Livraria Lello's undulating staircases, intricate wooden carvings and stained-glass ceilings make it a dream spot for bibliophiles to browse and have gained it the top spot in our list of brilliant bookstores. Opened in 1906, the bookstore in Porto reportedly served as inspiration for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series.

JK Rowling was a frequent customer in the early 1990s when she taught English in the city and it's easy to see how the shop's Neo-Gothic architecture bears a striking resemblance to the school of witchcraft and wizardry.

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The world's most brilliant bookstores everyone should visit, ranked