Though growing in popularity, Portugal is still a relatively under-the-radar destination for travelers. Until I visited I knew little beyond the basics of what it had to offer and even less of its history. I was pleasantly surprised by both. The most pleasant surprise though is that Portugal is a perfect destination for book lovers!

I love to read, but I am usually a very active traveler. I don’t like to waste a minute of daylight that I could be seeing or exploring whatever new place I find myself in. I’ll read waiting in line, on public transit, or in the airport, but usually once my feet touch down whatever book I have with me is all but forgotten. In many cities it feels like time spent reading is time spent missing out. 

But not in Portugal. 

It is not a lack of things to do that makes Portugal a perfect booklovers’ destination. But the atmosphere and ambiance, even of its two largest cities, invites visitors to crack open a book. Portuguese lifestyle is laid back with a disregard for promptness and an insistence on afternoon siestas. This, along with its numerous beaches, parks, and mellow cafes, provide ample opportunities to take a hiatus from what might elsewhere have been a hectic travel schedule. The demanding hills of both Lisbon and Porto will have your legs begging you for a respite anyway and a book is a great way to appease them and not look like you’re too out-of-shape to be there. Plus, it is home to three World-Record-holding bookstores!

World’s Oldest Bookstore - Livraria Bertrand, Lisbon

World’s Smallest Bookstore - Livraria Simao, Lisbon

Most Beautiful Bookstore - Livraria Lello, Porto

Have you visited Portugal? What were you reading there? Did you get an opportunity to visit any of these bookstores? Comment below!

-Ff