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Castles and fortresses may be things of the past but they form a part of the world’s most magnificent heritage sites ever. With their history and intricate architecture they attract thousands of tourists every year. Some of them have been the shooting sites of famous films too. Here is a list of the world’s top 5 castles which will intrigue you like none before. 
 
(Image credits: wikipedia)

Top 5 castles one must visit in a lifetime

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="708827" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hogwarts">Hogwarts</keyword> School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is the backdrop for much of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/harry-potter-fantastic-beasts-movies-ranked-2018-12">"Harry Potter" series.</a></li><li>Despite its prevalence, the castle holds a lot of unknown history and secrets within its walls.</li><li>It was founded in the late tenth century, and tuition is covered by the Ministry of Magic. </li></ul>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the primary setting for the <a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-harry-potter-movie-cast-then-and-now">"Harry Potter" series</a>. But despite its prevalence in the <keyword id="5050" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="books">books</keyword> and films, little is known about the castle and its many secrets.Prior to using her platform <a href="https://www.insider.com/jk-rowlings-transphobia-devastated-trans-harry-potter-fans-2020-6">to spread transphobic messages</a>, the series' <a href="https://www.insider.com/jk-rowling-transgender-comments-show-reality-wizarding-world-harry-potter-2020-6">controversial author, J.K. Rowling,</a> was known to use Twitter, interviews, and the official Wizarding World website (originally known as Pottermore) to expand the "<keyword id="6357995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Harry-Potter">Harry Potter</keyword>" canon by sharing new information about characters and plotlines beyond the seven books. With all that information in mind, here are some interesting facts even the biggest "Harry Potter" fans might not know about Hogwarts:<h2>The school was built in the late 10th century</h2><div type="image" title="hogwarts" height="787" width="1049" msid="82550778" hostid="261"></div>The exact date the castle was built is unknown, but we can infer that Hogwarts was founded sometime in the late 10th century because there are <a href="https://www.insider.com/harry-potter-little-known-facts-2019-1">multiple references in the books</a> to the school being over 1,000 years old. <a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/origins-of-hogwarts-school-of-witchcraft-and-wizardry">According to Wizarding World</a>, the 10th century wasn't a safe time for witches and wizards, so Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin founded the school and concealed it from the Muggles who were persecuting them.The founders went on to lend their surnames to the four Hogwarts Houses.<h2>No matter what day of the week it falls on, the school year always begins on September 1</h2>Unlike most schools that start each new year on a Monday, Hogwarts begins on September 1, no matter what day of the week it is. Since Harry started at the school in 1991, his first day at Hogwarts was a Sunday.Luckily, there aren't any classes on the <a href="https://www.insider.com/back-to-school-traditions-around-the-world-2018-8">first day at the school</a>, so even if it falls on a weekend, there won't be much work to do.<h2>Students didn't always take the Hogwarts Express to get to the castle</h2><div type="image" title="hogwarts express" height="742" width="990" msid="82550782" hostid="261"></div>For the most part, students travel to and from the castle via the Hogwarts Express throughout the <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-harry-potter-films-did-wrong-from-the-books">"Harry Potter" series</a> - the biggest exception being Ron and Harry's flying car adventure during their second year.But since <a href="https://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-trains">the first steam trains</a> weren't invented until the early 19th century, this clearly isn't how transportation always worked.In a <a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-hogwarts-express">2015 feature on Pottermore</a> (now Wizarding World), Rowling wrote that students used to arrive at Hogwarts however they wanted, including by broom, magical creatures, and even Portkeys.But between Muggle sightings and students falling "Portkey-sick" from the dizzying motion, a better method was needed, so they created the Hogwarts Express.<h2>The school's motto is 'Never tickle a sleeping dragon'</h2>The Hogwarts crest features a large "H" surrounded by the animal symbols of the four houses - the Gryffindor lion, the <a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/the-symbolism-of-ravenclaw-house">Ravenclaw eagle</a>, the Hufflepuff badger, and the Slytherin snake. The bottom of the crest also has the school motto in Latin, "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus," which roughly translates to "Never tickle a sleeping dragon."It may seem like a silly saying, but <a href="http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2005/0705-edinburgh-ITVcubreporters.htm">in a 2005 press conference</a>, Rowling said she wanted an "entirely practical piece of advice for the Hogwarts school motto."