What do you think?
Rate this book
Walking Europe's Edge: Reflections on Portugal
Portugal is both a celebrated and an unknown land. Millions come to enjoy its beaches and the fashionable coastal cities of Lisbon and Porto. In this sense it looms large in the minds of many. But its out-of-the-way places, its turbulent history and contemporary challenges are little-known outside of the country's boundaries.
From autumn 2018 to spring 2019, British journalist Stephen Powell travelled the length of Portugal, following a zigzag path of nearly 1,500 kilometres on foot. Away from the mass tourism, he wanted to form his own unhurried impressions of this very distinctive country.
He discovered a very mixed reality. The dark side was the blight of rural exodus that is emptying so many villages. But he also found a profoundly generous, warm-hearted people with time to converse - a gift that is not found everywhere.
"Stephen Powell's beautifully written account of his life-changing walk through Portugal enriches the reader with his insights and impressions of the country's history, culture, scenery and spirit. For me, the book was a fascinating journey of discovery through Portugal's lesser-known provinces, further enhanced with exquisite illustrations by two of his daughters, Megan and Rachel. Simply wonderful."
Valerie Poore, memoir author
From autumn 2018 to spring 2019, British journalist Stephen Powell travelled the length of Portugal, following a zigzag path of nearly 1,500 kilometres on foot. Away from the mass tourism, he wanted to form his own unhurried impressions of this very distinctive country.
He discovered a very mixed reality. The dark side was the blight of rural exodus that is emptying so many villages. But he also found a profoundly generous, warm-hearted people with time to converse - a gift that is not found everywhere.
"Stephen Powell's beautifully written account of his life-changing walk through Portugal enriches the reader with his insights and impressions of the country's history, culture, scenery and spirit. For me, the book was a fascinating journey of discovery through Portugal's lesser-known provinces, further enhanced with exquisite illustrations by two of his daughters, Megan and Rachel. Simply wonderful."
Valerie Poore, memoir author
- GenresPortugal
186 pages, Paperback
Published September 23, 2021
12 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Powell
3 books7 followersStephen Powell was born in Wales in 1950. He is a journalist who worked as a staff correspondent for Reuters for 27 years. He has lived and worked on every continent except for Antarctica and brings to his craft a deeply ingrained global perspective.
His reporting has included war and coups in Africa and Brazil’s transition from military rule to democracy. He loves the open road and from autumn 2018 to spring 2019 he walked the length of Portugal, following a zigzag path of nearly 1500 kilometres.
He now lives in Portugal.
His reporting has included war and coups in Africa and Brazil’s transition from military rule to democracy. He loves the open road and from autumn 2018 to spring 2019 he walked the length of Portugal, following a zigzag path of nearly 1500 kilometres.
He now lives in Portugal.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 29, 2023
I found it he was more of a historian than a travel writer, but at least there were a couple of stories that made this book worthwhile.
1 day he was walking in the rain, fully clothed in rain gear but without a hat. A woman ran up to him and handed him her umbrella. Then a car pulled up to him and he was handed a hat. This says a lot about the Portuguese.
The other story. There are a lot of storks in Portugal, and they seem to be unemployed because he never mentioned any carrying a baby. I have never seen a Picture of a stork without it's carrying a baby. What's happening here? He mentioned it strange sound and tried to explain it, but it didn't make sense. I asked Alexa and she said they sounded like a braying donkey. I win online and found a YouTube Video. They do notSound like a donkey, they sound like a woodpecker on steroids. It was not a pleasant song or sound.
1 day he was walking in the rain, fully clothed in rain gear but without a hat. A woman ran up to him and handed him her umbrella. Then a car pulled up to him and he was handed a hat. This says a lot about the Portuguese.
The other story. There are a lot of storks in Portugal, and they seem to be unemployed because he never mentioned any carrying a baby. I have never seen a Picture of a stork without it's carrying a baby. What's happening here? He mentioned it strange sound and tried to explain it, but it didn't make sense. I asked Alexa and she said they sounded like a braying donkey. I win online and found a YouTube Video. They do notSound like a donkey, they sound like a woodpecker on steroids. It was not a pleasant song or sound.
May 8, 2023
The author walks across Portugal from north to south, but through the interior and not along the coast. The book also includes chapters on Portuguese history, culture, and the country’s relationship with Spain and Britain. Portugal is the UK’s oldest ally.
