Inspiring bookshops for more than books

This wandering bookshop tried out several locations in Lisbon until it settled a few years ago in the hipster-chic LX Factory project, occupying a former warehouse lined with bookshelves. It has a loyal crowd of followers, which explains its resilience in today’s difficult times for booksellers.

This beautiful bookshop occupies a former restaurant in a 19th-century arcade. The ornate ceilings and high mirrors are still in place, creating a spectacular setting for browsing. Most of the books are in French, but they have a small section of English books next to the staircase.

This is a bookstore to get lost in, which is easy in this cavernous 22.000-squarefoot space. Sure, the name is ironic, but the love for printed matter is real; this is California’s largest used and new bookstore, and wandering its floors is entering another world. Don’t miss the Arts & Rare Books Annex.

The walls of Le Bal Infernal are lined with thousands of used books, which can be bought for two euro or swapped for one euro or even for free, if you leave your name and a message in the book. A selection of board games adds to the character and vibe of this used-book cafe. The theme continues in the restrooms, which are decorated from floor to ceiling with sheet music, posters, old postcards... This bar is definitely worth a visit after a day of pounding the cobblestones of Ghent, to unwind with a book and some drinks.

This newly-opened independent English-language bookstore stocks thousands of volumes in two rooms, ranging from novels to non-fiction, from children’s books to graphic novels, from postcards to notebooks. It also regularly hosts events and meetings with authors and organises reading groups. It’s open quite late at night.

What a pleasant surprise it was to stumble across this charming and cosy little bookshop and its carefully curated range of books in Puycelsi, one of the most beautiful villages of France. Local history, art and a nice selection of English books. And all this loveliness in the middle of nowhere.

This super cute and charming bookstore specialises in international books on nature and culture and everything below the mainstream radar, like books on counterculture or drugs, but also very high-quality children’s books. They serve damn good coffee as well. A real hidden gem in a lovely, quiet neighbourhood.