<h2>Some of the Hogwarts portraits are more capable than others</h2><div type="image" title="fat lady portrait hogwarts harry potter" height="1199" width="1599" msid="82550784" hostid="261"></div>The portraits hanging at Hogwarts are no ordinary paintings. The subjects can talk, move around, and even walk into other portraits.In <a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/hogwarts-portraits">another 2015 feature on Pottermore</a>, Rowling revealed some of the secrets behind the wall hangings. Though it may seem like the person has been captured in the portrait, the painting is simply imitating the subject's behavior and common catchphrases.This is why <a href="https://www.insider.com/big-differences-between-harry-potter-books-and-movies">Sir Cadogan's portrait</a> is always challenging people and other portraits to duels. But the <a href="https://www.insider.com/dumbledore-interesting-facts-from-harry-potter-fun-facts">headmasters</a> and headmistresses of the school have their portraits made prior to their deaths so they can spend more time teaching it their behavior and sharing their knowledge in order to advise their predecessors. <h2>There are 7 mandatory courses for 1st-year students</h2>Hogwarts has a <a href="https://www.insider.com/harry-potter-interesting-things-to-know-about-professors-trivia">set of classes</a> that are mandatory for first-year students: Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, and Herbology.Broomstick flying lessons are also compulsory in addition to those courses.In their second year, students have to pick at least two more classes to add to their schedule. These can be Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, or Care of Magical Creatures.According to <a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/hogwarts-school-subjects">a 2015 Pottermore feature</a>, Rowling originally included Divination, Alchemy, and a course called Beasts on the mandatory first-year list. There were also a few course name changes in her earlier drafts. Herbology was called Herbalism and Transfiguration was called Transfiguration/Metamorphosis.<h2>The addition of plumbing threatened the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets</h2><div type="image" title="chamber of secrets harry potter" height="1404" width="1872" msid="82550785" hostid="261"></div>Fans likely know that the Chamber of Secrets was secretly created by Salazar Slytherin and hidden within the depths of the castle.<a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/chamber-of-secrets">In a 2015 Pottermore feature</a>, Rowling wrote that the original entrance to the chamber was through a trapdoor and several tunnels. But when Hogwarts first installed plumbing in the 18th century, a bathroom was built right where the trapdoor was. Corvinus Gaunt, a direct descendant of Slytherin at Hogwarts, protected the door and created a new way to enter it through a sink in the bathroom. <h2>The entrances to each common room reflect the 4 Hogwarts' Houses</h2>Each <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-movies-to-watch-if-you-loved-harry-potter">Hogwarts House</a> has its own common room for its students. And each of those common rooms has its own set of defenses that help keep the students safe - and stop intruders from other houses from entering. In a 2015 Pottermore feature, <a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/hufflepuff-common-room">Rowling said</a> that the entrances to each common room roughly match the "intellectual reputation" of the students in that particular house. The Hufflepuff common room is the only one that didn't appear in the books, but Rowling explained how it works in the article. It's located near the Hogwarts kitchens, and students entered it through a large pile of barrels. The students must tap a specific (unchanging) barrel in the rhythm of "Helga Hufflepuff" to enter. Tap the incorrect one the wrong number of times, and the intruder will be soaked in vinegar from a neighboring barrel. To enter Gryffindor's, the students must provide the Fat Lady with the current password to pass through her portrait. Since it changes regularly, it's hard for other students (and even some of the Gryffindors) to get in. Slytherin's common room similarly requires a changing password, and it's secretively tucked away in Hogwarts' dungeons. Finally, Ravenclaw's common-room entrance is perhaps the most fitting for the traits of the house. To test its students' sharp intellect and wit, a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle asks the enterer a riddle that they must provide a sufficient answer to.<h2>The <keyword id="6356021" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="movie">movie</keyword> version of the castle was filmed in several locations</h2><div type="image" title="hogwarts warner bros studio tour" height="720" width="960" msid="82550786" hostid="261"></div>The filmmakers successfully pulled off making Hogwarts look and feel like a cohesive castle, but it's actually a mashup of several different <a href="https://www.insider.com/harry-potter-stars-best-and-worst-things-on-set">filming locations</a> in Scotland and England.Some exterior shots of the castle were filmed at <a href="https://www.alnwickcastle.com/harry-potter-filming-locations">Alnwick Castle</a>, while <a href="https://www.visitengland.com/muggles-guide-harry-potter-filming-locations">many of the interior shots</a> came from Lacock Abbey, Gloucester Cathedral, <a href="https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/oxford-harry-potter/">Oxford University</a>, and the Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/28-things-you-never-knew-about-how-harry-potter-movies-were-made-2013-5#to-film-sweeping-views-of-the-fictional-hogwarts-castle-the-art-department-built-a-124-scale-model-based-on-a-sketch-by-one-of-the-production-designers-stuart-craig-the-castle-takes-up-a-massive-room-and-details-every-courtyard-field-and-tower-filmed-in-the-movies-the-towers-could-be-lit-inside-real-gravel-and-plants-were-used-for-the-landscape-it-took-86-artists-months-to-construct-28">Some of the sweeping shots</a> of the castle's exterior were also filmed using a 1:24 scale model at the studio. <h2>The famous Merlin attended Hogwarts</h2>Characters in "Harry Potter" occasionally evoke the name of Merlin with the common exclamation "Merlin's beard!"But on top of being one of the most legendary wizards of all time, he was also a Hogwarts alum.According to a 2015 feature <a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/order-of-merlin">Rowling wrote for Pottermore</a>, Merlin attended Hogwarts in his youth and was sorted into Slytherin.The Order of Merlin medals, given to exceptional wizards, are even green to match his house's colors. <h2>The Sorting Hat originally belonged to Godric Gryffindor</h2><div type="image" title="harry potter sorting hat" height="790" width="1054" msid="82550787" hostid="261"></div>The Sorting Hat, responsible for deciding which Hogwarts House each new student is placed in, apparently belonged to one of the school's founders, Godric Gryffindor. <a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-sorting-hat">According to Pottermore</a>, it started as a normal hat before it was jointly enchanted by the four Hogwarts founders.They each imparted the magical object with their intelligence so it could properly sort the incoming students into the correct house. <h2>The Ministry of Magic covers all of the students' tuition</h2>Over the years, fans have wondered how much it costs to go to Hogwarts, and in a <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/622118373061709824?s=20">2015 tweet</a>, Rowling responded. "There's no tuition fee!" she wrote. "The Ministry of Magic covers the cost of all magical education!"But from the books and <keyword id="406" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Movies">movies</keyword>, we know that the students are responsible for purchasing all the uniforms, materials, and books required for each school year, so it's not totally free. <h2>Not every student gets an acceptance letter delivered by an owl</h2><div type="image" title="Harry Potter acceptance letter scene Hogwarts" height="1080" width="1440" msid="82550788" hostid="261"></div>Many fans have eagerly awaited their Hogwarts acceptance letters since turning 11, but it turns out <a href="https://www.insider.com/harry-potter-interesting-things-to-know-about-hermione-granger">Muggle-born witches and wizards</a> get notified in a slightly different way. Instead of getting a letter through the owl post, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arfui-AUPLY">the incoming students</a> apparently get a visit from a staff member, who explains what's going on and helps them prepare for the school year. <h2>The school was voted one of the best in Scotland</h2>In a real-life 2008 poll of the <a href="https://www.scotsman.com/education/harry-potters-school-outranks-loretto-2466498">best educational establishments</a> in <a href="https://www.insider.com/surprising-things-about-moving-from-us-to-uk">Scotland</a>, the fictional school was voted 36th, receiving high marks in "atmosphere" and "discipline," The Scotsman reported. Though Hogwarts wasn't a serious submission to the list, it did end up ranking higher than Scotland's oldest boarding school, Loretto School.<h2>Special enchantments conceal Hogwarts from Muggles</h2><div type="image" title="hogwarts grounds harry potter" height="1190" width="1586" msid="82550789" hostid="261"></div>Hogwarts needs to be well-guarded from both dark wizards and Muggles, so there are numerous spells and enchantments surrounding the castle. For example, it appears as an old abandoned castle to any Muggles who wander by. The school exists somewhere in the <a href="https://www.insider.com/different-american-foods-i-miss-after-moving-to-the-united-kingdom">Scottish Highlands</a>, but its exact coordinates are "unplottable" in an effort to keep all the students safe. <h2>There are few electronic devices at Hogwarts</h2>In "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Hermione says that electricity, radar, and computers are all just Muggle replacements for magic and tend to "go haywire" at Hogwarts. But throughout the books and movies, it's clear that the Wizarding World adopted a few Muggle technologies, like cars and radios.<h2>The school has over 140 magical staircases</h2><div type="image" title="hogwarts stairs harry potter" height="1193" width="1590" msid="82550790" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/everything-a-first-year-should-know-about-hogwarts">According to Wizarding World</a>, there are 142 staircases varying "in shape, size, and destination" at Hogwarts. As <a href="https://www.insider.com/weasleys-interesting-details-from-harry-potter-fun-facts">Percy Weasley</a> advises the first years in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the students have to be alert while walking to their classes because the staircases like to change position and vanish. Although the number of moving steps adds to the mystery and enormity of the establishment, it's also <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskScienceFiction/comments/4wnsi0/harry_potter_did_hogwarts_ever_accommodate/">led many fans</a> to criticize the school for being inaccessible to any prospective students who aren't able-bodied.

