The other centrepiece is a sinuous staircase – built in reinforced concrete, with the appearance of wood. The steps were painted red by accident but left in that shade because it works so well. The store charges €8 (£6.85) for entry to control traffic, which you get back with the purchase of a book; they stock a few in English.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink on the nearby Rua das Galerias de Paris, and even a book-themed bar and nightclub called Casa do Livro. For somewhere mellow, try the Jardim de João Chagas at Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, a garden which pays homage to a well-known liberal republican, who, in addition to being a politician, was a journalist, literary critic and writer, published by Livraria Lello shortly after opening.
Rua das Carmelitas 144; 00 351 22 200 2037
Evripidis, Athens, Greece
Although most of it may all be Greek to you, there are foreign-language books and stationery as well as a small café in this handsome bookstore in Athens, so after you’ve earnestly perused the alphas and omegas you can grab a copy of The Iliad for Beginners and sit down with a sketos (plain black coffee).
Founded in 1955, this was once a small corner shop but it has grown into one of the largest bookshops in Athens. Stylish light fixtures, a dangling mobile and bench seating, plus packed shelves, make this space feel like a particularly stylish library. Kifisia – a half-hour by train from the centre – is an affluent suburb and was once a summer retreat for wealthy Athenians and philosophers. There are leafy streets and parks as well as a great natural history museum for cultural enrichment.
Varsos is a Greek patisserie established in 1892; grab a table and try a galaktoboureko (filo pastry, custard and syrup) with your coffee.
11 Andrea Papandreou, Halandri, 152 34; 00 30 21 0807 5792
Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, Italy
The name means “high water” and this irreverent bookstore in Venice keeps all its volumes in sort-of waterproof receptacles – including bathtubs, half-barrels, trunks and a gondola.
The interior is chaotic, with books on every surface and in every corner. A staircase made from books is popular with local stray cats; follow them for a great view. Though only two decades old, Acqua Alta has some very old books and looks as if it has been here forever.
