Reading is an excellent way not only to broaden your horizons and travel to other latitudes, but also to acquire new knowledge and ways of feeling, especially through the emotion of poetry. This year, the Porto Book Fair will pay tribute to a poet: Inês Lourenço.
The literary event, considered a true classic in the city’s cultural calendar, returns in 2026, between August 21 and September 6, for its 13th edition, in the Gardens of the Crystal Palace. As in previous years,a new linden tree will be named after the author being honored.
Who is Inês Lourenço?
Credit: João Paulo Coutinho
At 83 years of age and awarded a Medal of Merit by the Porto City Council (CMP), Inês Lourenço was the author chosen to succeed Sérgio Godinho, honored in 2025 at the Porto Book Fair. However, for those who do not yet know her, we briefly share the poet’s journey.
Born in Porto in 1942, Inês Lourenço graduated in Modern Languages and Literature (Portuguese Studies) and dedicated her life to writing poetry. In total, the author has more than a dozen books of poetry and micro-fiction to her name .
Her literary career includes works such as “Ainda o lugar incerto da procura” (Still the uncertain place of searching), “Dois cimbalinos escaldados” (Two scalded cymbals) and the anthology “Casa da Nuvem” (House of the Cloud). In addition, in the 1980s and 1990s, she edited the poetry magazine “Hífen” (Hyphen).
What are people saying about the author?
Editorial credit: Abie Davies / Shutterstock.com | Generic image
Regarding the decision to honor Inês Lourenço at the 2026 Porto Book Fair, the president of the CMP, Pedro Duarte, highlighted the following:
The Porto character of the work and the author, her deep artistic and civic ties to Porto, and a remarkable literary legacy, with a body of work of exceptional quality.
The CMP Councilor for Culture, Jorge Sobrado, considered the author to be “one of the most significant voices in contemporary Portuguese poetry,” also highlighting her “umbilical relationship with the city of Porto, as an allegorical or symbolic, narrative, and living space.”
Useful information
📍 Where: Gardens of the Crystal Palace.
📅 When: August 21 to September 2026.
🎟️ Admission: Free.
Are you planning to join more than 250,000 visitors in 2025 and visit the Porto Book Fair this year?
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