Hi all! I hope you’ve all had a good week since I last did one of these, if I’m being honest, mine hasn’t been great, I’ve been dwelling in essay hell for the past week and my Uni’s WiFi decided to go on the fritz which has not helped things, so yeah, I’m feeling pretty stressed right now!
Anyway, I’m taking a brief break from all that stress, to give you guys another Top Ten Tuesday, thanks to Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl. Today we’re talking Bookstores/Libraries We’d Like To Visit, and I have to admit, I spend more than a little time scrolling through pictures of pretty bookstores and libraries, so this is a great topic for me. I’m going to share a mix of libraries and bookstores (mostly bookstores) that I want to visit:
- The Open Book-Wigtown, Scotland
This bookshop/B&B is top of my bookshop want to visit list at the moment because what could be better? You get to stay in an apartment above the bookshop and then during your visit you get to be an actual bookseller, which is a dream of mine. It’s booked solid through the next few years though, so it might be a while before I ever get the chance to visit.
2. The Klementinum Library-Prague, Czech Republic
The Klementinum is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world and I would love to go and see it. My friend and I are hoping to do a trip to Prague at some point and I will definitely be wanting to go here!
3. El Ateneo Grand Splendid-Buenos Airies
This beautiful bookshop is set in a former theatre which is over 100 years old, El Ateneo Grand Splendid originally opened in May 1919! I love going to the theatre, so the idea of a bookshop set in a theatre is just heaven to me and as you can tell by the picture, it is just spectacular.
4. Libreria Acqua Alta-Venice, Italy
Where else but Venice could you visit a bookshop that is on a canal? I’ll admit, my bookworm heart did shudder a little when I saw all that water so close to so many books, but it is a cool concept and I’d love to go visit it one day.
5.Β CΔrtureΘti Carusel-Bucharest, Romania
I can’t even with this bookshop. Not only is it MASSIVE, all the white and the columns and the staircases make it really striking too. It’s name translates as Carousel of Light and could there be anything more fitting than that? Hopefully one day I will go to Romania and get to see this place in all it’s glory.
6. Lello & IrmΓ£o Bookstore (also known as Livraria Lello)-Porto, Portugal
It’s not hard to see why this bookshop was a favourite haunt for JK Rowling whilst she lived in Portugal and how it could have inspired the Hogwarts library. Those stairs are just stunning and all the shelves….wow I could definitely get lost in this bookshop for a while!
7. Barter Books-Alnwick, Northumberland
This cute little bookshop is set inside the old Victorian Alnwick railway station, and it’s one of the largest second-hand bookshops in Europe. I could definitely imagine spending the day getting lost in this bookshop, eating cake, curling up by one of the fires and of course browsing the aisles for books!
8. Admont Library-Admont, Austria
Admont Library is a library located within Admont Monastery in Austria and it seriously looks like you’re stepping into a Beauty and The Beast-esque library, which is to say that it is #bookwormgoals. If I hadn’t wanted to visit Austria before (I’ve been but only to Salzburg) then I definitely do now!
9. Selexyz Dominacanen-Maastricht, Netherlands
This gorgeous bookshop is set in an over 700 year old church and whilst churches aren’t usually my thing, I have to admit, I would love to visit this one. The bookshop blends so seamlessly with the church that you’d think it had been there the whole time!
10. Trinity College Old Library-Dublin, Ireland
I mean just look how stunning that is! So many books, so many possible things to discover, I would feel so tiny standing in this massive library. My friend loves all things Irish, so I have no doubt that we will probably be visiting this library at some point in the future.
What bookstores/libraries would you like to visit? Did any of mine make your list? Let me know in the comments!
Next week’s topic is Villains, however we want to twist that. I’m not sure exactly what my take on it will be yet, but I guess you guys will have to wait and see what I decide! My essay is due on Thursday, so I’m hoping that through next week I will be able to catch up on all my reviews and other stuff that I’ve had to put to the side whilst concentrating on my essay. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your week!
bookloversblog 
Some of these ππ I had the Bucharest one on my list and the Venice one! Can we just book flights now ππ
Oh and my list! https://bookslifeotheroddities.wordpress.com/2018/10/16/10-brilliant-bookshops
π
I would love to, sadly I can’t afford to! One day though-bookshop tour of Europe!
The Open Book is adorable. I haven’t stayed there and run the place, but I’ve visited and it’s really lovely.
I mean staying there and running the place might not be possible for me given how far in advance the place is booked, but I would still love to visit!
