NEWSWEEK.COM 47
7Kay Craddock
Antiquarian
Bookseller
Melbourne, Australia
Located inside a Gothic
church, this shop sells only
antique and secondhand
books. Visitors can search
for the quirky collection
of owl ɿgurines scattered
throughout or they can
peruse the shelves to ɿnd
classicsŜsuch as a Jane
Austen collection printed in
18 selling for $15,000.Zhongshuge Bookstore
Hangzhou, China
Each location of this Chinese
chain is architecturally unique, but
the location in Hangzhou stands
apart. Stairs and seats built into
round bookshelves combined with
mirrored ceilings give the optical
illusion of never-ending books.
Other optical illusions include a
tunnel of books and what appears
to be an unending roller coaster of
books in the children’s book room.Libreria Acqua Alta
Venice, Italy
To protect its books from water damage
due to ʀooding from Venice’s canals,
this unique store keeps its books in a
variety of waterproof containers such
as vintage bathtubs and even a gondola.
The bookstore—which features mainly
secondhand and out-of-print titles—is
jam-packed with ʀoor-to-ceiling eclectic
decor and even houses a few stray cats.Boekhandel Dominicanen
Maastricht, Netherlands
This 1th-century church was given
new life in 2006 as a bookstore.
Visitors can browse for books on
the three-story shelving island
in the middle of the cathedral or
simply enjoy the vaulted ceilings
covered in murals and illuminated
by stained-glass windows.808
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Not Just Fiction:
Real-Life Bookstores
Worth Visiting
Books have always had the ability to transport readers, whisking them away to faraway lands.
Bookstores are often the inspiration for this magic, allowing readers to scan the shelves in
pursuit of their next escape. Some bookstores are taking this to the next level, making the
store itself the destination—through architecture, decor and even optical illusions. Cozy up
and plot your next getaway at these unique bookstores around the world. —Laura PowersUNCHARTED6
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