Our Most Disappointing Experience So Far: Livraria Lello

Subtitle: When Instagram Ruins Travel

Okay, this subtitle is really just clickbait. If you follow our blog, it’s no secret that I love Instagram. And I think it can be good for travel! I have definitely discovered places I want to visit on Instagram, and we enjoy getting pretty photos and sharing our adventures via Instagram as well. However, I do think the proliferation of smartphones and social media has changed travel. We have been so many places where everyone has their phone up, taking photos or filming (and yes, sometimes we are those people, too!), but never has it affected our experience so much as it did at Livraria Lello.

(If you’re only here to get tips for visiting Livraria Lello, scroll to the bottom.)

What is Livraria Lello?

You have probably seen pictures of this bookstore and just not realized it. (Oh, no one else spends hours looking at lists of the “most beautiful bookstores on Earth?” Just me? Okay….) But really, I knew of this bookstore because of its ornate interior and iconic red staircase, so when we decided to go to Porto, I knew I wanted to visit.

It wasn’t until I got to Porto that I realized this bookstore is very famous for another reason: Harry Potter. Did you know J.K. Rowling lived in Porto for a few years when she was writing her first Harry Potter book? You can find real-life influences on Harry Potter all over the city, but Livraria Lello is a big one: it’s the bookstore that inspired Flourish & Blotts.

I cringe to say this as a Harry Potter fan myself, but I wish this bookstore did not have a Harry Potter connection. Although I’m sure Livraria Lello would still be a popular tourist spot, I have been to beautiful and awe-inspiring bookstores (and libraries!) before, but they have never been mobbed quite like this one. So I’m convinced Harry Potter is the real reason for its popularity.

Honestly, this bookstore was the most disappointing experience we had in Portugal–possibly on our entire trip thus far. When we first walked in, I gaped at the red staircase for about one second before I realized I couldn’t even move because everyone was trying to get a photo going up the stairs [pictured above]. Despite all the signage on the tickets (yes, you have to buy a ticket to get in–more on that below) asking people not to impede the movement on the staircase, guess what? Movement on the staircase was impeded! The store was completely overrun with tourists taking photographs and standing in the way of other people, making it impossible to actually browse the book selection or enjoy the (supposedly) gorgeous setting.

So, what did you like about the bookstore?

I really don’t want to be a negative Nancy (sorry to all the Nancys out there). It’s not the bookstore’s fault that it was so disappointing–it was the visitors’. So I want to point out some positives:

I did like the Harry Potter room in the rear of the store on the first floor, which was full of Harry Potter books in various languages [pictured above]. I also enjoyed the small busts of authors included on the bookshelves [shown in the feature photo for this post].

I liked that we had to pay to visit the bookstore. Yes, you read that right! With this many visitors coming in and out of the store every day, I think the store should be compensated, especially considering most visitors probably don’t buy anything. I didn’t buy anything (I had been planning to but was too overwhelmed to pick something), but I didn’t have to feel guilty about it because I had already paid to enter the store. So that worked out!

After the visit, I kept wondering how the experience could have been better. The best thing that could happen, IMHO, would be for Livraria Lello to not allow photographs. I’ve read that’s how it used to be, and I think that would be much more pleasant. Or, if you are going to allow photos, have someone present to ensure people are not blocking the staircase or otherwise inconveniencing other people for their perfect Instagram shot. Then again, I don’t think bookstore workers should have to babysit tourists, so I understand why this isn’t the best option. What’s the solution? I really don’t know, but I’m curious if you’ve been anywhere “Insta-famous” that handles the situation well.

Still want to visit?

I really don’t mean to be negative or discourage anyone from visiting, but having the benefit of hindsight, Jonathan and I agree we would have skipped this spot. I would really only recommend it to diehard Potterheads. If you still want to see Livraria Lello in person, please do! Just be ready for what you’ll find inside. Here are a few tips, based on our experience:

1. You must buy a ticket before entering. It costs 5 euros and can be purchased online (with a small service fee) or in person at a storefront to the left of the bookstore (no service fee). The ticket is valid all day, so we bought our ticket in the morning and visited later in the day.

2. The line goes quicker than you might think. If you have multiple people in your group, have one person go buy tickets and check your bags (large purses and backpacks are not allowed, but free lockers are provided) while another waits in line.

3. The cost of admission can be applied to the cost of a book. I recommend applying your 5 euros toward a Harry Potter book. (There are many different editions available.) Of course, you can buy any book, but a HP book from the place that inspired Flourish & Blotts is a pretty cool souvenir (or gift) for a Potterhead.

4. It may be more pleasant if you visit in the off-season. We visited in early June, which isn’t quite high season yet (July & August) but is definitely getting close.

5. Locals say just before closing is the least busy time to visit. We visited in the late afternoon (around 5 p.m.), but when I peeked in just before closing time (7 p.m.), it was still a madhouse inside. Although there was no line at that time!

6. If you just want a Harry Potter photo op, you can take your photo at Platform 9 3/4 in the shop where you buy your admission tickets. 😉

P.S. — You might be saying to yourself, “But Megan, you took photos in the bookstore.” And you would be right! I have no problem with people taking photos when they travel; I take a ton! But I do appreciate when people are aware of their surroundings and make an effort not to inconvenience others. The photos in this post were taken from the very edges of the bookstore; the only places I could stand without being in someone’s way or getting knocked over. Or in the Harry Potter room, which surprisingly wasn’t crowded. Either it doesn’t look as good on Instagram as the red staircase, or I was wrong about Harry Potter being the main draw. 😉

Has Instagram “ruined” any places you’ve visited? Tell us about it in the comments!