Nothing says calm like a room full of books. When traveling, I love looking out for beautiful libraries or interesting bookstores to stop by, and I thought I’d share my personal favorites. This list of twenty-two gorgeous bookstores and libraries starts with a few I’ve been lucky enough to visit, and includes more I hope to visit in the future!
1. Austrian National Library – Vienna, Austria
The Austrian National Library is probably the most beautiful I’ve ever visited, and was definitely one of the highlights of my short trip to Vienna. Housed in a beautiful Baroque structure that’s part of the Hofburg, this is the largest library in Austria, with over 12 million items.
2. Daunt Books Marylebone – London, United Kingdom
With its stained glass windows and oak gallery, Daunt Books Marylebone is an unmissable bookstore if you’re in London. My favorite part? That everything in the store is organized by geography, so you can find novels, nonfiction, guidebooks, and language learning books divided by region where they’re set!
3. Library of Congress – Washington, D.C., USA
The beautiful Library of Congress building was one of the first beautiful libraries I was lucky enough to visit, when I was just sixteen. A few years ago I traveled to Washington DC again, and knew I had to see that detailed architecture and the majestic reading room again!
4. Shakespeare and Company – Paris, France
When I last visited Paris, my hotel was right around the corner from Shakespeare and Company, one of the most famous bookstores in the world. It’s not far from Notre Dame, and definitely worth a stop if you’re ever in the City of Lights!
5. Rijksmuseum Research Library – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
If you’re in Amsterdam, don’t miss a visit to the Rijksmuseum, where you can see some of the world’s most celebrated paintings. While you’re there, you’ll also want to check out the research library, housed in the same building and one of the most beautiful bookish places I’ve seen.
6. Atlantis Books – Santorini, Greece
Amidst the iconic blue domes and white-washed walls of Santorini, you’ll find but one bookshop: Atlantis Books. This lovely store is located in the city of Oia. It’s an enchanting store that sells books in many different languages, and definitely worth a stop if you’re vacationing on Santorini.
7. Royal Portuguese Reading Room – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The stunning Real Gabinete Português de Leitura (Royal Portuguese Reading Room) was founded in 1837 by a group of Portuguese immigrants in Rio de Janeiro. With over 350,000 volumes, it’s the largest collection of Portuguese works outside of Portugal itself, displayed in stunning carved wooden bookcases.
8. Main Public Library – Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Located in South Africa, the Port Elizabeth Main Library opened in 1902. It’s a great example of Victorian Gothic architecture on the exterior, and the interior is both beautiful and cozy, with its three levels of books and its mixture of classical and Gothic features.
9. Trinity College Library – Dublin, Ireland
Containing over five million books, the Trinity College Library is the largest research library in Ireland. Pictured here is the Long Room of the Old Library, which also houses the collection’s most famous work, the Book of Kells.
10. El Ateneo Grand Splendid – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Built in 1919, the Grand Splendid started its life as a theatre before transforming into a cinema and finally, the opulent bookstore it is today. Visitors can enjoy coffee and live piano music while they peruse shelves of books. Don’t take just my word on this one–National Geographic voted this “the world’s most beautiful bookstore” in 2019.
11. Tianyi Pavilion Library – Ningbo, China
The Tianyi Pavilion is the oldest extand library in China, and houses 70,000 antique books. The structures of the pavilion were construct specially to prevent fires. The grounds are also home to beautiful gardens.
12. State Library of South Australia – Adelaide, Australia
The French-Renaissance style Mortlock Wing of the State Library of South Australia, pictured here, was opened in 1884. The collection is focused on works relating to the state of South Australia.
13. Livraria Lello – Porto, Portugal
The Lello Bookstore is one of the oldest in Portugal, and–with its skylight, sweeping staircases, and carved wooden details–it’s also one of the most beautiful in the world.
14. Bibliotheca Alexandrina – Alexandria, Egypt
The modern Library of Alexandria–which is both a commemoration and a continuation of the ancient Library of Alexandria–opened in 2002. It has shelf space for an incredible eight million books. Though it doesn’t have the most striking architecture on my list, I find what the idea behind the project beautiful. It’s also so much more than a typical library, containing four museums, a planetarium, art galleries, and a manuscript restoration laboratory.
15. Municipal Law Library – Munich, Germany
I just love Munich’s Municipal Law Library, with its spiral staircase and colorful books. Visiting it isn’t as simple as some of the other libraries on the list, but luckily Temples & Treehouses has the details you need in order to see this wonderful space.
16. Raza Library – Rampur, India
Dating back to the late 1700s, the Raza Library in Rampur, India contains many rare and valuable manuscripts and historical documents in many different languages. It’s one of the largest libraries in Asia, and boasts spectacular architecture.
17. Cafebrería El Péndulo – Mexico City
Who wouldn’t want to sip coffee and browse shelves stuffed with books amidst living plants? And you can do so even in the middle of bustling Mexico City with a stop at one of the Cafebrería El Péndulo locations.
18. State Library Victoria – Melbourne, Australia
At number 18 on our list is another of Australia’s state libraries, the State Library Victoria. Established in 1854, it’s the oldest in Australia and one of the first free libraries in the world. Its legacy continues today, as it’s Australia’s busiest library and one of the most-visited libraries in the world. In addition to these accomplishments, it’s also easy on the eyes!
19. House of Books – St. Petersburg, Russia
First built for the Singer sewing machine company in 1904, this lovely Art Nouveau-style building in St. Petersburg has been a bookstore since 1938. I’d never pass up a six-story bookstore, but especially not one this beautiful!
20. Cărturești Carusel – Bucharest, Romania
Located in the old town of Bucharest, Romania, Cărturești Carusel originally housed a bank, and later a general store. It wasn’t until this century that it was renovated after falling into disrepair, the building now houses a bookstore in style.
21. Nakajima Library at Akita University – Akita, Japan
Nakajima Library, located at Akita University in Japan, is known as “the library that never sleeps”, as it is open for students 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. The semi-circular shape was designed to be a “coliseum of books”, and has won national and international architecture awards.
22. George Peabody Library – Baltimore, USA
Completed in 1878, the George Peabody Library was deemed “a cathedral of books”. George Peabody gave the library to the city of Baltimore, wanting to create a cultural center and library “for the free use of all persons who desire to consult it”.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this world tour of some the most beautiful libraries and bookstores. Which do you most want to visit? Did I miss any from my list? Comment below!