My university library at Bangor was one of my favourites, especially in the older building where I spent most of my time cause it had all the old books, but also had the crests of the Royal Welsh princes/kings, which was so cool.
Ah that’s so great! My university library is kinda dull, our Uni isn’t that old and the library is very modern, which is fine, but it doesn’t look that pretty!
The Admont Library really is like something out of Beauty and the Beast – I need to visit now!
My Top Ten Tuesday
So do I, it’s like my dream library come to life!
Great list! I desperately need to go back to Dublin just to go to that library.
Thanks! Ugh it is so beautiful right!
I was at one of them on your list! I went to see the Book of Kell at Trinity College. The place is really beautiful!
Ah I’m so jealous! Hopefully I get the chance to see it some day!
Omg I officially want to go to ALL OF THESE. But that one in Czech has me all πππ
They’re so beautiful right! Ugh I know, it looks like walking into a dream.
Since I live in Portugal and I study in Porto, I’m lucky to have visited Livraria Lello a few times. It’s a charming place. I hope one day you’ve the chance to the staircase with your own eyes.
Happy readings! π
TΓ’nia @MyLovelySecret
Ah jealous! I hope so too π
So many gorgeous book spots! The spot in Prague looks incredible. β€
Oh I know, I so want to go!
So many beautiful libraries! I think my favourite from these photographs is the El Ateneo Grand Splendid. I’ve never heard of the one in Scotland, which seems like a huge mistake on my part. I’m definitely going to look it up, and hopefully take a day trip through some day.
Thanks! Yes, it’s probably mine too, as a bookworm and theatre geek, it’s basically heaven for me. Oh you definitely should, it sounds so good!
all the heart eyes for this post!
Thanks π
I’ve never given much thought to visiting other libraries, but man, some of these have the most breath-taking architecture and art! I would absolutely LOVE to visit the Admont Library because it’s just splendid.
I spend a lot of time daydreaming about beautiful libraries, I’ll be honest! Yes, they are stunning right? I know, Admont Library looks like something out of one of my dreams!
Ooh, I just love these all! The Admont Library is stunning, I love a decorative ceiling. π And the Lello & IrmΓ£o Bookstore is beyond enticing! I hope you get a chance to visit these. π
Me too! Yes, it’s so beautiful, I want to cry. Oh definitely, I would so go there now if I could. Thanks, I hope so too.
Wow! You picked some stunning places! I love the idea of a bed & breakfast/bookstore.
Thanks! Oh me too, I’d love to go there π
Wow! You’ve picked some beautiful books. π
Thanks π
Some stunning looking bookshops here!
I have actually been to Barter Books, it’s an incredible place.
Cora | http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/
Thanks! Ah I’m jealous, hopefully one day I’ll be in that area and able to go.
These are INCREDIBLE! I wish I had known about the Venice one- my parents were just in Venice! Why didn’t they try to find me Italian Hunger Games? I should be madder, tbh haha. I am dying at the gorgeousness of the ones in Prague and Portugal too- WOW, I need to visit some of these one day, no question! Thanks for sharing them!
Ah no! Hopefully you get to go and see it one day. I mean so was I when I saw the pictures, how is it fair for places that store books to be this beautiful! No worries π
The Admont Library is so beautiful. I think I’m in love.
Me too!
Oh. My. Goodness.
Beautiful. That’s all I can say. Beautiful.
I mean they really are!
I’ve been to the bookstore in Maastricht and it is certainly worth a visit. We also have one in Zwolle which is set up so very differently and it is interesting to see the differences.
That library in Prague is so pretty!
I would love to see both-honestly I’m just a magpie for all the bookstores. It is π
The one in Venice is definitely worth a visit just for the sake of seeing the bookstore!
I didn’t buy anything when I was there, simply because there are mostly older books and.. not much ya / fantasy that I liked but I loved just browsing the shop anyway, hah. π Hope you get to visit it someday!
Ah honestly I don’t figure I’d buy much from any of these bookstores, given the fact that most of the books are likely not to be in English, but I would like to see them anyway! I hope so too π
Haha, that’s also true. There always are some English sections but they’re never that big for sure. π
I mean it’s fair enough, it’s not like our bookstores really have foreign language sections either, so we shouldn’t expect anyone else’s to!
That’s true! I wish there were more foreign language sections in all bookstores though. I love reading in English way more than reading in Dutch, which is my first language, haha. π
Oh so do I, it would be great if more bookstores embraced foreign languages. Haha that’s totally fair.
These locations are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
I know right! No problem π
The library at Trinity College Dublin is AMAZING. I visited that place 10 years ago.
Hopefully I get there one day!