The essentials at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When in 2026? | 21 August to 6 September (13th edition) |
| Where? | Crystal Palace Gardens |
| Entry | Free |
| 2026 hours | Mon-Thu 12:00-21:00, Fri 12:00-22:00, Sat 11:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-21:00 |
| Scale | 144 stands, 200+ activities, about 231,000 participants |
| 2027 dates | Not announced in October 2026 |
Source: Porto city council programme and press releases, seen on 26 October 2026. Storms forced the organisers to restrict access and close on some days in 2026: check the weather before you go. The 2026 edition paid tribute to the Porto poet Inês Lourenço.
What to expect
An open-air fair with publishers' and booksellers' stands, author meetings, concerts and family activities. Most books are in Portuguese; readers of foreign languages will mostly find classics and guides. See the page on the Crystal Palace Gardens.
Getting there and when
For getting around, see Getting around Porto. Come late afternoon on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowds. August and September are hot: see Porto in August and Porto in September.
If you love books: the rest of the year
- Livraria Lello: Porto's most famous bookshop, with an entry ticket; see the page and how to book.
- Other bookshops: see Porto's bookshops.
Pitfalls to avoid
- The dates: do not book a flight for the 2027 fair before the city council's official announcement.
- Old information: some pages mention a spring edition; the 2026 edition ran from late August to early September.
Which option to choose?
- You are in Porto in late August: go, it is free.
- You want books without crowds: Livraria Lello on a weekday, with a booked entry ticket.
- A place to stay near the park: see where to stay in Porto.
La rédaction Porto Authority, 26/10/2026.