The only part of Portugal I have so far visited is Lisbon - a charming city with wonderful architecture. But it's now a city which is experiencing too much attention and is often overrun with tourists.
In contrast, the picture the author paints of the country away from its tourist magnets is of a land in terminal decline. Towns and villages face rapidly falling populations. The young have all left to work in Lisbon or Porto or gone elsewhere in Europe. Once beautiful buildings are in disrepair and falling down.
The people he meets are friendly and welcoming but generally downbeat, which resonates with my memory of the Lisboetas.
A worthwhile read if like me you have an interest in the country and its culture.
It was over too soon and I wish it had been longer .
The only part of Portugal I have so far visited is Lisbon - a charming city with wonderful architecture. But it's now a city which is experiencing too much attention and is often overrun with tourists.
In contrast, the picture the author paints of the country away from its tourist magnets is of a land in terminal decline. Towns and villages face rapidly falling populations. The young have all left to work in Lisbon or Porto or gone elsewhere in Europe. Once beautiful buildings are in disrepair and falling down.
The people he meets are friendly and welcoming but generally downbeat, which resonates with my memory of the Lisboetas.
A worthwhile read if like me you have an interest in the country and its culture.
It was over too soon and I wish it had been longer .
September 29, 2021
Walking Europe’s Edge is Stephen Powell’s new and absorbing travel memoir about a marathon 1500 kilometre walk he made through Portugal. As it says in the blurb, “Away from the mass tourism, he wanted to form his own unhurried impressions of this very distinctive country.”
I was fortunate enough to be given the pre-publication draft and found it a captivating read. Writing from his long experience as a journalist for Reuters (27 years, I believe), he enriches the reader with his insights and impressions of the country’s history, culture, scenery and spirit. For me, the book was a fascinating journey of discovery through Portugal’s lesser-known provinces. I learnt about cities I’d never heard of; I found that Porto only became an attractive destination at the beginning of the millenium; and I read about the background, arts, literature and economy of the many unknown, but iconic Portuguese towns he stayed at on route.
In doing so, Stephen Powell outlines the country’s phenomenal empire history, shows us where its poets lived and loved and talks to scholars, estate agents and even bar owners in his quest to feel the pulse of Portugal. On his journey, he lodged with local people, slept under the stars and walked through areas so remote he wondered if he would find his way out. To me, it seems hardly possible to experience such isolation in such a small country, but from his evocative descriptions, I gained a sense of its beauty and its alluring magic too.
Throughout his walk, the author became deeply attached to Portugal, but reader beware: this is not a rosy-hued account. There are no rose-tinted glasses here and Stephen Powell does not flinch from discussing the real state of modern-day Portugal as revealed by the Portuguese experts he spoke to.
I loved his first book, The First Toast is to peace, and can recommend Walking Europe’s Edge just as highly. And by the way, there are lovely illustrations as well provided by two of his daughters.
I was fortunate enough to be given the pre-publication draft and found it a captivating read. Writing from his long experience as a journalist for Reuters (27 years, I believe), he enriches the reader with his insights and impressions of the country’s history, culture, scenery and spirit. For me, the book was a fascinating journey of discovery through Portugal’s lesser-known provinces. I learnt about cities I’d never heard of; I found that Porto only became an attractive destination at the beginning of the millenium; and I read about the background, arts, literature and economy of the many unknown, but iconic Portuguese towns he stayed at on route.
In doing so, Stephen Powell outlines the country’s phenomenal empire history, shows us where its poets lived and loved and talks to scholars, estate agents and even bar owners in his quest to feel the pulse of Portugal. On his journey, he lodged with local people, slept under the stars and walked through areas so remote he wondered if he would find his way out. To me, it seems hardly possible to experience such isolation in such a small country, but from his evocative descriptions, I gained a sense of its beauty and its alluring magic too.
Throughout his walk, the author became deeply attached to Portugal, but reader beware: this is not a rosy-hued account. There are no rose-tinted glasses here and Stephen Powell does not flinch from discussing the real state of modern-day Portugal as revealed by the Portuguese experts he spoke to.
I loved his first book, The First Toast is to peace, and can recommend Walking Europe’s Edge just as highly. And by the way, there are lovely illustrations as well provided by two of his daughters.
