There are places in Porto I’ve watched change many times, and Livraria Lello is probably the biggest example. This time we were right next door, after an afternoon at Wondersense, so we decided to go in. It was actually my daughter’s second time, though she doesn’t remember a thing: the first was in the middle of the pandemic, when she was still very little. For me, it was a kind of reunion.
Spoiler: it’s still a beautiful, magical place. It’s just that, these days, it’s also expensive, largely because of tourism.
In this article
In short
- Where: Rua das Carmelitas, 144, in downtown Porto, next to the Clérigos Tower
- When we went: October 2026, in the late afternoon
- Ticket: required, bought on the spot or online
- The trick: the ticket price comes off a book published by Lello
- Time: 30 to 45 minutes
- Verdict: beautiful and magical, but overpriced
Queues and tickets: online or on the spot
We hadn’t bought tickets in advance. We went to the ticket office, queued for only a short while and got straight in at 6:30 pm. We stayed inside until almost closing time, and at that hour there were far fewer people than I expected.
If you’re going at a busier time, especially in summer or on weekend mornings, it’s worth buying online and picking your entry time. Book on the official Livraria Lello website, the safest way to get your ticket and check current prices and opening hours.
The price: I remember the €1-per-photo days
I’ll be honest: I think the entry price is very high. I remember when Lello was just a bookshop with free entry, and they’d ask €1 from anyone who wanted to take photos. Today there are several ticket types, and even the most basic one costs a lot more than that.
I understand why. Demand is huge, the queues used to wrap around the block and the building needs protecting. But it still stings to see a place so dear to us turned mostly into a tourist attraction, priced accordingly.
The staircase: see everything downstairs first
Lello is best known for its winding red staircase, which looks carved from wood but is actually made of concrete. The neo-Gothic building dates from 1906, and the bookshop’s roots go back to 1869. Up above, the stained-glass skylight completes the scene.
One important tip: you can only go up the staircase, not down. The route is one-way, so take your time with everything on the ground floor, get all the photos you want, and only then head upstairs and carry on. Once you’re up, there’s no going back.
What about Harry Potter?
I remember that, a few years ago, there was a whole room dedicated to Harry Potter. Not anymore: now there are just a few shelves with the books and some special editions.
The Harry Potter link was always more legend than fact. J.K. Rowling lived in Porto in the early 1990s, and for years people said the staircase inspired Hogwarts, but the author herself has said she never actually visited Lello. Today the bookshop lives mainly off the fame of its iconic staircase, and that’s more than enough.
Your ticket comes off a book: what we bought
The good news is that your ticket works as a voucher: the entry price is deducted from any book published by Lello itself. To spot them, look for the letters LL on the spine. You have to use the discount during your visit, before you leave.
I bought 1984 by George Orwell in Portuguese (English was wearing me out), and my daughter chose Alice in Wonderland, which couldn’t be more fitting for a place like this. The editions are lovely and make a far better souvenir than a fridge magnet.
Leaving through the new wing
You no longer leave through the front door: the exit is through the building next door, an extension of Lello. That’s where the tills are, where you use your ticket discount, along with more books and special editions. It’s worth a wander before you go.
Our tips
- Go late in the day: we went in at 6:30 pm, with a short queue and far fewer people inside.
- Book online in high season: skip the queue and secure your entry time.
- Explore downstairs first: the staircase is one-way up, with no going back.
- Pick your book carefully: look for LL on the spine to use your discount.
- Combine it with downtown: it’s next to the Clérigos Tower and Wondersense, so it fits into a walk around the centre.
If you’d like to see Porto beyond the most touristy spots, with someone who lives here, take a look at our local guide in Porto.
FAQ
Do you need a ticket to enter Livraria Lello?
Yes. Entry is paid, and you can buy your ticket on the spot or online on the official Livraria Lello website.
Is the Lello ticket deducted from a book?
Yes. The ticket price comes off any book published by Lello itself, marked LL on the spine. You have to use it during your visit.
Is there still a Harry Potter room at Lello?
There’s no dedicated room anymore. Now there are just a few shelves with the books and special editions.
Can you walk down the Lello staircase?
No. The staircase is one-way up, so see the ground floor first and only then go upstairs.
What’s the best time to visit Lello?
Late in the day. We went in at 6:30 pm, queued only briefly and there were far fewer people inside.
Is it worth it?
Yes, especially if you’ve never been. Livraria Lello is still a beautiful, magical place, and seeing the staircase in person is one of those moments that stays with you. But there’s no denying it’s overpriced because of tourism.
My advice: go late in the day, use your discount on a beautiful book and think of the visit as buying a book with a very special entrance. That way, the bill hurts a little less.
