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The Scottish Dream Where You Actually Run a Bookshop
Imagine opening your eyes in a cozy flat above a bookstore, knowing you get to spend the day being an actual bookseller in Scotland’s National Book Town. The Open Book in Wigtown is both an Airbnb rental and a bookshop that lets travelers from around the world live out their bookseller fantasies. You can spend a week in the dreamy Scottish town and dip your toes into the world of running a bookstore—without having to commit to becoming a business owner.
Airbnb says it is “the first ever bookshop residency experience” and is so popular it has a two year waiting list of guests coming from around the globe, from Hawaii to Beijing. Think about it – people are literally planning their vacations two years in advance just to sell books by the sea in Scotland. That’s the kind of magic this place holds.
The Theater That Became Buenos Aires’ Literary Crown Jewel
El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires has often been called the most beautiful bookstore in the world. The more than 100-year-old landmark building retained its ornate balconies, fresco-painted dome ceiling, and red velvet stage curtains when it reopened in 2000 as the flagship store for the Argentinian publishing house Grupo Ilhsa.
Walking into this former 1920s theater feels like stepping into a dream where books have replaced actors on stage. A red curtain hangs across the stage, where you can have a coffee, hunker down in the club chairs, and read for as long as you want. The irony is beautiful – what once entertained audiences with performances now captivates them with stories they can take home.
Portugal’s Neo-Gothic Literary Cathedral
Porto’s Livraria Lello bookstore is so popular that entry is now ticketed. That’s right – you have to buy a ticket just to enter this bookstore! There are many notable things about the architecture and design of this bookstore, but the staircase, in particular, really makes this bookstore stand out.
The crimson spiral staircase seems to twist upward like something straight out of a fantasy novel. The neo-Gothic facade and art nouveau interior—stained glass ceiling, soaring shelves—and a crimson spiraling staircase (the inspiration for the moving staircases in the Harry Potter films) create an atmosphere where you half expect to bump into a wizard browsing the shelves.
California’s Open-Air Literary Paradise
Bart’s Books in Ojai, California takes the concept of browsing to a whole new level. As the world’s largest outdoor bookstore, it operates on an honor system that would make even the most cynical person believe in humanity again. Books line the sidewalks, and customers are trusted to drop money into slots for their purchases even when the store is closed.
The charm lies in its complete trust in book lovers – because who would steal a book, right? The open-air setting means you’re literally reading under the California sun, with books scattered across outdoor shelves like a literary garden. It’s the kind of place where discovering your next favorite read feels as natural as breathing fresh air.
The Scottish Church Where Books Have Found Sanctuary
Leakey’s Bookshop in Inverness proves that some spaces are just meant to hold stories. Housed in an old Gaelic church, complete with a wood-burning stove, this towering sanctuary of second-hand books creates an almost spiritual reading experience. The atmosphere is thick with the scent of old paper and the warmth of burning wood.
Picture browsing through towering piles of books while a real fire crackles nearby, the high church ceilings amplifying every whisper and page turn. It’s the kind of place where time seems to slow down, and you might find yourself staying far longer than you intended, lost in both books and the sacred atmosphere of this literary cathedral.
The 700-Year-Old Dutch Book Cathedral
Boekhandel Dominicanen in The Netherlands is another breathtaking bookstore that you’ll likely make you want to take a million pictures to post on Instagram. Located within the stone vaults of a former medieval church, this bookstore sells both Dutch and English titles.
Originally a 13th-century cathedral, the building was converted to a bookshop in 2005. Inside, a mezzanine with sleek black shelves lines the nave and you’ll find the wings where once there were pews. It’s remarkable how the sacred space has been preserved while being transformed into something equally reverent – a temple to literature.
Pittsburgh’s Tiny Giant with a Powerful Mission
The Tiny Bookstore in Pittsburgh may be small in size, but it’s enormous in impact. As one of the smallest Black-owned independent bookstores in the U.S., it packs an incredible punch in its intimate setting. Sometimes the most powerful voices come in the smallest packages, and this bookstore proves that point beautifully.
The community mission here goes far beyond just selling books – it’s about representation, connection, and creating a space where stories from diverse voices can flourish. In a world of massive chain stores, there’s something deeply moving about a bookstore that chooses to stay small and focused on what truly matters.
