Where have you visited because you are a fan of a movie or book?
Livraria Lello is a top attraction in Porto. JK Rowling frequented this bookstore while she was writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. In fact, she was writing the book in a cafe just a ten minutes walk away called Cafe Majestic. We visited Livaria Lello as we are definitely Harry Potter fans and also wanted to see the inspiration for Hogwarts. What we found inside was amazing, and there is no question of why it was inspirational.
When we arrived, we expected there would be a line, because no matter how early we try to be somewhere, we can’t seem to be early enough. They have to limit the number of people in the store because it is so popular. So we waited, and then finally made it in. There is a small 3 Euro ($3.25 USD) fee to enter, but if we bought a book, we would have had that amount credited against the book price. As long-term travelers, we opted not to buy any books but just take photos and scope the place out.
The staircase was the main feature of the bookstore, but we also enjoyed the massive shelves along the walls going to the ceiling. The multiple floors that include a room dedicated to Harry Potter books in many languages. It was quite a place to see!
It was obvious JK Rowling saw the inspiration for Hogwarts here. Even in the streets of Porto, the college kids from the University of Porto wore these elaborate robes that looked very much like Hogwarts uniforms. Now if we could only visit this place empty?
Earlier in our trip, we visited these Harry Potter filming locations. Check them out!
- Kings Cross Station – Platform 9 and 3/4
- Leadenhall Market – Diagon Alley
- The House of Minalima – Shop containing actual movie props
Don’t miss out on new content!
Follow our blog for new snippets every day and full posts and videos every week.