November 4, 2021
Who would you like to accompany you on a (very) long walk? Somebody curious, knowledgeable and amiable. Stephen Powell fits that bill. In Walking Europe's Edge: Reflections on Portugal, he deftly melds his descriptions of the towns and villages he passes through with vivid potted histories of the country's maritime empire and its relations with England. As a former foreign correspondent with Reuters (as I was), Stephen complements his own impressions on Portuguese society with the views of local experts. This is a approach that works well, yielding (for example) an acute insight into the depopulation of the countryside that is a recurring theme of the book: "We are a rural country, but not an agricultural one," a professor tells him.
Stephen's fondness for Portugal and its people is evident. But he is not blind to the country's blemishes. Much of the Alentejo city of Beja is not charming or attractive, as the guidebooks would have you believe; it is poor and decrepit. In the countryside, beauty and decay live side by side with many villages "holding on by their fingernails". The laid-back approach to life that makes Portugal so alluring to foreign visitors is a vice as well as a virtue, he writes.
Walking Europe's Edge can't be classified as a tourist guide or as a history, nor as a meditation on long-distance walking or as a dissection of the struggles of rural Portugal. It's all of the above. Written with warmth and generosity, I took Stephen's vademecum with me on a week's exploration of my own through Portugal recently. I'm glad I did.
Stephen's fondness for Portugal and its people is evident. But he is not blind to the country's blemishes. Much of the Alentejo city of Beja is not charming or attractive, as the guidebooks would have you believe; it is poor and decrepit. In the countryside, beauty and decay live side by side with many villages "holding on by their fingernails". The laid-back approach to life that makes Portugal so alluring to foreign visitors is a vice as well as a virtue, he writes.
Walking Europe's Edge can't be classified as a tourist guide or as a history, nor as a meditation on long-distance walking or as a dissection of the struggles of rural Portugal. It's all of the above. Written with warmth and generosity, I took Stephen's vademecum with me on a week's exploration of my own through Portugal recently. I'm glad I did.
December 1, 2021
Stephen Powell's exploration of Portugal in this entertaining and informative work owes much to the means of transport that he chooses – his feet. Powell the walker senses the spirit of Portugal and its people in a way that a traveller by road or rail, viewing the country through a window rather than treading its earth, might struggle to match.
His trek takes us to some places we may already know – Porto, Lisbon, the Algarve – but also Portugal’s “interior” where many towns and villages are dying as the young move to the cities or abroad.
While undoubtedly captivated by the country, Powell does not shy away from its problems. The disparity between the emptying inland communities and the more prosperous coastal regions is striking. Success brings its own difficulties as Porto struggles with tourists and second home owners. Even in the apparently idyllic Algarve all is not well. There communities face water shortages while farms siphon off staggering amounts to satisfy our appetite for avocados. The Algarve’s very character is under threat from its huge population of incomers: Powell describes the region as a linguistic “Portuguese-English condominium”.
Powell also takes us through Portugal’s history and a reluctance – as in other European countries that have lost their empires – to confront darker deeds. Up to the late 19th century Portuguese ships carried 5.8 million slaves across the Atlantic, eclipsing even the British. A Father Fernando Oliveira denounced the trade as early as 1555, and yet Lisbon has no slavery museum to this day (though the southern city of Lagos does).
One matter remains understated in Powell’s book – his achievement in walking from the northeastern to the southwestern extremities of Portugal by a zigzag route. He covered no less than 1,470 km. Much was no doubt a joy to walk, but he also traipsed beside busy roads in the rain, fought along overgrown paths, and got turned away from a church hostel for weary pilgrims.
Nevertheless this is a comprehensive work for a book of less than 200 pages. It takes the reader on a journey through an enchanting land of hospitable people to the very edge of Europe - and all without inflicting a single blister.
His trek takes us to some places we may already know – Porto, Lisbon, the Algarve – but also Portugal’s “interior” where many towns and villages are dying as the young move to the cities or abroad.
While undoubtedly captivated by the country, Powell does not shy away from its problems. The disparity between the emptying inland communities and the more prosperous coastal regions is striking. Success brings its own difficulties as Porto struggles with tourists and second home owners. Even in the apparently idyllic Algarve all is not well. There communities face water shortages while farms siphon off staggering amounts to satisfy our appetite for avocados. The Algarve’s very character is under threat from its huge population of incomers: Powell describes the region as a linguistic “Portuguese-English condominium”.