Venice’s Floating Literary Ark
With old stonewalls and books piled all over, the Libreria Acqua Alta (Calle Longa Santa Maria Formosa) has a back door opens right onto a canal. An old gondola piled high with books in the center of the shop nods to its maritime location. The bookstore’s name literally means “high water,” and for good reason – books are stored in gondolas and bathtubs to protect them from Venice’s infamous floods.
This isn’t just quirky decoration; it’s practical genius born from necessity. Grab one of the used books and watch the gondolas pass by while cats curl up at your feet. It’s the only bookstore in the world where you might need to check the tide schedule before your visit!
Toronto’s Literary Slot Machine Adventure
The Monkey’s Paw in Toronto has turned book browsing into a game of chance with their famous Biblio-Mat – a vending machine that dispenses random books. You feed it money, and out comes a surprise book wrapped in brown paper. It’s like a literary lottery where everyone wins, even if they don’t know what they’ve won until they unwrap it.
The store specializes in odd and forgotten books, making every visit feel like a treasure hunt. There’s something beautifully absurd about putting your faith in a machine to choose your next read – and somehow, it often picks exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
The Greek Island Bookstore That Moved Mountains
In 2024, the store plans to reopen, in a new location. After recent relocation, we are now on the cliffs of Firostefani, Santorini, Greece. Atlantis Books has literally moved from Oia to Firostefani, but it hasn’t lost any of its magic. Since then, the shop has been a welcome spot for story-loving travelers and was named the best bookstore in the world by National Geographic.
Virtually invisible unless deliberately sought out, Atlantis Books is a tiny bookstore packed with some of the greatest literary works by authors such as Leo Tolstoy and Samuel Beckett. Opened in 2004 by a group of young and adventurous college students, the shop offers a plethora of books from international authors translated into English. The stunning Aegean views are just the backdrop to what happens inside – pure literary magic.
Paris’ Legendary Literary Bohemian Haven
A literary landmark since 1951, Shakespeare and Company is more than just a bookstore; it’s a symbol of Paris’s bohemian literary history. Located on the banks of the Seine, just across from Notre Dame Cathedral, it has long been a gathering place for writers, artists, and intellectuals.
With narrow, winding staircases and reading nooks tucked into every corner, the shop feels like a maze where every twist leads to literary treasures. Visitors often find themselves in the company of aspiring writers who temporarily live in the bookstore in exchange for helping out around the shop. Yes, you read that right – people actually live among the books here, making it perhaps the ultimate literary experience.
Wales’ Honor-System Wonder
But one of the coolest bookstores in Hay-on-Wye is the Honesty Bookshop on the grounds of Hay Castle. This open-air bookshop is open to browse 24/7. Book prices are cheap, ranging from £1 to £5. And to pay, you are just trusted to be honest and drop your payment in the payment box.
In our world of digital transactions and security cameras, there’s something beautifully old-fashioned about a bookstore that operates purely on trust. Hay-on-Wye is known as the National Book Town of Wales, and it’s also the location of the annual Hay Festival. So it should come as no surprise that the streets of Hay-on-Wye are lined with bookstores. Basically, the town is a book lover’s dream come true.
Why These Bookstores Matter More Than Ever
In our digital age, these physical spaces serve as more than just retail locations – they’re cultural sanctuaries, community gathering spots, and proof that some experiences can’t be replicated online. In an increasingly digital age, physical bookstores have become more than just places to buy books. They have evolved into sanctuaries for book lovers, destinations that reflect creativity, culture, and a deep appreciation for the written word.
Each of these extraordinary bookstores tells a story not just through the books they sell, but through their very existence. They’ve survived economic downturns, digital disruption, and global pandemics by offering something irreplaceable – the magic of discovery, the warmth of community, and the simple joy of being surrounded by thousands of stories waiting to be told.
Whether you’re planning a literary pilgrimage or just dreaming of your next great read, these bookstores remind us why some things will never go out of style. After all, where else can you run a bookstore in Scotland, browse books in a gondola, or trust a vending machine to pick your next literary adventure? Sometimes the best stories aren’t just in the books – they’re in the places where we find them.
Christian Wiedeck, all the way from Germany, loves music festivals, especially in the USA. His articles bring the excitement of these events to readers worldwide.
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