Vila Galé Book Club

Vila Galé opens free registration for a reading club with José Luís Peixoto.

On 19 October, Vila Galé opens free registration for its Reading Club. The first cycle begins on 13 November, at the Vila Galé Collection Palácio dos Arcos and online, with *O Caminho Imperfeito* by José Luís Peixoto. Places are limited.

Aimed at Portuguese-speaking readers from Portugal and Brazil, the club stems from the Vila Galé Library’s ‘40 years, 40 books’ initiative, which marks the group’s four decades with a selection of works in Portuguese published between 1986 and 2025. The books available in the hotels are now complemented by a guided reading programme, designed to bring readers closer together and extend their connection with literature beyond their stay.

“Vila Galé’s commitment to culture is also built through the books we choose and the opportunities we create for people to read them. The Vila Galé Library brings together works that showcase the diversity of Portuguese-language literature. Through the Reading Club, we continue this tradition, bringing readers closer to the books and to one another. We want our hotels to be places where books form part of the experience for our guests and where the Portuguese language is celebrated,” says Jorge Rebelo de Almeida.

The literary curation is provided by the Portugal-Brazil 200 Years Association (APBRA), under the coordination of José Manuel Diogo. Raquel Madeira helps to facilitate the meetings, which are dedicated to conversation and the sharing of different interpretations of the same work.

Open to readers from all over the world, the programme comprises four weekly 50-minute sessions. The inaugural session, on 13 November, will be held both in person and online. The subsequent sessions will take place exclusively online, on 20 and 27 November and 4 December.

Participants will receive weekly recommendations on which chapters to read before each session. The timings and links to access the sessions will be sent to those who have registered.

José Luís Peixoto has agreed to be the book club’s first guest writer. In O Caminho Imperfeito (The Imperfect Path), published in 2017, a journey through Thailand and Las Vegas intertwines with personal experience and reflections on writing. The book provides a starting point for discussing how literature transforms the way we view places.

The series concludes with a literary dinner on 11 December at the Vila Galé Collection Palácio dos Arcos. The event will bring together readers and a facilitator; José Luís Peixoto’s attendance is subject to final confirmation of his schedule.

The dinner costs 35 euros per person; it is optional, and booking and payment are separate from the free club membership. Those interested may indicate their intention on the form, without any guarantee of a place or commitment to pay. Booking details will be provided at a later date.

Registrations will be made via the form provided below.