12 eye-wateringly beautiful musical instrument shops

There's something irresistible about a classical music shop, and we've found some of the most stunning from around the world.

1. 

   1. A violin shop in Tampa, Florida

   A beautiful view of the Violin Shop in Tampa, Florida store.

2. 

   2. Steinway Hall, London

   The beautiful Steinway Hall of Fame in London with surely as many grand pianos as it is possible to fit into one room.

3. 

   3. The Chimneys Violin Shop

   This gorgeous shop in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania opened in 1960, and has been tempting string players every since.

4. 

   4. Violin Shop Tampa

   Another photo from the beautiful Violin Shop in Tampa, Florida. Sit in a leather chair and soak up the ambience of rows and rows of stunning stringed instruments. We could be left in there all day

5. 

   5. Luthier, Paris

   This stunning Parisian luthier's shop is nestled in the Galerie Vivienne.

7. 

   6. Sibiu Romania

   A rustic affair in Sibiu, a city in Transylvania, Romania. Photo: Cinty Ionescu, Flickr

8. 

   7. Steinway Hall, New York

   The unrivalled pianophile destination. Surely it's worth the trip for the chandelier alone.

9. 

   8. Belfast Pianos

   Polished floors, chic curved ceiling, and elegant Steinway to boot. This one's a stunner

10. 

    9. Bob Marley Music Shop, Essaouira

    Tucked away within the fortified walls of Essaouira, Morocco, you can find everything you'd need for that late-night jam session. Photo: archangeldeb, Flickr

11. 

    10. Moseley Vioins

    It's one of the finest stores in the Midlands, and that elegant stairway gives Moseley Violins in Birmingham that something extra.

13. 

    11. A string instrument shop in Baghdad, Iraq

    An Iraqi vendor arranges the display of violins at a music shop in Baghdad on October 7, 2012. Photo: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty

14. 

    12. Cremona factory

    Not technically a shop, but this striking photo of violins on a production line was taken in Cremona, home of the legendary luthier Antonio Stradivari. Credit: AP Photo

15. 

    13. A music shop in Cairo, Egypt

    Egyptian musician Abdul Rahman Marco, tunes a violin at his instrument shop on Mohammed Ali street, downtown Cairo, Egypt. The shop makes, repairs and sells lute-like instruments, stringed ouds, qanouns and tablas. Credit: AP Photo/Nasser Nasser

16. 

    14. Music stall in Istanbul, Turkey

    A music stall in Istanbul sells a variety of stringed instruments. Credit: PA

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