Powell also takes us through Portugal’s history and a reluctance – as in other European countries that have lost their empires – to confront darker deeds. Up to the late 19th century Portuguese ships carried 5.8 million slaves across the Atlantic, eclipsing even the British. A Father Fernando Oliveira denounced the trade as early as 1555, and yet Lisbon has no slavery museum to this day (though the southern city of Lagos does).
One matter remains understated in Powell’s book – his achievement in walking from the northeastern to the southwestern extremities of Portugal by a zigzag route. He covered no less than 1,470 km. Much was no doubt a joy to walk, but he also traipsed beside busy roads in the rain, fought along overgrown paths, and got turned away from a church hostel for weary pilgrims.
Nevertheless this is a comprehensive work for a book of less than 200 pages. It takes the reader on a journey through an enchanting land of hospitable people to the very edge of Europe - and all without inflicting a single blister.
January 23, 2024
Book Review: Reflections on Portugal, Walking Europe's Edge by Stephen Powell.
This is a very different kind of travel book about Portugal. Former Reuters journalist Stephen Powell takes the reader on a enriching journey through lesser known agricultural parts of Portugal, as well as cities such as Coimbra, Porto and Lisbon, (just to mention but a few destinations,) on his travels from Santiago de Compostela to Sagres.
Throughout, there is a great sense of Stephen Powell's love of the unspoilt Portugal, the country he has now happily settled in. He mentions anecdotes of all the interesting people he has met along the way on his adventures. Along with discussions on Portugal's future, its countryside, connection to the UK, the historical aspects of Portugal and its relationship with its neighbour Spain.
If you’d like to delve into the real Portugal, leaving the rose tinted glasses for tourism guides, this is for you!
I will be referring to this lovely book from time to time, hoping to visit some of the places Stephen mentioned that I haven't been to yet. And I also particularly enjoyed the literary chapters about Fernando Pessoa, poet, and Águas de Moura, home to the Whistler Tree, sounds like one to go on my bucket list!
Furthermore, his daughters have added some beautiful illustrations of:
A map from Santiago de Compestala to Sagres, Porto storytelling guide in full flow, A wine-tasting room with a view, some poignant artwork in Parada de Gonta, storks, the Belem tower, Roman Evora. Mértola, (one of his favourite towns,) and Cape St. Vincent, on the final day of the walk.)
This is a very different kind of travel book about Portugal. Former Reuters journalist Stephen Powell takes the reader on a enriching journey through lesser known agricultural parts of Portugal, as well as cities such as Coimbra, Porto and Lisbon, (just to mention but a few destinations,) on his travels from Santiago de Compostela to Sagres.
Throughout, there is a great sense of Stephen Powell's love of the unspoilt Portugal, the country he has now happily settled in. He mentions anecdotes of all the interesting people he has met along the way on his adventures. Along with discussions on Portugal's future, its countryside, connection to the UK, the historical aspects of Portugal and its relationship with its neighbour Spain.
If you’d like to delve into the real Portugal, leaving the rose tinted glasses for tourism guides, this is for you!
I will be referring to this lovely book from time to time, hoping to visit some of the places Stephen mentioned that I haven't been to yet. And I also particularly enjoyed the literary chapters about Fernando Pessoa, poet, and Águas de Moura, home to the Whistler Tree, sounds like one to go on my bucket list!
Furthermore, his daughters have added some beautiful illustrations of:
A map from Santiago de Compestala to Sagres, Porto storytelling guide in full flow, A wine-tasting room with a view, some poignant artwork in Parada de Gonta, storks, the Belem tower, Roman Evora. Mértola, (one of his favourite towns,) and Cape St. Vincent, on the final day of the walk.)
July 31, 2025
If you enjoyed Tim Chesshyre’s books Slow trains around Spain and From Source to Sea you will definitely love this cross between the two book about walking the length of Portugal. And if you haven’t read them and enjoyed this - two recommendations for you!
A very engaging set of vignettes as we are taken through Portugal with history, geography, anthropology and culture all featured with a good dose of humour. A great light read
A very engaging set of vignettes as we are taken through Portugal with history, geography, anthropology and culture all featured with a good dose of humour. A great light read
October 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this short book on Portugal. My family is Portuguese although I was born in London and have lived in Wales for 33 years.
