5 Peaceful Places To Read A Book In Porto
for solo travellers who carry libraries in their luggage
Friends,
Regardless of my relationship status or social circle, my absolute favourite way to travel is completely alone with a massive pile of books. There's a certain independence and freedom in traveling alone that I find incredibly appealing. On the flip side it unnerves quite a few people too - there's a peculiar intensity to the reactions some people have towards women who travel solo :) I personally find that it’s my chance to disconnect from the world and immerse myself in different cultures and stories without compromise. There are also no chores or distractions which tend to eat into large chunks of my reading time when I’m home - it’s just bliss.
So with that in mind, and also for the many women I meet who tell me they are afraid to travel alone - this is the start of a little series where I’ll be sharing my favourite reading spots in cities I’ve travelled to around the world. I hope it inspires you to book that trip!
First up is five peaceful places to read in Porto (which happens to be right at the top of my list of cities to move to once I get a European passport), Paris and others will follow after that.
ONE: on the balcony of my favourite hotel
MoHouse is a small guesthouse located in the centre of Porto with 9 bedrooms overlooking the Douro River. My favourite is room 3 on the first floor as she has huge windows and two balconies that are perfect for sunset watching or reading.
📌 Rua de Belmonte, 81, Porto
🔗 MoHouse
TWO: at the best coffee spot in town
It’s not hard to find great coffee in Porto but Hakko House is most certainly at the top of my list for a nice quiet place to read. Delish food, homemade breads, great (soft) background music and dog-friendly — I usually take myself and a book for brunch.
📌 Rua do Rosário 313, Porto
THREE: in the park
The Parque da Cidade do Porto is the largest urban park in Portugal. She is ENORMOUS and beautiful! Find a quiet spot with your book near the fountains or head over to the manicured lawns overlooking the river.
FOUR: at a teeny street cafe where only portuguese is spoken
I wish I could remember the name of this cafe but I drank a rare glass of wine (so was v drunk) and they only spoke Portuguese :) I do have the geo-location from the photo so if anyone knows the name, please let me know! I did manage to read half a book and ate the most delicious thing I have ever eaten so she’s on the list. The good news is, these small eateries are all over Porto, filled with locals also reading newspapers or books.
FIVE: in bed at my second favourite hotel
The ROSA ET AL Townhouse is super central and close to Hakko House for coffee plus a lunch spot that I highly recommend. I queued for food and it was worth it! Back to this hotel - the queen city suite has the comfiest bed and pillows that I’ve ever slept in - a perfect spot for reading.
📌 Rua do Rosário 233, Porto
🚇 Maternidade Station
PS: if you’ve been to Porto and I’ve missed any reading spots off the list, please let me know in the comments:
I spent a month alone in a small town in Italy in ‘22 and a month in Amsterdam & France in ‘23, I got weird responses for traveling solo for such a long time (as a mother, wife). I highly recommend (if one can). The release/pause from chores, responsibilities was worth every penny.
love this. i always travel with an ipad full of books. i do prefer physical, but can't beat the pros of quantity and portability of an e-reader for travel. I spent a month alone in Lisbon two years ago and loved every moment. my husband was walking the camino and i... wanted to live in lisbon and read. I so enjoyed it and just booked another solo trip to Mexico where I plan to read solo in a variety of places! love the idea of this series and to find a fellow solo travel reader