1. Zeza dos Cortinados

1. Zeza dos Cortinados

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Porto, 13

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Zeza dos Cortinados

5.0 (1 review)

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2 years ago

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Livraria Lello - Livraria Lello

Livraria Lello

3.7(169 reviews)
0.6 km
€€

It is really pretty inside but I'm not sure it's worth going in unless you go in the very early…read moremorning. We got tickets for the afternoon and still had to wait in line for quite some time. Once we finally got in, it was an absolute madhouse. You couldn't turn without bumping into anyone and as a result it was really hard to peruse the books they had.

Some people find this a magical place that they are convinced inspired J.K. Rowling to create her…read morevision of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books. Others see it as the overcrowded, moneymaking result of its own publicity. Given Jamie W and I had to pay 12€ per person in advance to enter, I lean a bit more to the second camp, even though we appreciated the ornate combination of Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau architecture, especially the stylized, curving red staircase in the middle (Photo 6). The staff credits the payment against a potential book purchase, but make sure you know what you want beforehand because casual browsing was nearly impossible given the streaming masses taking selfies. The bookstore dates back to 1906 but didn't become a heavy tourist magnet until the Harry Potter phenomenon exploded. Ironically, Rowling never took inspiration from this shop as she admitted not being aware of the bookstore while living as an English teacher in Porto in the early 1990's. If you can shift your perception of the space from a bookstore to the pure tourist attraction it has become, you may feel more satisfaction with a visit. As Instagrammable as it is, Jamie and I spent a mere fifteen minutes here. We were overcome by the swarms pouring in, even though the staff made a valiant effort in controlling the number of people at any given time. I really don't mean to discourage you from visiting. Just dial down your expectations of wizardry accordingly. RELATED - Exploring Porto? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/N4i04zdRK2

Photos
Livraria Lello - Hanging out with Amy

Hanging out with Amy

Livraria Lello - Livraria Lello

Livraria Lello

Livraria Lello - Inside

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Inside

Zeza dos Cortinados - shopping - Updated July 2026

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