Livraria Lello: Much More Than a Bookshop

The History of Livraria Lello

The story of the bookshop began long before the building we know today was opened. It all started in 1869, when the French bookseller Ernesto Chardron opened a bookshop on Rua dos Clérigos, in Porto. As well as selling books, Chardron also published works by several Portuguese writers, including Camilo Castelo Branco and Eça de Queirós. Over the years, the business grew and the bookshop became well known in the city, frequented by writers and other figures from the cultural world. At a time when books played an important role in spreading new ideas, the bookshop became a place of reference for anyone following Porto's literary life.

In 1894, the brothers José and António Lello, who were already working in the book trade and in publishing, bought Livraria Chardron. A few years later, they decided to build a new building on Rua das Carmelitas and entrusted the project to the engineer Francisco Xavier Esteves. The aim was to create a larger space, able to keep up with the growth of the business and give greater prominence to bookselling. The new bookshop opened its doors on 13 January 1906, at a ceremony attended by several figures of the time, including the writer Guerra Junqueiro. The building immediately attracted attention for its architecture, quite different from what was usual in commercial spaces of the day.

Since then, the bookshop has undergone several conservation and restoration works, which have helped preserve much of its original look. With the rise of tourism in Porto, it also began to receive more and more visitors, becoming one of the most sought-after attractions in the city. Today, it welcomes around 3,200 people a day, which says a lot about its popularity. It was precisely this large crowd that led the bookshop, in July 2015, to start charging an entrance fee. Although it has become one of Porto's main tourist attractions, it continues to operate as a bookshop, with works by Portuguese and international authors, including several exclusive editions from Lello itself.

More recently, in 2026, the bookshop opened a new wing, designed by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, with new spaces dedicated to literature and culture. One of the main novelties is the Manifesto Library, created in partnership with the Service95 Book Club, the book club founded by the British singer Dua Lipa. Opened on 27 June, this library brings together 100 books organised into four themes, Power, Control, Voice and Memory. The selection includes works that deal with political and social issues, some of which have been censored or banned in different countries. The opening was attended by writers such as Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie.

What to See at Livraria Lello

Even though it is an indoor space, the bookshop has many nooks and crannies in its almost 1,000 m² that are well worth discovering. Beyond the red staircase, there is plenty to explore, both in the original building and in the new wing. From the details of the neo-Gothic architecture to the newest spaces in the new wing, there are several points of interest worth highlighting, which I'll introduce next.

1. The Neo-Gothic Façade

Before going inside, it is worth taking a good look at the façade, designed by Francisco Xavier Esteves. In a neo-Gothic style, it has several elements inspired by medieval architecture, such as the arches, the pinnacles and the decorative details at the top of the building. We can also see two female figures painted by the artist Joseph Bielmann, representing Art and Science. Further down is the inscription "Lello e Irmão", which recalls the name under which the bookshop opened in 1906, and a large arch framing the main entrance of the building. The façade has been through several restoration projects over the years, which have restored its colours and preserved its details.

2. The Famous Red Staircase

The red staircase is probably the best-known feature of Livraria Lello and also one of the most photographed. I speak from experience, because getting a photo without a few people getting in the way is no easy task! Built in 1906, it was one of the first concrete staircases in Porto, which was quite innovative for the time. Although it looks as if it were made of wood, its structure is concrete covered with painted stucco. At the base, we can also find the signature of the person responsible for the building's design. Curiously, the staircase has not always been red. It was originally brown, but during the restoration works of 1993 it was painted red by mistake. The sculptor José Rodrigues liked the result so much that the colour was kept, making it one of the best-known images of Livraria Lello.