17 little-known facts about Hogwarts even die-hard 'Harry Potter' fans may not know

Bookstores can be a destination.&#xa0;
From Venice to Mexico City, check out some of the most interesting book retailers out there.&#xa0;
1.&#xa0;Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, Italy.&#xa0;
This bookstore features classic volumes of American and Italian books packed in traditional Venetian gondola boats. But the show-stopping attraction is the back of the bookstore, which opens up to a beautiful canal.
"It's a bookshop right on the canal that floods every year, so the eccentric, stray-cat-adopting owner keeps his books in boats, bathtubs and a disused gondola to protect them," writes&#xa0;<a href="http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/tag/libreria-acqua-alta/">Paris Review</a>.&#xa0;
The store is also lauded for its extensive art and postcard collections.&#xa0;

2. John K. King Used And Rare Books, Detroit, Michigan.&#xa0;
This houses more than a million books in an abandoned glove factory in Detroit's industrial wasteland. 
"Cardboard signs, musty paperback aromas, and a hand-scrawled map out of a Wes Anderson panic attack are your only tour guides as you lose track of time and the person you came with," writes Megan Cytron <a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/05/15/trazzler_slide_show_beautiful_bookstores/slide_show/2">at Trazzler.</a>
 
3.&#xa0;Boekhandel Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht, Holland.&#xa0;
This epic bookstore is a converted Dominican church from the 13th century. The serene alcoves of the church now serve as reading nooks.&#xa0;
"A superb example of&#xa0;adaptive re-use, the Selexyz Dominicanen infuses rich and historic architecture with plentiful shelves ripe with information," <a href="http://inhabitat.com/gorgeous-church-renovated-into-modern-bookstore/">writes Diane Pham</a> at inhabitant.com.&#xa0;
 
4. BookPeople, Austin, Texas.&#xa0;
Texas' largest independent bookstore is situated in the trendy Market District of Austin, Texas. The store prides itself on its knowledgable staff and epic selections.&#xa0;
"Tending to more books than anyone could read in a lifetime - from international bestsellers to a remarkable showing of local authors, BookKids to MysteryPeople-plus almost daily events and a quirky collection of toys, BookPeople's wonderful staff are on their toes expanding horizons and making literary dreams come true," the <a href="http://www.austinchronicle.com/best-of-austin/year:2013/poll:readers/category:kids/bookpeople-best-bookstore/">Austin Chronicle raves</a>.&#xa0;

5. Strand, New York City.&#xa0;
This East Village retailer boasts 18 miles of books.&#xa0;
"Its prices and selection are seldom beat, and there's still the unique thrill of finding a copy of&#xa0;The Grapes of Wrath&#xa0;once belonging to the Rikers Correctional Library in their 49-cent bin," <a href="http://gothamist.com/2013/11/25/nycs_10_best_bookstores.php">writes Gothamist.</a>&#xa0;

6. Livraria Lello &amp; Irmao, Porto, Portugal.&#xa0;
This gorgeous, 100-year-old bookstore is known for its stunning architecture and "stairway to heaven."&#xa0;
"Once inside, there is the curvaceous red stairway connecting the two levels (inspired on the Parisian&#xa0;Galleries Lafayette), the heavily decorated walls and ceilings, and the magnificent stained-glass skylight with Lello's motto&#xa0;vecus in labore&#xa0;will no doubt impress you," one visitor writes on <a href="http://www.bookstoreguide.org/2008/01/livraria-lello-porto.html">bookstoreguide.org</a>.&#xa0;

7. The Bookworm, Beijing, China.&#xa0;
The Bookworm is both a lending library and a bookstore with a ridiculously expansive collection. There's also a gourmet European cafe on the premises.&#xa0;
"We love this Beijing spot when we're craving a double-dose of intellectual stimulation and decent café food. Thousands of English-language books fill the shelves and may be borrowed for a fee or read inside. New books and magazines are also for sale," <a href="http://www.fodors.com/world/asia/china/beijing/review-204043.html">writes Fodor's Travel.</a>&#xa0;

8. El Ateneo, Buenes Aires, Argentina.&#xa0;
This bookstore is housed in an ornate theater building from the 1920's. Customers can sit in still-intact theater boxes to relax and browse their books.&#xa0;
"While the selection of books on offer is standard chain store fare, bibliophiles will find the staggeringly opulent display of books to be reason enough to pay El Ateneo Grand Splendid a visit," <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/04/24/el_ateneo_grand_splendid_this_historic_palatial_theater_is_now_one_of_the.html">according to Atlas Obscura</a>.&#xa0;

9.&#xa0;Cafebreria El Pendulo, Mexico City, Mexico.&#xa0;
This bookstore and cafe has ample greenery inside.&#xa0;
"At once bar, cafe and bookstore, the Cafebreria El Pendulo offers a well air conditioned abode for reading and lounging, and living plants decorate the interior," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/26/9-of-the-most-amazing-boo_n_659870.html">The Huffington Post writes</a>.&#xa0;

10. Books &amp; Books, Coral Gables, Florida.&#xa0;
This Miami-area bookstore is especially known for its great selection of art titles and is housed in a stunning building from the 1920's.&#xa0;
"No local author considers himself "made" until he's read at Books &amp; Books, and no lit-minded visitor considers a vacation complete until he's browsed for autographed&#xa0;stock in at least one of the stores," <a href="http://miami.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-indie-bookshops-in-miami/">CBS Local writes</a>, adding that the store has constant special events.&#xa0;

11. Shakespeare and Company, Paris, France.&#xa0;
The original Shakespeare &amp; Company &#xa0;on Paris' Left Bank was a hangout for Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, and James Joyce, but closed during World War Two.&#xa0;
The store re-opened in 1951 and has become a popular favorite because of its ambience and selection.&#xa0;
"Time has not sundered the love-in between literature and Paris's Left Bank," <a href="http://content.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1937013_1936990_1936850,00.html#ixzz2sOacbrl3">writes Time.</a> "The&#xa0;Shakespeare and Company&#xa0;bookstore has long been a fixture of the affair."

