Can a bookstore inspire you?

Legend has it that a bookstore in Portugal inspired J.K. Rowling to write Harry Potter.

How true is it? Let’s find out!

The Lello Bookstore in Porto, Portugal

Founded in 1869, Lello is one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal and it still keeps its neo-gothic elements. The staircase, the shelves, and the vivid colors attract thousands of tourists to the beautiful city of Porto.

However, what truly makes tourists pay an entrance fee and wait for hours in a long line are the Hogwarts vibes that this bookstore has. Located next to the Clérigos Tower, the Lello bookstore is often placed among the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

The bookstore focuses especially on publishing Nobel laureates, such as the Portuguese writer José Saramago, authors who appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, as well as authors that should have won the Nobel Prize in literature.

Among them for example, according to Lello’s humble opinion, are the novelists Julio Cortázar and Italo Calvino. 

There is a whole section dedicated to the Portuguese Nobel laureate José Saramago.

You can find books in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and most recently, a Ukrainian edition of the Little Prince, as part of a project that supports Ukrainian children.

Get inspired for your next adventure in Porto:

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So, what is all the fuss over Harry Potter?

Well, J.K.Rowling indeed lived in Portugal and worked as an English teacher in Porto.

References to Portuguese culture can be found in the Harry Potter saga, such as the name Salazar (most probably inspired by the Portuguese 20th-century dictator) and the Hogwarts uniform which resembles that of Portuguese students. 

Sorry to disappoint you, but…

The author of Harry Potter declared in a Twitter post that she never even knew that the Lello bookstore existed in Porto. Even though the architecture could make you think of Hogwarts, according to J.K.Rowling, it has, unfortunately, “nothing to do with it”.

For instance, I never visited this bookshop in Oporto. Never even knew of its existence! It’s beautiful and I wish I *had* visited it, but it has nothing to do with Hogwarts! pic.twitter.com/f83rxBeeyY

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 21, 2020

Finally, Portuguese fans can take comfort in knowing that some scenes in Harry Potter were written in the Café Majestic, the most popular café in Porto.  The author said on Twitter: “If it cheers up the people who’re disappointed about the bookshop in Oporto, I wrote in here sometimes. This was probably the most beautiful café I ever wrote in, actually. The Majestic Cafe on Rua Santa Catarina.” 

If it cheers up the people who're disappointed about the bookshop in Oporto, I wrote in here sometimes. This was probably the most beautiful café I ever wrote in, actually. The Majestic Cafe on Rua Santa Catarina. pic.twitter.com/xo2UUYzb0n

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 21, 2020

Is the Lello Bookstore still worth visiting?

Absolutely! There is no doubt that book lovers could stay for hours inside the neo-gothic bookstore, amazed at the beautiful editions and the breathtaking architecture.

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”

― Jorge Luis Borges

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