Certain bookshops across the world are not only captivating readers by their shelves of prose, but by their striking aesthetics that create an “Instagram-worthy” experience for book lovers and visitors alike.
While readers know it’s what inside the pages that count, Summary Guru determined the top five most photogenic bookshops in the world that cater to the aesthete bookworm with both literature and head-turning style, creating a wanderlust atmosphere that is perfect for escaping into a good book and snapping Instagrammable content.
Boasting a storybook-like appeal for both readers and content creators alike, each of these literary landmarks has gained thousands of social media posts with the #bookstagram hashtag due to their photogenic designs, making them some of the most popular and aesthetic bookshops in the world.
The World’s Top 5 Most Photogenic Bookshops
1. The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles
With111,894 posts with the #bookstagram hashtag, The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, Calif., is the world’s most Instagrammed bookshop for good reason. Housed inside a former bank, The Last Bookstore’s grand design features marble pillars, vaulted ceilings, artfully arranged books and two iconic backdrops, including a tunnel of stacked books and an oval-shaped cutout, that account for the most Instagram posts. The bookshop’s rainbow of color-coded book spines and ever-changing displays also provide enchanting photo opportunities to share with followers. www.lastbookstorela.com
2. Shakespeare and Company, Paris
In second place is Shakespeare and Company in Paris, France, which is linked to a total of 92,188 #bookstagram hashtags. Located on the Seine across from the Notre Dame Cathedral, this legendary English-language bookshop has attracted visitors for decades due to its cozy, winding rooms with special resident authors and a selection of contemporary and vintage books that exude a magical, charming atmosphere. www.shakespeareandcompany.com
3. Livraria Lello, Portugal
The Neo-Gothic architecture of Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal, explains why this bookshop is the third-most Instagrammed in the world. Livraria Lello has 91,905 posts with the #bookstagram hashtag, which capture the Portuguese bookshop’s 1906 facade and ornate interior boasting stained-glass ceilings, opulent woodwork and the ruby-red staircase in the Grande Galeria that whimsically climbs through the center of the bookshop. www.livrarialello.pt/en
4. Powell’s City of Books, Portland
Having been posted 67,134 times with the #bookstagram hashtag, Powell’s in Portland, Ore., makes the cut as one of the world’s top five most photogenic bookshops. This iconic shop claims an entire city block and houses over a million new, used and rare books stacked floor-to-ceiling across multi-level rooms. As part of the experience, visitors can grab an old-school paper map at the door and explore Powell’s nine color-coded rooms complete with over 3,500 sections, which include the Rare Book Room and the Espresso Book Machine that prints on-demand titles. www.powells.com
5. Book and Bed, Tokyo
At No. 5 is Book and Bed in Tokyo, Japan– a unique concept that doubles as a bookshop and hostel with sleeping capsules tucked between aisles of books. Linked to 60,053 #bookstagram hashtags, Book and Bed is a reader’s dream, featuring cozy pods, whimsically decorated rooms and hallways, hanging bookmobiles and quirky book-themed art, as well as an on-site book café and bar. www.bookandbedtokyo.com/en