12. Politics &amp; Prose, Washington D.C.&#xa0;
This bookstore in the nation's Capitol is best-known for its amazing line-up of speakers. Past guests have included J.K. Rowling and Bill Clinton.&#xa0;
"Priding itself on its well-read staff and inside-the-Beltway speakers, this bookstore dating to 1984 makes its home in a nondescript neighborhood north of the Van Ness metro," <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/nw-washingon/activities/politics-and-prose-bookstore">writes Travel &amp; Leisure</a>. "Politics and Prose combines impressive on-site inventory with a pleasant downstairs cafe."

13. Bart's Books, Ojai, California.&#xa0;
Bart's books is the largest outdoor bookstore in the world, and is situated in a picturesque town in Southern California.&#xa0;
"Bart's Books is a beautiful outdoor bookstore where you can sip lemonade in the courtyard surrounded by a maze of bookshelves, play a game of chess in the shade or read a short story under the apple tree," writes travel and lifestyle blogger <a href="http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/08/28/10-inspiring-bookshops-around-the-world/">Messy Nessy Chic</a>.&#xa0;

14. Corso Como, Milan, Italy.&#xa0;
This gorgeous bookstore, <a href="http://becauseimaddicted.net/2012/02/10-of-the-most-beautiful-bookstores-in-the-world.html">named one of the 10 most beautiful in the world</a>, doubles as a flea market and is sure to keep everyone entertained.&#xa0;
"Corso Como is a wonderful low profile high-end fashion, café, bookstore, and art hub in one of the nicer parts of Milan," a fan of the store <a href="Corso%20Como%20is%20a%20wonderful%20low%20profile%20high-end%20fashion,%20caf%C3%A9,%20bookstore,%20and%20art%20hub%20in%20one%20of%20the%20nicer%20parts%20of%20Milan.%20If%20you're%20not%20careful%20you%20can%20walk%20right%20past%20this%20place,%20but%20when%20you%20enter%20into%20its%20gates%20you%20know%20you%20are%20in%20for%20an%20experience.">writes on Yelp</a>. "If you're not careful you can walk right past this place, but when you enter into its gates you know you are in for an experience."

15. Barter Books, Alnwick, UK.&#xa0;
This shop used to be a train station, and miniature trains still go around the shelves. The architecture, which includes rounded ceilings and decorative lighting, is stunning.&#xa0;
"The books range from such categories as paperback and fiction, poetry and plays, history, philosophy or women studies to crime, biography, business and economics and even such topics as transport, maritime, gardening, needlework, etc.," <a href="http://www.bookstoreguide.org/2009/06/barter-books-alnwick.html">according to bookstoreguide.org</a>.
"Barter Books also has open fires in the winter, a station buffet with a menu made up of home-made and/or locally sourced food (both hot and cold) and speciality coffees and teas, and a children's room filled with toys," according to the guide.&#xa0;

16. Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Iowa.&#xa0;
This bookstore is next door to the University of Iowa's famous Writer's Workshop, a program with famous alums including Kurt Vonnegut.&#xa0;
"Owned by a pair of poets, the shop features 40,000 titles leaning heavily toward fiction, travel, children's, and-no surprise-poetry," writes <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-bookstores/3">Travel &amp; Leisure magazine</a>.&#xa0;

17. Boulder Books.&#xa0;
This eclectic bookstore is known for its indie vibes and knowledgable staff. &#xa0;It's also a hub for famous authors' readings and book signings.&#xa0;
"Despite its size, Boulder Bookstore has the feel of that around-the-corner gathering place that is a favorite to frequent, linger, read, visit and shop," <a href="http://denver.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-independent-bookstores-in-colorado/">writes CBS Denver.</a>&#xa0;
Authors who have visited in the past include Christopher Moore, Joyce Carol Oates, Deepak Chopra, Garrison Keillor, Jon Krakauer, Mitch Albom, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Prachett, and Sherman Alexie.
 
18. Powell's Books, Portland, Oregon.&#xa0;
This former car dealership takes up an entire city block and boasts more than 1 million titles.&#xa0;
"The sixty-eight-thousand-square-foot space is divided into nine color-coded rooms, which together house more than 3,500 sections," <a href="http://www.pw.org/content/inside_indie_bookstores_powell_s_books_in_portland_oregon?cmnt_all=1">writes Poets &amp; Writers.</a> "From the moment you walk in, it feels as if you could find anything there."

