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Shopping - in Portugal
P
ortugal shopping provides you with irresistible temptations. Small roadside stands along the Algarve coast offer a dazzling array of ceramics and the small antiques shops in cities like Lisbon, Porto and Évora are like mini museums. Although great bargains are rare the quality of the merchandise is very good.
VERY TYPICAL
These are products of excellent quality and exclusiveness made by the hands
of people with the artistic knowledge of true artisans. Each product tells a
story that will allow the customer to make a journey and through his imagination
visit real places and regions of Portugal with its customs and traditions.
So please visit our site to view and purchase in the safest way
and most comfortable way our exclusive products.
CERAMICA De BICESSE
If you wish to purchase tiles you may also obtain them from
Ceramica de Bicesse.
Visit their web site or e-mail
them.
Clara's Ceramics
If you wish to purchase tiles you may also obtain them from
Clara's Ceramics Visit their web site or
e-mail
them.
PORTUGUESE PRODUCTS
If you live outside of Portugal and
you do not have access to Portuguese products
ALCOFA with provide you with
this access. Visit us and see our variety of products as Olive Oil, Cod-Fish,
Sumol, Compal, Olives, Pickles, Cheese, Smoke Meat and more.
ART IN PORTUGAL
If you are interested in obtaining some Portuguese Art please
take a look at our exhibit Art in
Portugal.
Reproduction of the original "Chitas de Alcobaça at the
Aconchego Shop.
BOOKS ON PORTUGAL
If you would like to purchase some books to read
about Portugal, please visit our bookstore on line.
If the nature of your business requires translation services, you may contact Tel:
351-21-4862358 - Cascais, Portugal or for additional information
E-Mail Translation Services.
We are currently expanding this section. We will be building a directory of shops and services that we think you will enjoy visiting.
Shopping Directory
L
isbon is a logical choice for most things, although Porto is worth a visit for silver and its wines. Madeira is well known for its embroidery. Glazed tiles called Azulejos in Portuguese for the color blue are found throughout the country. Also tiles in many colors and designs can also be found. Hand-woven rugs, hand-knit sweaters and intricate embroidery can be found throughout the country.
P
ortuguese shops are generally open weekdays from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00; Saturdays from 9:30 to 13:00. Many shop owners speak English and most accept credit cards, but check before buying. Portugal also has modern Centros Comerciais (Shopping Centers) and hypermarkets (large department stores). These establishments may be open on Sundays and Holidays. I know, because I've been caught in the traffic jams near the Shopping Center outside of Estoril on Sunday evenings.
F
or an interesting experience you should visit the Lisbon's giant shopping mall, the Amoreiras at Av. Duarte Pacheco, 1 k due west of Pombal Circle. It is modern on the outside and inside, to me a typical mall, contains 300 stores, 55 restaurants, a supermarket, 10 movie theaters and a chapel. Visit Amoreiras Shopping
The Chiado section of Lisbon is another area that you should not miss. This area rising from a disastrous fire has been rebuilt into a very fashionable shopping area. From the Brasileira cafe on down to the Baixa you will find many very fashionable stores. The Chiado is returning to its former place as Lisbon's cultural center.
The famous old Armazéns do Chiado
department store has been reborn as an upmarket shopping center housing a
stylish 40 - room hotel and eleven restaurants. The Chiado lies between the 18th
century BAIXA and another of Lisbons oldest quarters the Bairro Alto. It is
served by the Metro System get off at the BAIXA/Chiado station.
The Colombo Center is the largest shopping center in the Iberian Peninsula. It was opened in 1997, and is where you will find everything that you need. A wide range of Portuguese and foreign brands and labels, the Play-center funfair, restaurants and cinemas make it a great attraction for the most cosmopolitan of visitors. You may reach the Colombo Center on the Metro. Take the Metro to the Colégio Militar/Luz underground station.
Visit Colombo Centre
The Vasco da Gama Center recently opened. This center is located in the
Parque da Nações and has a total of 164 shops, 123 satellite shops and 30 restaurants.
Big designer labels including the likes of Dunhill, Vuitton, Ayer, Boss, and
Zegna now have exclusive outlets among the smart store fronts along the Avenida
Liberdade. I can still see the look on the face of the clerk in the Hugo Boss
store, when I rejected buying a wallet because someone else's name was on
it.
D
on't be afraid to barter with the merchants, its all part of the buying process. My wife, who loves to barter, fits right in. In fact one frustrated merchant in Évora, stated to me that, she is a "Commercial".
Well I finally made it into Cascais Shopping Center. This is located on the road between Estoril and Sintra. It really was a wonderful mall. Lots of very fashionable stores and the biggest hypermarket that I have ever seen.
