13 Historic Bookshops That Feel Like Time Travel
From hidden Parisian bookshops to converted churches lined with towering shelves, these are the bookshops that remind us why physical books still matter.
Why We Keep Falling In Love With Old Bookshops
There are easier ways to buy books.
Faster ways.
Cheaper ways.
You can order almost any title online and have it delivered to your doorstep without ever leaving the couch.
And yet people still travel across cities, countries and sometimes entire continents to visit old bookshops.
Perhaps it is the smell of paper.
Perhaps it is the promise of discovery.
Or perhaps it is the feeling that somewhere amongst the shelves, hidden between novels and histories, another life is quietly waiting to be found.
The best historic bookshops are not really shops at all.
They are places of atmosphere.
Places of memory.
Places that feel strangely untouched by time.
These are fifteen of our favourites.
1. Shakespeare and Company — Paris, France
Few bookshops have achieved mythical status quite like Shakespeare and Company.
Nestled opposite Notre-Dame, the famous green storefront has welcomed writers, dreamers and readers for generations. Inside, books spill from shelves into staircases, corners and tiny reading nooks.
It feels less like a shop and more like a home built entirely from stories.
Image suggestion: Exterior storefront and crowded interior shelves.
2. Daunt Books — London, England
Long oak galleries.
Skylights.
Endless shelves.
Daunt Books feels more like a gentleman’s library than a modern bookstore. The Edwardian interior remains one of London’s most beautiful literary spaces and has become a favourite destination for travellers and book lovers alike.
3. Livraria Lello — Porto, Portugal
The staircase alone has become famous.
Flowing through the centre of the bookshop like something from a fantasy novel, it draws visitors from around the world. Rich timber, stained glass and intricate details create one of the most beautiful bookshops ever built.
4. El Ateneo Grand Splendid — Buenos Aires, Argentina
Originally a theatre, El Ateneo somehow became even more magnificent after it was transformed into a bookstore.
Books now occupy former theatre boxes while readers browse beneath ornate ceilings and painted frescoes.
It feels almost impossible.
5. Boekhandel Dominicanen — Maastricht, Netherlands
Few bookshops can claim to occupy a thirteenth-century church.
Towering Gothic arches rise above modern bookshelves, creating one of the most extraordinary literary spaces in Europe.
Sometimes architecture and books are simply a perfect match.
6. Hatchards — London, England
Established in 1797, Hatchards is Britain’s oldest bookshop.
Generations of writers, politicians and royalty have wandered these rooms. The creaking floors and elegant shelves feel wonderfully unchanged by time.
7. Libreria Acqua Alta — Venice, Italy
Only Venice could create a bookshop like this.
Books are stored in gondolas, bathtubs and boats to protect them from flooding. Cats roam the shelves and every corner feels delightfully chaotic.
8. Atlantis Books — Santorini, Greece
Whitewashed walls.
Blue skies.
Narrow staircases.
Atlantis Books somehow feels perfectly suited to Santorini. Built into a traditional Cycladic home, it combines literature with one of the most beautiful settings imaginable.
9. The Last Bookstore — Los Angeles, USA
A modern classic.
Famous for its tunnels and sculptural book displays, The Last Bookstore proves that bookshops can still surprise us.
10. City Lights — San Francisco, USA
Part bookshop, part cultural landmark.
City Lights has been a gathering place for writers, poets and thinkers since the Beat Generation.
Its influence extends far beyond its shelves.
11. Powell’s City of Books — Portland, USA
An entire city block dedicated to books.
Few descriptions are necessary.
Powell’s remains one of the largest independent bookstores in the world and a pilgrimage site for serious readers.
12. The Strand — New York, USA
Eighteen miles of books.
That famous slogan alone has earned The Strand its legendary reputation.
Inside, every shelf seems to promise another discovery.
13. Bart’s Books — California, USA
An outdoor bookstore should not work.
Yet Bart’s Books somehow feels magical.
Bookshelves line open-air courtyards beneath the Californian sun, creating an experience unlike any other.
Why Old Bookshops Continue To Matter
Perhaps we visit historic bookshops for the same reason we visit old libraries and historic hotels.
Not because they are efficient.
But because they remind us that some experiences are worth slowing down for.
A good book.
A beautiful building.
A quiet afternoon spent wandering amongst shelves.
In a world that moves increasingly fast, historic bookshops offer something increasingly rare.
The pleasure of getting lost.