Reading in
Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal is one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back to pre-Celtic times. It is a city that gives a nod to a literary lifestyle. You can read and retreat among gorgeous architecture, cultural diversity, and numerous bookshops and cafes where you can relax, observe, and not feel rushed.
Lisbon 2024
Portugal View
Language
Portuguese
Common polite phrases:
Desculpe- Excuse me
Desculpa- Sorry
Obrigado or Obrigada (female)- Thank you
Anchor in the Chiado district
Elegant and chic, Chiado has great food, coffee and wine. Go shopping on cobblestoned streets and sip Vinho Verde at an outdoor historic cafe. Browse a bookstore or attend a scheduled reading. And did I mention Fernando Pessoa? Take a “Pessoa Walk” and visit places frequented by the poet.
Where to Stay
Airbnb has great options in Lisbon. You can also find nice boutique hotels.
At a glance
My experience in Portugal
Most mornings, I sat at Caneca de Prata, a warm and authentic Portuguese cafe, to read and write. Their coffee was strong and soothing, the people friendly, and you never knew what freshly baked pastry you would be served that day. Above Caneca, was my Airbnb apartment, hosted by super host, Maria. Clean and inviting, the spacious studio with floor-to-ceiling windows was in the middle of Rua de Prata, where you can access numerous restaurants, shopping plazas, a grocery store, and good music in the evenings, all by foot.
When I wasn’t reading during the day, I wandered the Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon’s premier cultural centre and a complex of art display. I attended a reading at Grémio Literário, Lisbon’s oldest literary club, and I ate on their “Art Nouveau” veranda overlooking the Tagus River.
Things to do and see on your reading retreat:
- Browse a bookstore: Livraria Bertrand is a Portuguese bookstore with a good English selection.
- Retreat and read: Go to Praça do Comércio, Commerce Square, and head to the southern end, at the riverbank, where you will find steps to sit, have a quick lunch, read, and enjoy views of the Tagus River.
- Consider one of these books: Raised from the Ground, by José Saramago, The Book of Disquiet, by Fernando Pessoa, The Piano Cemetery, by José Luís Peixoto, 28 Portuguese Poets, edited by Richard Zenith.
- Wander this street solo: Rua Garrett. Great array of shops, cafes, bookstores and sights.
- Take a literary tour: The Pessoa Walk will help you discover Lisbon through the eyes of a literary figure.
