Bookstore Bucket List
Because who doesn’t love a great list? And in honor of Independent Bookstore Day
It’s that day of the year again – Independent Bookstore Day! Bibliophiles everywhere mark this as a day of celebration and an excuse to visit their favorite haunts. Last year, I wrote about the history of the day, which coincidentally started right here in my neighborhood (who knew?) If you missed it, check out the link below.
For me, my favorite bookstore is always the one I’m in at the moment because there are so many great bookstores, and so little time. But there are those literary meccas that I dream of visiting…someday. Reflecting on that, I thought it would be fun to curate a list – something you can bookmark, print, or file away for when the occasion arises. Here are 25 worthy of any booklover’s bucket list:
The Historically Significant and Literary Powerhouses
Livraria Bertrand (Lisbon, Portugal): Founded in 1732 by two French brothers, this is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the oldest bookstore still in operation.
Shakespeare and Company (Paris, France): Originally opened in 1919 at 12 rue de l’Odéon by Sylvia Beach as Le Mistral, it became famous as a hub for expat writers such as Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein, Eliot, Pound, and Joyce. The current location, opened in 1951 by George Whitman, continues to serve as a refuge for writers. Whitman changed the name on Shakespeare’s birthday in April 1964 to honor the 400th Anniversary of the bard’s birth.
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers (San Francisco, USA): Founded in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, it was a centerpiece of the Beat Generation, a hub of 1960s counterculture, and the first business designated an official historic landmark by the city. The store maintains its counterculture roots, and I will say it has the MOST awesome poetry room I have ever seen upstairs.
Strand Book Store (New York City, USA): Established in 1927 by Benjamin Bass and named after a street in London, it is famous for its “18 miles of books,” and is a major survivor of New York’s historic “Book Row.” Notably, it is still run by the same family (Bass died in 1978) and remains an NYC institution, full of glorious nooks and crannies and creaky floors.
Daunt Books (London, UK): Founded in 1990 by former banker James Daunt, who purchased a bookshop on Marylebone Street. The Marylebone branch is located in an Edwardian bookshop with long oak galleries and stained glass windows. It is celebrated for its specialization in travel literature, and many consider it to be the most beautiful bookshop in London.
The Architecturally Alluring
Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid (Buenos Aires, Argentina): This bookstore, located in a renovated 1919 theater, is a cornerstone of Argentine culture and is frequently cited as one of the most beautiful in the world.
Dujiangyan Zhongshuge (Chengdu, China): This bookstore is known for its surreal, curving, towering bookshelves and mirrored ceilings that create an illusion of infinite, warped space.
YanjiYou Capsule Bookstore (Tonglu, China): This bookstore looks as if it is floating. It is a rural, repurposed mud-and-wood house with a modern glass wall overlooking nature.
Van der Velde in de Broeren (Broerenkerk, Netherlands): This bookstore is a repurposed 15th-century church and is often called the most beautiful bookstore in the Netherlands.
Cărturești Carusel (Bucharest, Romania): Located in a restored 19th-century building, it is known as the “Carousel of Light” for its dazzling, bright white interior and minimalist design.
The Quirky and Quaint
Libreria Acqua Alta (Venice, Italy): Famous for its whimsical, flood-prepared storage, where books are kept in boats and bathtubs.
Word on the Water (London, UK): A 1920s Dutch barge featuring a wood-burning stove.
The Last Bookstore (Los Angeles, USA): One of the largest independent bookstores in the US, featuring over 500,000 books/records, and a famous book tunnel. It’s a delight to visit, full of fun and whimsical book sculptures.
Morioka Shoten (Tokyo, Japan): A minimalist “single room, single book” store that sells only one title per week, turning the shop into an immersive, themed exhibit for that book.
Books for Cooks (Melbourne, Australia): A specialized bookstore in a 150-year-old former speakeasy that houses 30,000 cookbooks and operates a kitchen to test recipes.
The Uniquely Notable
Powell’s City of Books (Portland, Oregon, USA): The world’s largest independent bookstore, it occupies 68,000 square feet (1.6 acres) and holds roughly 1 million books, spanning four stories and nine color-coded rooms. Luckily, there are maps, and a particular highlight is the rare book room with ever-changing stock.
Atlantis Books (Santorini, Greece): A cozy, bohemian shop with a terrace overlooking the caldera, known for hosting readings and film festivals.
Cook & Book (Brussels, Belgium): This bookshop features nine distinct themed sections that create tiny, immersive worlds through its decor, including a rock n’ roll room, a greenhouse room for nature, a comics highway, a railway through the children’s section, and “cucina” for cooking.
Cafebrería El Péndulo (Mexico City, Mexico): A plant-filled, open-space
Books of Wonder (New York City, USA): This is a famous bookshop for children’s literature in NYC. It is a little off the beaten path, but it has an incredible collection of children’s books in all genres, and a notable first-edition collection.
The Author Owned
Books Are Magic (Brooklyn, USA): Owned by Emma Straub and her husband, Michael Fusco-Straub.
Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West (Key West, USA): Co-owned by Judy Blume, her husband George Cooper, and various members of the book community in Key West.
Birchbark Books & Native Arts (Minneapolis, USA): Owned by Louise Erdrich, this shop focuses on Native literature and arts.
Munro’s Books (Victoria, Canada): Founded in 1963 by Jim and Alice Munro, this bookstore is a renowned heritage site, often described as one of the most beautiful in Canada.
New Beacon Books (London, UK): Founded by John La Rose and Sarah White, this was the UK’s first Black publisher and bookstore, publishing many Black writers.
Now, I think I need to head to my neighborhood haven, Green Apple Books. Have a great weekend and Happy Independent Bookstore Day!
Thank you for taking a few minutes of your time and for reading my words. 📚
Do you have a favorite Bucket List Bookstore? Please share – I would love to hear from you in the comments below!
ⓒ Angie Gascho 2026. All rights reserved.
In case you missed these:
In Richmond VA it's Fountain Book Store. Opened in 1978. Has tons of author programs!
such great list!!!