I particularly enjoyed the little stories and asides that crop up regularly in Stephen’s memoire. My father used to say that he was “fixe”. I did not realise that this word was derived from British plaudits of local fish in Porto.
I have been saddened when visiting the towns and villages away from the coast of the number of empty buildings that are falling in disrepair. This is a regular feature of the book.
The chapter on the Portuguese empire gives us a balanced view of exploration and it’s consequences.
The book highlights the food, wine and above all the genuine kindness of the Portuguese people. The only omission for me was the lack of comment on Portugal’s passion for football.
One line made me chuckle. After a hard day walking, Stephen’s mood was lifted by hearing that Wales had beaten England in the rugby.
There are many similarities between Portugal and Wales. Both dominated by larger neighbours but both preserving that traditions,culture and language. Proud and welcoming. A cwtch and an abraço. Saudade.
I particularly enjoyed the little stories and asides that crop up regularly in Stephen’s memoire. My father used to say that he was “fixe”. I did not realise that this word was derived from British plaudits of local fish in Porto.
I have been saddened when visiting the towns and villages away from the coast of the number of empty buildings that are falling in disrepair. This is a regular feature of the book.
The chapter on the Portuguese empire gives us a balanced view of exploration and it’s consequences.
The book highlights the food, wine and above all the genuine kindness of the Portuguese people. The only omission for me was the lack of comment on Portugal’s passion for football.
One line made me chuckle. After a hard day walking, Stephen’s mood was lifted by hearing that Wales had beaten England in the rugby.
There are many similarities between Portugal and Wales. Both dominated by larger neighbours but both preserving that traditions,culture and language. Proud and welcoming. A cwtch and an abraço. Saudade.
December 23, 2021
What a wonderful, enlightening walk this is. Stephen Powell takes us on a heart-warming trek through the urban and rural landscape of modern Portugal that entertains and educates in equal measure. As a former Brazil correspondent myself, I was eager to deepen my understanding of the "mother country" and better appreciate the roots of the food, language and culture I experienced.in South America. "Walking Europe's Edge" didn't disappoint.
September 9, 2024
Wonderful travel essay on Portugal by Welsh author Stephen Powell, a 27-year veteran foreign correspondent for Reuters who worked all over the world. This is his second book, about him walking the length of Portugal in late 2018 and early 2019, a 1470 km journey from northeast to the southwest. Powell gives the reader a feel of the cities and especially the people and land of the countryside and small towns of Portugal, along the way discussing various historical and cultural topics relating to various spots in Portugal as well as larger nationwide issues.
Lots of things are discussed in the book, among them the history and culture of cities other than Lisbon (such as Porto, Coimbra, Evora, and Faro though Lisbon is also discussed), Portuguese expats abroad (talking about how Paris is in essence the third biggest Portuguese city), the famed terraced vineyards along Douro River in northern Portugal, the legacy of Portugal’s empire (impressive given Portugal’s very small size but built on the backs of African slaves, a legacy that Portugal still is largely silent on), a review of several famous Portuguese authors or those who wrote on Portugal (Nobel prize winning author José Saramago, arguably the most famous Portuguese poet ever Fernando Pessoa, and Italian author Antonio Tabucchi), the history of the Portuguese language (one of the major languages of the world), the long “unequal” and at times rocky alliance with the UK going back to the 14th century, the 1755 earthquake/tsunami/fire in Lisbon, the cork forests and cork industry in Portugal, Moorish Portugal, the Inquisition in Portugal, views on a modern political union with Spain, the man-made drought in Portugal’s southernmost region, the Algarve, thanks to golf courses and avocado orchards, Prince Henry the Navigator (who the author spent time demythologizing), and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (fought off the southern Portuguese coast in 1797, part of the French Revolutionary Wars).