Some Portuguese Products
Antiques
P
ortugal is an excellent but pricey hunting ground for antiques. In Lisbon there is a collection of Antique stores along the Rua Dom Pedro V.
Ceramics and Tiles
W
ide arrays of Portuguese ceramics both traditional and modern are available. If you are in the Algarve, one of the largest shops of ceramics that I've seen, is located just outside Vila do Bispo on the highway to Lagos. You can't miss it. It is on the right side of the highway going toward Lagos.
There is also some wonderful artisan pottery available. These are traditional local patterns and are found in most part of Portugal. They make attractive and resilient cookware. Colorful figurines intricately formed and hand painted are also available.
Embroidery and Lace
P
rices are determined by the intricacy of the stitch not the size of the item. Lace and embroidery come from Madeira, crocheted items from the Azores and coarse embroidered linen from Viana do Castelo. Items made in Madeira must have the small lead tag that the Madeira Government attaches to all items made there. Buyers beware of the many street vendors who try to sell you packages of genuine Madeira lace.
Food and Wine
P
ortugal is famous for its wines. If you are in Porto, you must visit the wine lodges and bring a few bottles home.
Many other areas of Portugal are also noted for their fine wines. The rosés such as Mateus are an example of this from the Douro. The classic fruity reds of Bairrada and Dão are also gaining recognition, as are the high quality reds from the Alentejo and Ribatejo regions.
Portugal has an extraordinary diversity of wines. They represent a treasure trove of aromas and flavors; inherited from the Romans (who received it from the Greeks) and carefully nurtured throughout the centuries. In Portugal there are more than 40 denominated wine regions.
Wine Regions
H
owever if you are in the Setúbal area be sure to visit the house of José Maria da Fonseca and sample some of the wonderful wine products and tour the very beautiful garden. Moscatel de Setúbal has been mentioned as one of the best.
Crystal and China
P
ortugal is famous for its Atlantis brand crystal, which ranks in quality and design to Waterford and Baccarat. Also it is known for fine bone china. The china is available at several outlets of the Vista Alegre factory. Atlantis crystal is available at Cristalissimo in the Meridien Hotel.
Alegre Crystal
Handicrafts
T
he traditional articles available are lace, rugs, ceramics, copperware, wicker, pottery, hand-knitted clothing (I have a wonderful knit fisherman's sweater), ceramics and copper dishes, embroidered tablecloths and woodcarvings.
Jewelry
T
here are excellent jewelry bargains here. All Portuguese Gold by law must be 19.2 karats. Look for the earrings, necklaces, and bracelets made with the delicate silver threads. The Portuguese specialty is filigree work (fine goldsmith works).
Leather Goods
T
here are hundreds of stores selling leather jackets, hats, coats, gloves, pocketbooks, and wallets. You can tell the quality by the feel. They concentrate on leather accessories and shoes.
P
ortuguese styles are fashionable. The leather used in the shoes is soft and the shoes are very comfortable.
Rugs and Tapestries
R
ugs may be found all over the country. If you are after a rug go to Arraiolos, a small town, near Évora. The best and largest assortments of needlepoint tapestries are to be found in Madeira if you chose to go there. However, there are many stores in Lisbon where your desires many be satisfied. They are not cheap but the quality is excellent.
Sweaters
My favorites are the wonderful fisherman's sweaters, which I have two of.
The coffee mugs and the cooking pottery that we managed to pack and get safely home.
Antiques Sources
Flea Markets
L
isbon has a flea market. It is located in the Feira da Ladra and is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays. This area is on the Campo de Santa Clara near São Jorge Castle. Stalls are set out along the pavements and in the street. You name it and you can buy it here.
Vendors are both young and old. They include Gypsies, Africans, Pakistanis and Chinese. The talk is of anything and everything. It reminds foreigners of the Paris Flea Market and attracts all looking for second-hand bargains.
Auctions and Fairs
I
n the township of São Pedro de Sintra on the outskirts of Sintra, large draft fairs are held on the fourth Sunday of the month. Here you will be provided with examples of all the local artists. São Pedro de Sintra is located between the circle for Lisbon - Estoril (the
BP station) and the center of Sintra.
T
raffic can be brutal. One Sunday trying to avoid the crowd I took a back street. Got caught in a detour because of a fire, and probably did a great job on burning up the clutch of my VW on the hills that I was routed on.
Barcelos Market
If you're in the North check the schedule and try to catch this fair. I understand that it is one of the biggest in Portugal.
Let's go Traveling to Portugal .
Creation Date: 06 Jul 1997
Last update: 23 Apr 2005
Copyright © 1995-2005 Thomas J. Sullivan, MA
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