18 Bookstores Every Book Lover Must Visit At Least Once

Bookstores can be a destination upon themselves. 
From Venice to Mexico City, check out some of the most interesting book retailers out there. 
1. Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, Italy. 
This bookstore features classic volumes of American and Italian books packed in traditional Venetian gondola boats. But the show-stopping attraction is the back of the bookstore, which opens up to a beautiful canal.
"It's a bookshop right on the canal that floods every year, so the eccentric, stray-cat-adopting owner keeps his books in boats, bathtubs and a disused gondola to protect them," writes <a href="http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/tag/libreria-acqua-alta/">Paris Review</a>. 
The store is also lauded for its extensive art and postcard collections. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.vickyflipfloptravels.com">www.vickyflipfloptravels.com</a></div></div>
2. John K. King Used And Rare Books, Detroit, Michigan. 
This houses more than a million books in an abandoned glove factory in Detroit's industrial wasteland. 
"Cardboard signs, musty paperback aromas, and a hand-scrawled map out of a Wes Anderson panic attack are your only tour guides as you lose track of time and the person you came with," writes Megan Cytron <a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/05/15/trazzler_slide_show_beautiful_bookstores/slide_show/2">at Trazzler.</a>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/detroit/1/0/2/-/-/-/JohnKing.jpg">detroit.about.com</a></div></div> 
3. Boekhandel Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht, Holland. 
This epic bookstore is a converted Dominican church from the 13th century. The serene alcoves of the church now serve as reading nooks. 
"A superb example of adaptive re-use, the Selexyz Dominicanen infuses rich and historic architecture with plentiful shelves ripe with information," <a href="http://inhabitat.com/gorgeous-church-renovated-into-modern-bookstore/">writes Diane Pham</a> at inhabitant.com. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22746515@N02/3262151815/sizes/l/in/photolist-5Ygo5P-9DUPyA-7BjgFd-7Bfs6c-7BfsHP-7Bjg79-ftZFYB-7CkgtS/">Bert Kaufman on Flickr </a></div></div> 
4. BookPeople, Austin, Texas. 
Texas' largest independent bookstore is situated in the trendy Market District of Austin, Texas. The store prides itself on its knowledgable staff and epic selections. 
"Tending to more books than anyone could read in a lifetime - from international bestsellers to a remarkable showing of local authors, BookKids to MysteryPeople-plus almost daily events and a quirky collection of toys, BookPeople's wonderful staff are on their toes expanding horizons and making literary dreams come true," the <a href="http://www.austinchronicle.com/best-of-austin/year:2013/poll:readers/category:kids/bookpeople-best-bookstore/">Austin Chronicle raves</a>. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/1555386_10152144747316698_1184116179_n.jpg">BookPeople on Facebook</a></div></div>
5. Strand, New York City. 
This East Village retailer boasts 18 miles of books. 
"Its prices and selection are seldom beat, and there's still the unique thrill of finding a copy of The Grapes of Wrath once belonging to the Rikers Correctional Library in their 49-cent bin," <a href="http://gothamist.com/2013/11/25/nycs_10_best_bookstores.php">writes Gothamist.</a> 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drivebysh00ter/3220770543/sizes/o/in/photolist-5UBhSB-5W24fY-67Xijz-6n7dmz-6n7do2-6pCZK7-6wsyKF-6wA4Cy-71GdR2-71GeBT-71LeSj-71Lf7N-71LfkE-71Lfy7-7fgE3u-7J82xW-8w5s5k-9Bjfw4-9BjfhP-akyF82-8yxPPC-8MYJYe-8N2NEL-8N2P39-988Wh9-axqzXy-bnMALW-8tHrLe-8okrKA-7Mbowm-bmkeJ3-82cHXE-82cJbo-9KvZ4D-8AUFLB-by3EU3-deoeQp-aWL1Wc-9rggoz-dDmgq5-dDmgAh-dDfTfz-dDmgky-dDfTmK-dDfT68-dDmguC-dDmgHj-eN54Ym-7PpTHn-fhMVGK-fi4KXE/">drivebysh00ter on Flickr</a></div></div>
6. Livraria Lello &amp; Irmao, Porto, Portugal. 
This gorgeous, 100-year-old bookstore is known for its stunning architecture and "stairway to heaven." 
"Once inside, there is the curvaceous red stairway connecting the two levels (inspired on the Parisian Galleries Lafayette), the heavily decorated walls and ceilings, and the magnificent stained-glass skylight with Lello's motto vecus in labore will no doubt impress you," one visitor writes on <a href="http://www.bookstoreguide.org/2008/01/livraria-lello-porto.html">bookstoreguide.org</a>. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chilangoco/6813983383/sizes/l/in/photolist-bo8rS8-9Nzz9r-e62EtR-7y2UXK-7y6Lf1-7y6zyy-7y2E2v-8vHiBb-8vEa1D-924YQz-9tnMng-d2wuYm-91pywK-8Mbbd2-8MedWG-8MedVY-8Mbb8e-8vEj5v-9zj9No-a7Hawo-881K3S-87XxKn-881K5E-deG5UQ-deG63m-deG6DX-deG6ay-8pK8YF-8Mee4E-8Mbbdx-8MedZL-8Mbb44-8Mbb9T-8Mbbav-8MedYw-8MedXd-8Mbb4z-8MedXN-8Mee47-8Mee3d-dckMbj-dckLTL-dckKqz-dckMr3-gGKWTL-gGLZvM-gGM1cM-gGM1SV-gGLjXC-gGLeAV-gGLeda/">chilangoco on Flickr </a></div></div>