Powell for the vast majority of the book stuck to inland, rural routes and his discussion of the plight of rural, inland Portugal is the unifying theme of his work. He talked about how the roughly 10 million people in Portugal, 9 million live along the coast. The inland, rural villages are dying a slow death, births nowhere near keeping up with emigration and deaths. The people who live in rural areas are “few and old” and in many places kids are only seen in the summer months. Foreign workers (or no workers at all) are keeping agriculture alive and one of Portugal’s strengths, its laid-back attitude, is also a weakness as little is being done to combat this. There are some positives as these places have been attractive to foreign retirees and wildlife is returning (noting wolves, the Iberian lynx, and the author’s beloved storks), but jobs and services including schools are few and far between and many buildings have become derelict.
The afterword compared and contrasted the 2020 and early 2021 responses to Covid-19 in Spain and in Portugal and relate the author’s personal experiences with the lockdown in Portugal, as by that time he had come to live in the country.
Lots of things are discussed in the book, among them the history and culture of cities other than Lisbon (such as Porto, Coimbra, Evora, and Faro though Lisbon is also discussed), Portuguese expats abroad (talking about how Paris is in essence the third biggest Portuguese city), the famed terraced vineyards along Douro River in northern Portugal, the legacy of Portugal’s empire (impressive given Portugal’s very small size but built on the backs of African slaves, a legacy that Portugal still is largely silent on), a review of several famous Portuguese authors or those who wrote on Portugal (Nobel prize winning author José Saramago, arguably the most famous Portuguese poet ever Fernando Pessoa, and Italian author Antonio Tabucchi), the history of the Portuguese language (one of the major languages of the world), the long “unequal” and at times rocky alliance with the UK going back to the 14th century, the 1755 earthquake/tsunami/fire in Lisbon, the cork forests and cork industry in Portugal, Moorish Portugal, the Inquisition in Portugal, views on a modern political union with Spain, the man-made drought in Portugal’s southernmost region, the Algarve, thanks to golf courses and avocado orchards, Prince Henry the Navigator (who the author spent time demythologizing), and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (fought off the southern Portuguese coast in 1797, part of the French Revolutionary Wars).
Powell for the vast majority of the book stuck to inland, rural routes and his discussion of the plight of rural, inland Portugal is the unifying theme of his work. He talked about how the roughly 10 million people in Portugal, 9 million live along the coast. The inland, rural villages are dying a slow death, births nowhere near keeping up with emigration and deaths. The people who live in rural areas are “few and old” and in many places kids are only seen in the summer months. Foreign workers (or no workers at all) are keeping agriculture alive and one of Portugal’s strengths, its laid-back attitude, is also a weakness as little is being done to combat this. There are some positives as these places have been attractive to foreign retirees and wildlife is returning (noting wolves, the Iberian lynx, and the author’s beloved storks), but jobs and services including schools are few and far between and many buildings have become derelict.
The afterword compared and contrasted the 2020 and early 2021 responses to Covid-19 in Spain and in Portugal and relate the author’s personal experiences with the lockdown in Portugal, as by that time he had come to live in the country.
December 8, 2021
Encounter the real Portugal with this captivating book.
This is a fascinating and beautifully written tribute to both the people and places of Portugal. From autumn 2018 to spring 2019, British journalist Stephen Powell travelled the length of Portugal, following a zigzag path of nearly 1,500 kilometres on foot. On his travels, he explored the rural
Landscape alongside the bustling cities, wanting to find the ‘real’ Portugal hidden underneath the tourist posters. He travelled through small rural towns that were almost extinct, save for a few old stalwart farming families, and spent time talking to the local people.
A former Reuters journalist, who lived for several years in Brazil, Stephen had the advantage of speaking Portuguese, and his natural curiosity for finding out more about the people and their lives ensured that this would be a captivating and interesting book. He also intersperses his stories with well-researched and relevant sections covering the history and development of Portugal and its people, alongside traditions and customs.
But what really stands out through the book are the Portuguese people that he met. Wherever he went, he talked to ordinary folks willing to tell their story to him, and those stories really brought this book to life. This is a fascinating and enthralling snapshot of the real Portugal - highly recommended.
This is a fascinating and beautifully written tribute to both the people and places of Portugal. From autumn 2018 to spring 2019, British journalist Stephen Powell travelled the length of Portugal, following a zigzag path of nearly 1,500 kilometres on foot. On his travels, he explored the rural
Landscape alongside the bustling cities, wanting to find the ‘real’ Portugal hidden underneath the tourist posters. He travelled through small rural towns that were almost extinct, save for a few old stalwart farming families, and spent time talking to the local people.
