Cărturești Carusel
Photo Cosmin Dragomir
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ADDRESS
Strada Lipscani 55, București 030033, Romania
PHONE +40 728 828 922
Constructed in 1903 as a bank, the 10,000-square-foot building that houses Bucharest's Cărturești Carusel has a fascinating history, having fallen into Communist hands in the '50s and operating as a general store throughout their regime. Following the collapse of Communism, it stood abandoned for decades, although a lengthy court battle resulted in its return to the original owner's family in 2007. After undergoing a five-year restoration, the building reopened as a bookstore, whose name translates to "Carousel of Light." Featuring a grand, white interior with ornate columns, visitors will find more than 10,000 books spread across five floors and a sixth-floor bistro that provides a perfect perch for people-watching.
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Atlantis Books
Courtesy of Atlantis Books
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ADDRESS
Nomikos Street, Οία 847 02, Greece
PHONE +30 2286 072346
Atlantis Books' origin story is just as romantic as you'd expect from a seaside bookstore perched on a cliff in Santorini's Oia village. In what feels like the plot of your favorite rom-com, the idea to open the island's first bookshop came from two American college students who fell in love with Santorini during a week-long vacation in 2002, eventually packing up their friends (and a car full of books) and driving from London to make their dream a reality. Today, visitors to Atlantis Books will find a genuinely charming locale where new and used books are available for purchase, bookshelves hide lofted beds for staff members to turn in for the night, and a terrace boasts picture-perfect views of the Aegean Sea.