7. The Bookworm, Beijing, China. 
The Bookworm is both a lending library and a bookstore with a ridiculously expansive collection. There's also a gourmet European cafe on the premises. 
"We love this Beijing spot when we're craving a double-dose of intellectual stimulation and decent café food. Thousands of English-language books fill the shelves and may be borrowed for a fee or read inside. New books and magazines are also for sale," <a href="http://www.fodors.com/world/asia/china/beijing/review-204043.html">writes Fodor's Travel.</a> 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenrwalli/2413165586/sizes/l/in/photolist-4Ff74d-4Ff7K3-4Gxajv-7PJqi2-dTCUfB-dTJoZ5-dTJh99-dTJL6f-dTD98R-dTD4T6-dTD7gc-dTD4ne-dTD6D6-dTD5qR-dTJAqN-dTCX4x-dTJjjN-dTCUEr-dTCVNZ-dTJnLE-dTJhSm-dTJeHQ-dTCAmT-dTJpVd-dTCQSD-dTJryW-dTCSC6-dTCzta-dTCSQD-8uYwJv-bX8zR5-bX8tWL-bX8Fwm-dTJf8Q-dTJMqm-dTCCfr-dTCZKi-dTD3Z6-dTD7S8-dTD3iv-dTD2ix-dTJHzf-dTD1et-dTJDnL-dTJmJ3-dTCECx-dTJzAo-dTCKiz-dTCZ4z-dTCVev-dTCGq6/">stephenrwalli on Flickr</a></div></div>
8. El Ateneo, Buenes Aires, Argentina. 
This bookstore is housed in an ornate theater building from the 1920's. Customers can sit in still-intact theater boxes to relax and browse their books. 
"While the selection of books on offer is standard chain store fare, bibliophiles will find the staggeringly opulent display of books to be reason enough to pay El Ateneo Grand Splendid a visit," <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/04/24/el_ateneo_grand_splendid_this_historic_palatial_theater_is_now_one_of_the.html">according to Atlas Obscura</a>. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d7/Ateneo_Grand_Splendid-interior_02-TM.jpg/800px-Ateneo_Grand_Splendid-interior_02-TM.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></div></div>
9. Cafebreria El Pendulo, Mexico City, Mexico. 
This bookstore and cafe has ample greenery inside. 
"At once bar, cafe and bookstore, the Cafebreria El Pendulo offers a well air conditioned abode for reading and lounging, and living plants decorate the interior," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/26/9-of-the-most-amazing-boo_n_659870.html">The Huffington Post writes</a>. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cafebreria.el.Pendulo/photos/a.370905796261520.94306.118869781465124/371174626234637/?type=1&amp;theater">Facebook</a></div></div>
10. Books &amp; Books, Coral Gables, Florida. 
This Miami-area bookstore is especially known for its great selection of art titles and is housed in a stunning building from the 1920's. 
 "No local author considers himself "made" until he's read at Books &amp; Books, and no lit-minded visitor considers a vacation complete until he's browsed for autographed stock in at least one of the stores," <a href="http://miami.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-indie-bookshops-in-miami/">CBS Local writes</a>, adding that the store has constant special events. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.booksandbooks.com/coralgables">Books &amp; Books</a></div></div>
11. Shakespeare and Company, Paris, France. 
The original Shakespeare &amp; Company on Paris' Left Bank was a hangout for Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, and James Joyce, but closed during World War Two. 
The store re-opened in 1951 and has become a popular favorite because of its ambience and selection. 
"Time has not sundered the love-in between literature and Paris's Left Bank," <a href="http://content.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1937013_1936990_1936850,00.html#ixzz2sOacbrl3">writes Time.</a> "The Shakespeare and Company bookstore has long been a fixture of the affair."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoetnet/4857840142/sizes/l/in/photolist-8pgGCw-efUKMo-fcJ3u7-efUKM1-arRgna-a99ELk-chR71o-cGfevs-cGfer1-bxA4bS-bLuK4n-8VYxLw-a9ctWJ-8iqRZj-a8ddNH-cme6Dj-cme6Gd-fctJEZ-fctJxe-8GJs9t-7MWs9j-aGXQ6M/">zoetnet on Flickr</a></div></div>
12. Politics &amp; Prose, Washington D.C. 
This bookstore in the nation's Capitol is best-known for its amazing line-up of speakers. Past guests have included J.K. Rowling and Bill Clinton. 
"Priding itself on its well-read staff and inside-the-Beltway speakers, this bookstore dating to 1984 makes its home in a nondescript neighborhood north of the Van Ness metro," <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/nw-washingon/activities/politics-and-prose-bookstore">writes Travel &amp; Leisure</a>. "Politics and Prose combines impressive on-site inventory with a pleasant downstairs cafe."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Politics_and_Prose_2_cropped_to_storefront.jpg/945px-Politics_and_Prose_2_cropped_to_storefront.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></div></div>
13. Bart's Books, Ojai, California. 
Bart's books is the largest outdoor bookstore in the world, and is situated in a picturesque town in Southern California. 