A former Reuters journalist, who lived for several years in Brazil, Stephen had the advantage of speaking Portuguese, and his natural curiosity for finding out more about the people and their lives ensured that this would be a captivating and interesting book. He also intersperses his stories with well-researched and relevant sections covering the history and development of Portugal and its people, alongside traditions and customs.
But what really stands out through the book are the Portuguese people that he met. Wherever he went, he talked to ordinary folks willing to tell their story to him, and those stories really brought this book to life. This is a fascinating and enthralling snapshot of the real Portugal - highly recommended.
February 25, 2022
Livre captivant et instructif !
J’ai aimé marcher au rythme de l’auteur, parcourir ces kilometres à pied, du nord au sud d’un Portugal rural trop peu connu.
J’ai aimé prendre le temps d’écouter les personnes rencontrées, de faire des incursions dans l’Histoire du pays, de se questionner sur l’avenir…
J’ai aimé l’écriture et la vision de Stephen, journaliste britannique, citoyen du monde et polyglotte.
Merci !
Captivating and informative book!
I enjoyed walking at the author's pace, covering these kilometers on foot, from north to south of a little-known rural Portugal.
I liked taking the time to listen to the people he met, to make incursions into the History of the country, to wonder about the future...
I liked the writing and the vision of Stephen, British journalist, citizen of the world and polyglot.
Thank you !
J’ai aimé marcher au rythme de l’auteur, parcourir ces kilometres à pied, du nord au sud d’un Portugal rural trop peu connu.
J’ai aimé prendre le temps d’écouter les personnes rencontrées, de faire des incursions dans l’Histoire du pays, de se questionner sur l’avenir…
J’ai aimé l’écriture et la vision de Stephen, journaliste britannique, citoyen du monde et polyglotte.
Merci !
Captivating and informative book!
I enjoyed walking at the author's pace, covering these kilometers on foot, from north to south of a little-known rural Portugal.
I liked taking the time to listen to the people he met, to make incursions into the History of the country, to wonder about the future...
I liked the writing and the vision of Stephen, British journalist, citizen of the world and polyglot.
Thank you !
March 30, 2022
There are many ways of looking at a country but surely the best must be to walk it north to south. Steve Powell did just that, and tells the story of a Portugal that is emptying out from the inside, its people leaving mountain villages to go work as concierges in Paris and only the old people staying, while the coastal areas attract tourism and investment. Slowly, as he walks south, he describes the Portuguese landscapes and its kind people, and weaves in a few chapters about Portugal’s history. Highly recommend for anyone going on a trip to Portugal, and for anyone who likes a good read. Just like with his book about walking in the Caucasus, Powell manages to convey a sense of place and time, and lets the reader travel without having to travel.
September 17, 2023
I met Stephen Powell through a t'ai chi group here in the Algarve and was fascinated to discover that he'd written this book. I knew that we shared a love of walking but I've never attempted a long distance walk and was very impressed that he had. I've done a fair bit of travelling throughout Portugal and it was great to revisit places through Stephen's eyes. His attention to the complicated history of this country didn't surprise me but I learnt from it, and it was wonderful to find him falling in love with Portugal in the way that I have done myself. I could highly recommend the book for anyone thinking of moving here, or even of just visiting.
April 7, 2022
Such an important book to read before a trip to Portugal. It feels a bit like a Bill Bryson book which combines history and observations. When I travelled to Australia after having read “In a Sunburnt Country” I felt I had enough information to start conversations. Same with Powell’s book (without the humor). He proves there’s no better way to learn and love a country than by traveling it by foot, knowing the language and being unafraid to start conversations
January 6, 2022
This is an interesting account of the author's trek from north to south of Portugal. He has a good writing style which gives clear pictures of the countryside, towns and people he passes on the way. It is also a very good way to learn the history of Portugal as he places it within the context of the localities
October 2, 2023
On returning from a ten day stay in the Eastern Algarve reading Stephen Powell's book extended my enjoyment of Portugal and made me eager to return. The book covers historical aspects of the country in a very digestible form. The descriptions of the landscape, characters and wildlife encountered on the long walk across the country were all very entertaining.
May 13, 2022
Really charming, with some nice local color.
Although my upcoming trip will focus on Lisbon, the broader view of the country has taught me a lot and got me excited.
