“Portuguese is cheerful and sweet, like a language of birds.”
Located in the south of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is one of the most picturesque and culturally significant countries in the world. Throughout its history, dating back to ancient pre-Roman times, numerous successions, conquests, and conflicts have shaped the country. However, it has also flourished on the back of these eras, housing a huge array of different cultures, peoples and identities that has made it renowned as one of the global hubs for architecture, linguistics and culinary delights.
Its significance as a true maritime nation has also led to its unique identities being exported to all four corners of the globe, with over 250 million people speaking Portuguese today. With the country enticing twenty million visitors every year, get inspired for your next trip with the best Portugal travel books here at What We Reading!
Lonely Planet Portugal – Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet are the experts at producing travel guides that help nomads get the most out of their trips. In their Portugal edition, they give readers the ultimate resource in finding all the best places to go, where they should spend their money as well as various cultural information behind some of the country’s most iconic destinations. For helping travellers ensure their budget stretches as deep as possible, Lonely Planet’s Portugal guidebook is a must-have.
Night Train To Lisbon – Pascal Mercier
Pascal Mercier’s Night Train to Lisbon is a captivating and heartfelt journey that delves into the realms of love, life, and literature. This influential novel has reached a wide audience, selling over two and a half million copies and being translated into fifteen different languages.
A philosophical thriller set in the heart of Portugal’s capital, readers follow Greek and Latin teacher Raimund Gregorius who becomes obsessed with Portuguese author Amadeu Inácio de Almeida Prado. Teaming up with a mysterious woman he meets after a chance encounter, Gregorius attempts to immerse himself in the life of this author leads to an incredible journey of identity and self-discovery.
The High Mountains Of Portugal – Yann Martel
The High Mountains of Portugal is a charming piece of historical fiction from Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi. In 1904, in Lisbon, a young man named Tomás stumbles upon a worn-out journal that holds clues to a hidden treasure. Uncovering this treasure has the potential to reshape history in a remarkable way.
Setting off in one of Europe’s first automobiles, he sets off to find it. The spirit of this young man’s adventure continues to live on in two more stories, set thirty-five and fifty years later. These tales capture the enchantment of Portugal’s breathtaking natural landscapes, making it one of the most captivating explorations ever written.
Moving To Portugal – Louise And Ben Taylor
Thinking about making your trip to Portugal more permanent? Louise and Ben Taylor have you covered. The Taylors decided to trade the rainy streets of London for the beautiful Algarve, and they now spend their time helping others make their own moves abroad!
Having gained immense popularity with their online blog, they now bring their practical insights and helpful tips to a printed book for the first time in Moving to Portugal. From finding the right destination, managing expectations and maximising the experience to the fullest, it is one of the best books on moving abroad.
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Take Me With You – Afonso Reis Cabral
At 739 kilometres (459 miles), Portugal’s National Road 2 is the longest road in the country. Stretching from Chaves in the north to Faro in the south, it covers the length of the Iberian nation and has become a fabled part of Portuguese life and culture.
Take Me With You – Portugal’s National Road 2 On Foot is author Afonso Reis Cabral’s mesmerising account of the landscapes, people and incredible discoveries he unearthed walking the entire distance of one of the world’s longest roads entirely on foot. Inspiring countless travel lovers across the globe, Cabral taps into the heart of Portugal.
Porto – Gabriella Opaz And Sonia Andresson Nolasco
Unearth the culinary heaven that is Northern Portugal with Gabriella Opaz and Sonia Andresson Nolasco’s Porto: Stories from Portugal’s Historic Bolhão Market. Porto’s Bolhão neighbourhood is one of the most iconic locations in Portugal, home to centuries-old marketplaces that entice travellers with everything from wood-fired broa to favos de mel, the city’s signature stew.
The two authors whisk readers into the lives of the vendors who line these markets armed with knowledge and expertise passed down to them from generation to generation. Embodying the spirit of Porto, this remains one of the best Portugal travel books for getting an authentic insight into life inside the country from the streets of one of its most treasured, if somewhat overlooked, areas.
Queen Of The Sea – Barry Hatton
Lisbon is renowned as one of the most idyllic and beautiful capitals in Europe. But how much of its 2,000-year history do you really know? Author Barry Hatton attempts to provide the most comprehensive guide to the lives and times of Portugal’s capital in his travel book, Queen Of The Sea: A History Of Lisbon.
From its early Roman days, being in the grips of sieges, conquests and dictators, to surviving one of the deadliest earthquakes in European history, Hatton paints an incredible image of Lisbon’s colourful history that is sure to entice any traveller.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