"Bart's Books is a beautiful outdoor bookstore where you can sip lemonade in the courtyard surrounded by a maze of bookshelves, play a game of chess in the shade or read a short story under the apple tree," writes travel and lifestyle blogger <a href="http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/08/28/10-inspiring-bookshops-around-the-world/">Messy Nessy Chic</a>. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.bartsbooksojai.com/about/">Bart's Books</a></div></div>
14. Corso Como, Milan, Italy. 
This gorgeous bookstore, <a href="http://becauseimaddicted.net/2012/02/10-of-the-most-beautiful-bookstores-in-the-world.html">named one of the 10 most beautiful in the world</a>, doubles as a flea market and is sure to keep everyone entertained. 
"Corso Como is a wonderful low profile high-end fashion, café, bookstore, and art hub in one of the nicer parts of Milan," a fan of the store <a href="Corso%20Como%20is%20a%20wonderful%20low%20profile%20high-end%20fashion,%20café,%20bookstore,%20and%20art%20hub%20in%20one%20of%20the%20nicer%20parts%20of%20Milan.%20If%20you're%20not%20careful%20you%20can%20walk%20right%20past%20this%20place,%20but%20when%20you%20enter%20into%20its%20gates%20you%20know%20you%20are%20in%20for%20an%20experience.">writes on Yelp</a>. "If you're not careful you can walk right past this place, but when you enter into its gates you know you are in for an experience."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21217821@N00/5123059857/sizes/l/in/photolist-8NH2de-8bJrtt-dThDWA/">shu tu on Flickr</a></div></div>
15. Barter Books, Alnwick, UK. 
This shop used to be a train station, and miniature trains still go around the shelves. The architecture, which includes rounded ceilings and decorative lighting, is stunning. 
"The books range from such categories as paperback and fiction, poetry and plays, history, philosophy or women studies to crime, biography, business and economics and even such topics as transport, maritime, gardening, needlework, etc.," <a href="http://www.bookstoreguide.org/2009/06/barter-books-alnwick.html">according to bookstoreguide.org</a>.
"Barter Books also has open fires in the winter, a station buffet with a menu made up of home-made and/or locally sourced food (both hot and cold) and speciality coffees and teas, and a children's room filled with toys," according to the guide. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.barterbooks.co.uk/multimedia/customer%20images/Morell,-Thom-13-4-2.jpg">Thom Morell for Barter Books</a></div></div>
16. Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Iowa. 
This bookstore is next door to the University of Iowa's famous Writer's Workshop, a program with famous alums including Kurt Vonnegut. 
" Owned by a pair of poets, the shop features 40,000 titles leaning heavily toward fiction, travel, children's, and-no surprise-poetry," writes <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-bookstores/3">Travel &amp; Leisure magazine</a>. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/23796_375574913261_3946893_n.jpg">Facebook</a></div></div>
17. Boulder Books. 
This eclectic bookstore is known for its indie vibes and knowledgable staff. It's also a hub for famous authors' readings and book signings. 
"Despite its size, Boulder Bookstore has the feel of that around-the-corner gathering place that is a favorite to frequent, linger, read, visit and shop," <a href="http://denver.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-independent-bookstores-in-colorado/">writes CBS Denver.</a> 
Authors who have visited in the past include Christopher Moore, Joyce Carol Oates, Deepak Chopra, Garrison Keillor, Jon Krakauer, Mitch Albom, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Prachett, and Sherman Alexie.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/themeowverlord/10090156263/sizes/l/in/photolist-gnCFVr-8wE7Te-aaWvWw-9AwGEt-99BQHY/">Amy Aletheia Cahill on Flickr </a></div></div> 
18. Powell's Books, Portland, Oregon. 
This former car dealership takes up an entire city block and boasts more than 1 million titles. 
"The sixty-eight-thousand-square-foot space is divided into nine color-coded rooms, which together house more than 3,500 sections," <a href="http://www.pw.org/content/inside_indie_bookstores_powell_s_books_in_portland_oregon?cmnt_all=1">writes Poets &amp; Writers.</a> "From the moment you walk in, it feels as if you could find anything there."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peyri/3591267292/sizes/l/in/photolist-6tmbDA-6ybZ73-6zvFYX-6zvGqn-6HZ2af-6ZJZkz-6ZKmMg-6ZP8tN-6ZP9b3-6ZPe3Y-6ZPioq-6ZPj5y-6ZPjNj-6ZPktd-76ZDpV-79exyh-7iVZoB-7iW8kr-diHzgN-bMzVVa-e6uJGS-ahEiMo-ex4wwi-aJNJLK-eaGPCC-cdFEVL-9Y3JWS-bdRbix-eiaTSC-8i8YTP-ddqp14-c3mBem-8fHZe5-9tjuhb-bAJue9-bPD83g-bAJvkE-bAJuRj-fxS7xT-hzVjak-a38Nao-aheH7t-dVAmr3-bErpwv-ebZL31-8gStuc-8XJ44T-aMDXAF-dqsGiH-7JUKrX-9uW8oy/">peyri on Flickr</a></div></div>

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