3. The Stained-Glass Skylight and the Interior Details

On the ceiling of the bookshop is a large stained-glass skylight, around 8 metres long and 3.5 metres wide. Designed by the Dutch artist Samuel Van Krieken, it is made up of 55 glass panels produced by Vidraria Antunes. At the centre, we can see the figure of a blacksmith and the Latin expression Decus in Labore, which means "Dignity in Work". During the restoration works of 2018, a small smiley face was added to one of the panels, and it is still there today. Besides the skylight, we can find several busts of Portuguese writers, such as Eça de Queirós, Camilo Castelo Branco and Antero de Quental, decorating the bookshop's pillars. On the ground floor, there are still some rails that used to be used to transport books from the storeroom in the basement to the sales area. With so much to see, it is easy to miss these small details, especially when the bookshop is full of people.

4. Siza's New Wing at Livraria Lello

Opened in June 2026, the new wing was designed by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, winner of the Pritzker Prize in 1992. The extension was built in a building next to the original bookshop, creating new spaces and making it easier for visitors to move around. The new wing is spread over several floors, where we find areas dedicated to books, contemporary art exhibitions and an auditorium for cultural events. One of the pieces we can see in this space is a work by the artist Ana Aragão, based on a drawing by Siza Vieira, depicting Hephaestus and Aphrodite, two figures from Greek mythology. It is also in this new wing that we find the Manifesto Library, in partnership with Dua Lipa, and the POP Collection, a collection of books exclusive to the bookshop.

Manifesto Library

Located in the auditorium of the new wing, the Manifesto Library is organised differently from what we usually find in a library. Instead of being separated by author or literary genre, the books are grouped according to the subjects they deal with. The space was also designed to host book launches, talks with writers and debates, so that the auditorium can be used in different ways throughout the year.

POP Collection

In the new wing we also find a floor dedicated to the POP Collection, an exclusive Livraria Lello collection developed by Studio Eduardo Aires. It currently has 43 titles published in several languages, including many classics of Portuguese and international literature. The books have colourful covers, fabric bindings and reversible dust jackets, which allow the look of the editions to be changed. The collection has already received several international design awards, including from Graphis and Communication Arts.

Our Experience at Livraria Lello

Last Saturday, we went to visit Livraria Lello, with an entry slot booked for 3.00pm. As expected, there were lots of people and a queue of around 50 people for the same time slot. Even so, everything was very well organised, with two queues, each one for an entry time, which kept changing as visitors went in. After our tickets were validated, in we went! It's hard to stay indifferent to the main hall of the bookshop, with the red staircase, the shelves full of books and the ornate ceilings. Everything is quite imposing and reminds you a little of the Harry Potter universe. In fact, the bookshop is often associated with the famous saga, mainly because J. K. Rowling lived in Porto for a few years, when she was teaching English in the city. For a long time, it was believed that Livraria Lello may have inspired some of the settings in the books, although the author has since made clear that she never even visited it. Still, it's easy to see why so many people continue to make this association.

After exploring the entrance floor, we went up the staircase to the first floor, where we spent some time looking at some of the bookshop's special editions. We loved the books, especially the illustrations, the covers and the details of each edition. The visit continued through the new wing, which looks much more modern than the original building. We really liked the Manifesto Library, mainly for the calm atmosphere you feel inside. It's hard to explain, but it's a space that conveys a tranquillity very different from what we find in the rest of the bookshop. Another thing that caught our attention was the organisation. Even though there were masses of people, everything was spotless, with staff constantly on hand to tidy the books and keep everything in its place. In total, we spent just over an hour there and I think that's the ideal amount of time to see the different spaces at a relaxed pace, look at the books and notice these small details that make all the difference to a visit.

Livraria Lello is, without a doubt, much more than just a bookshop. Besides the books, we have a building with 120 years of history, incredible architecture and plenty of details that are worth discovering. I think it's one of those places that deserves a spot on an itinerary of Porto, even for people who don't usually read. At first glance, the entrance price may seem a little high, but the truth is that the ticket works as a voucher that can be deducted from the purchase of a book from Edições Livraria Lello. There are loads of beautiful books, from works about Porto to cookbooks, illustrations and great literary classics, many of them in special editions that make a great souvenir of the city. For all these reasons, I believe the entrance fee is worth it and, if you are planning a visit to Porto, I recommend adding Livraria Lello to your plans. It's one of those places that is worth visiting at least once! 🩷