Europe isn’t just home to world-famous museums and castles… it’s also a treasure trove of jaw-droppingly beautiful libraries that feel straight out of a storybook. From the sun-drenched shelves of Porto to the gilded reading rooms of Austria, these five libraries are worth the plane ticket if you’re a bookworm. Let’s turn the page… 

Livraria Lello, Porto 

You’ll want to bookmark this one in Porto! Open since 1906, this neo-Gothic beauty is a love letter to literature. At its heart is the showstopping, ruby-red staircase. It winds through carved wood and sits under a ceiling crowned by a kaleidoscopic stained-glass window.  

Livraria Lello has kept up with the times too, with vibrant artistic installations and exhibitions. And for the true literary treasure hunters? Gemma is a secret space tucked away and reserved for the bookstore’s rare manuscripts, luxury editions, first editions and more, accessible only by appointment and approval.  

Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice 

Tucked right off the bustling Piazza San Marco, the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana is a Renaissance masterpiece. From the moment you step inside, you’re met with ornate sculptures, intricate coffered ceilings and beautifully decorated rooms.  

On the first floor, you'll find the Vestibule, where Titian’s La Sapienza (famous oil painting) gazes down from the ceiling. Just beyond, is the grand Library Room featuring 21 ceiling roundels, including three showstoppers by Paolo Veronese. With a collection steeped in Greek culture, Venetian history and rare editions, this library combines art and atmosphere. 

Austrian National Library 

If you're looking for bookish grandeur on a royal scale, the Austrian National Library sits within Vienna’s Imperial Palace. This jaw-dropping Baroque attraction is Europe’s largest library of its kind. Picture over 200,000 historic books stacked on elaborately carved wooden shelves, all under a vibrant dome, thanks to Daniel Gran’s wild fresco of Emperor Charles VI.  

The collection? Equally majestic, from a rainbow-bound 15,000-volume treasure trove belonging to Prince Eugene of Savoy to one of the largest caches of Martin Luther’s Reformation writings. Don’t miss the dazzling Venetian globes, one terrestrial and one celestial, because why not map both the earth and the stars? This library is less a reading room and more a place of imperial splendour. 

Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris 

For book lovers and comic aficionados alike, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France is the ultimate literary playground. And it’s not just about dusty tomes - this is the place in Paris to immerse yourself in over 9,000 comics with countless reading rooms open to anyone over the age of 14. You can even explore more than 330,000 documents, with Wi-Fi and group work rooms making it ideal for both casual readers and serious scholars.  

Don’t miss the stunning Oval Room, with its glass ceiling framed by golden acanthus leaves and sixteen beautifully glazed oculi, letting natural light spill in. For a truly magical experience, head to the Labrouste Room, where nine earthenware-tile domes bathe the space in a soft, even glow. 

Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez, Barcelona 

Nestled in Barcelona’s Sant Martí neighbourhood, the Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez is as much a piece of modern art as it is a sanctuary for book fans. Shaped like a cube with a series of bold cut-outs, its facades look like a playful arrangement of stacked books. The contemporary furniture like hanging egg chairs, hammocks, and comfy rocking chairs give it the perfect blend of style and relaxation. 

Inside, every space has its own personality. It's the Forum of Ideas, where meandering curtains separate cosy nooks for creative thinking, or the Youth Reading Room, which projects outward with a massive window. But the real showstopper is the Reading Palace, where skylights spill natural light onto book-lined walls.