Although my upcoming trip will focus on Lisbon, the broader view of the country has taught me a lot and got me excited.
September 11, 2023
In "Walking Europe's Edge: Reflections on Portugal" by Stephen Powell, readers are treated to a superbly crafted exploration of Portugal that seamlessly blends history, personal narratives, and travel insights.
Powell's storytelling prowess shines as he takes readers on a journey through Portugal's past and present. The book's engaging prose and vivid imagery breathe life into the country, making it an immersive reading experience.
What sets this book apart is its perfect balance between historical insights and contemporary observations. Powell's deep connection with Portugal is palpable, adding a personal touch that makes the book feel like an intimate conversation with a close friend.
Furthermore, "Walking Europe's Edge" doubles as an excellent travel guide, making it indispensable for those planning a trip or dreaming of one. Powell's recommendations and insights provide valuable guidance for exploring Portugal.
In summary, "Walking Europe's Edge" is a captivating tribute to Portugal, combining storytelling, history, and personal perspectives. Stephen Powell's exceptional writing makes it a must-read for anyone interested in the country, whether as a travel companion or an armchair explorer.
Powell's storytelling prowess shines as he takes readers on a journey through Portugal's past and present. The book's engaging prose and vivid imagery breathe life into the country, making it an immersive reading experience.
What sets this book apart is its perfect balance between historical insights and contemporary observations. Powell's deep connection with Portugal is palpable, adding a personal touch that makes the book feel like an intimate conversation with a close friend.
Furthermore, "Walking Europe's Edge" doubles as an excellent travel guide, making it indispensable for those planning a trip or dreaming of one. Powell's recommendations and insights provide valuable guidance for exploring Portugal.
In summary, "Walking Europe's Edge" is a captivating tribute to Portugal, combining storytelling, history, and personal perspectives. Stephen Powell's exceptional writing makes it a must-read for anyone interested in the country, whether as a travel companion or an armchair explorer.
October 8, 2024
Hm, i dunno. It felt a bit sort of vague and directionless, like it needed some sort of thread to tie it together.
February 25, 2025
An honest reflection on Portugal, its weighty history, its current challenges, and the grit and warmth of its people.
May 3, 2025
This would be a dream walk for me! Part travel writing anecdotes, part history lesson. All my wanderlust dreams come true. 4/5
October 20, 2025
A beautiful story about the Portuguese
December 17, 2022
After working for Reuters as a journalist for 27 years, Stephen Powell set out on a voyage of discovery. Without a deadline to meet, he walked 1500 kilometres over six months along the paths less travelled in rural Portugal. What he uncovered became life-changing.
I had only ever been to Madeira, the island which Portugal seized back in the fifteenth century before I read Walking Europe’s Edge and all I knew was that ambitious empire builders previously ruled it. Now I understand so much more about the culture, history and way of life thanks to this fascinating insight into Portugal’s past and present.
Despite the economic realities of modern-day rural Portugal, which has seen an exodus of young people forced to leave the countryside to find work in the cities, the tone of this book is upbeat. He even finds one enterprising young couple intent on reversing the trend.
What I enjoyed most was the way he arrived at most of the towns and villages along his way, without pre-booking a bed for the night. Even when this trust that everything would turn out right, in the end, failed him and he was forced to camp out in the wilderness, this didn’t seem to dampen his resolve.
I recommend this book for armchair travellers, holiday-makers and, of course, anyone planning to move to Portugal.
I received a free copy.
I had only ever been to Madeira, the island which Portugal seized back in the fifteenth century before I read Walking Europe’s Edge and all I knew was that ambitious empire builders previously ruled it. Now I understand so much more about the culture, history and way of life thanks to this fascinating insight into Portugal’s past and present.
Despite the economic realities of modern-day rural Portugal, which has seen an exodus of young people forced to leave the countryside to find work in the cities, the tone of this book is upbeat. He even finds one enterprising young couple intent on reversing the trend.
What I enjoyed most was the way he arrived at most of the towns and villages along his way, without pre-booking a bed for the night. Even when this trust that everything would turn out right, in the end, failed him and he was forced to camp out in the wilderness, this didn’t seem to dampen his resolve.
I recommend this book for armchair travellers, holiday-makers and, of course, anyone planning to move to Portugal.
I received a free copy.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews