelson Lourenco
#16 El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Image source: Leandro’s World Tour
#17 Polare, Maastricht, Netherlands
Image source: Bettina Miera
#18 Small Portable Bookshop, Bonn, Germany
Image source: Johan Jonsson (Julle)
#19 Antlantis Books, Oia, Santorini, Greece
Image source: Norbert Nagel
#20 Snowy Book Stand In Madrid, Spain
Image source: 3amjosh
#21 The Corner Bookstore, Manhattan
Image source: Deans Charbal
#22 Haunted Bookshop, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Image source: Victoria Delendrea
#23 Starfield Suwon Library, Suwon, South Korea
Image source: mbuff
#24 The New York Public Library, New York, United States
Image source: johnangelnyc
#25 Library Of Alexandria, Egypt
Image source: squid50s
#26 Boston Public Library, Boston, United States
Image source: ajkontephotos
#27 Istanbul University Library, Turkey
Image source: Porodicnostablo
#28 Bath Old Books, United Kingdom
Image source: Lucy Claire
#29 Peabody Institute Library, United States
Image source: haogang
#30 Waterstones, Bradford, England
Image source: Michael D Beckwith
#31 Jondi Shapour Library, Tehran, Iran
Image source: Akbar Nemati
#32 Library Of Congress, Washington, D.c., United States
Image source: stphnwlkr
#33 Coziest Bookstore I’ve Ever Seen
Image source: TheGoldenGooch
#34 Cook&book, Brussels, Belgium
Image source: saigneurdeguerre
#35 The Norwegian Book Town
Image source: BjornN
#36 Halle Saint-Pierre, Paris, France
Image source: Christina Terzidou
#37 Trento, Italy
Image source: Hendrik Schuette
#38 Shakespeare & Co Books, Paris, France
Image source: christine zenino
#39 Itap In A Bookstore, Osaka, Japan
Image source: Judsonbirch
#40 Brattle Book Shop, Boston, USA
Image source: bill_comstock
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