Literature

Florbela Espanca Municipal Library (Biblioteca Municipal Florbela Espanca)

The current building of Florbela Espanca Municipal Library was inaugurated in 2005, designed by architect Alcino Coutinho. One of its main aesthetic features is its visual suspension effect. With 90,000 documents available to the public, the library’s collection covers all fields of knowledge, from classical literature to the latest publications, including sciences and children’s books. The Florbela Espanca Municipal Library (BMFE) is part of the National Network of Public Libraries and serves as the main hub for the municipal network, which also includes the São Mamede de Infesta Annex Library (Biblioteca Anexa de S. Mamede de Infesta – BASMI) and the Itinerant Library (Biblioteca Itinerante), bringing books and reading to different corners of the municipality.

LeV – Literature on the Move (Literatura em Viagem)

The LeV – Literature on the Move festival takes place at the Florbela Espanca Municipal Library, gathering renowned national and international literary figures for several days of discussions, conferences, concerts, and exhibitions.

Matosinhos Writers’ Meeting (Encontro de Escritores Matosinhenses)

Part of the Senhor de Matosinhos celebrations, the Matosinhos Writers’ Meeting recognises and celebrates the region’s roots and deep connection to the sea, both glorious and tragic.

Hail the Language of Camões (Salvé a Língua de Camões)

One of the many projects developed by Matosinhos City Council, Hail the Portuguese Language (Salvé a Língua Portuguesa), aims to promote the Portuguese language, particularly in theatre scripts and dramatic literature.

Municipal Book Fair (Feira do Livro Municipal)

The Municipal Book Fair takes place in three venues across the municipality: the Santiago Estate Museum (Museu da Quinta de Santiago) in Leça da Palmeira, the Matosinhos Memory Museum (MuMMa – Museu da Memória de Matosinhos), and the Municipal Gallery (Galeria Municipal). Visitors can explore a wide variety of books published, co-published, or acquired by Matosinhos City Council in the fields of literature, fine arts, and heritage, all aiming to promote and highlight the region’s historical and cultural richness.

Poetry Festival (Festa da Poesia)

Held on 8 December, commemorating both the birth and death of poet Florbela Espanca, the Poetry Festival is an annual free event created to honour Portuguese poetry and spark literary interest among the public.