10 Best Places to Go Shopping in the Algarve

Mercado de Loulé is a municipal market in the centre of Loulé. It’s the biggest covered market in southern Portugal. Established in 1908, the market serves as one of the town's landmarks, particularly for its architecture that blends Moorish and Art Nouveau styles. You can expect to find here a variety of stalls selling a wide range of local produce.

You can find gourmet and regional products as well as fresh meat, seafood, and spices. Mercado de Loulé is also a great place to try local Portuguese sweets and wines. Handicrafts, textiles, and pottery on display add to the colourful scene. On Saturdays, you can extend your visit to adjacent shopping streets and cobbled alleys, which host a farmers’ market and a gipsy market.

MAR Shopping Algarve is a large shopping and leisure complex in Almancil. It hosts around 85 stores and a food court with 25 eateries serving Algarve and international cuisine. It also hosts a laser-screen cinema, an IKEA store, and the biggest Primark in Portugal.

If you have kids in tow, they can spend fun hours in a supervised indoor play area or a children’s playground outside. The open-air space of the shopping complex has water features and mini-golf courses. It also holds regular events, including outdoor concerts. MAR Shopping Algarve is pet-friendly – you can leave your dogs at Woof Land and enjoy your shopping.

Algarve Shopping is a mall in Guia, close to Albufeira, that features more than 127 stores. Among its most notable brands are Zara, Fnac, Calzedonia, H&M, and C&A, as well as a large Continente hypermarket. Opened in 2011, the shopping centre has hints of Portuguese architecture with its white, blue, and red facade. Other shopping giants nearby include Leroy Merlin, a Nike Factory Store, and a Casa furniture store.

Algarve Shopping has a cinema and a food court comprising 20 restaurants and cafes, with high chairs available for families with little ones in tow. Complementing services and facilities include Wi-Fi, shoe repairs, dentists, hairdressers, parking space, and an adjoining carwash.

The Aqua Portimão Shopping Centre is one of Portimão’s most modern shopping destinations. It opened over a decade ago and has attracted a steady flow of locals and travellers ever since. The venue has 2 levels of shops and a top floor with an attractive food court. Large semi-open spaces with lots of greenery result in a cosy shopping experience. 

The Aqua Portimão Shopping Centre hosts around 120 stores, with familiar brands like Desigual, Decathlon, Mango, Pull & Bear, and Foot Locker. The mall regularly hosts events and activities, including children’s workshops on weekends.

Forum Algarve is a big shopping mall located on the main road close to Faro Airport. The 45,000-square-metres complex's architectural style includes elements typical of the region, with plenty of open spaces. Here, you can find a variety of shops with notable brands like Guess, Mango, Cortefiel, Nespresso, and Apple.

For entertainment, Forum Algarve hosts a cinema with 5 screens. Food-wise, choose from over 20 restaurants and cafes offering traditional Portuguese and international cuisines. There’s also a shuttle service from Faro Airport with luggage storage facilities, enabling you to shop before your flight.

Mercados de Olhão is a municipal market that has been around since 1915. Easily recognizable with its red brick walls and towers, the market consists of 2 buildings. One features a wide variety of seafood. The sellers are friendly, so don’t hesitate to ask for local cooking tips.

The other building features stalls selling seasonal fruits and vegetables harvested from across the Algarve region. If you come on Saturdays, you’ll find cheese, olives, dried fruits, and nuts from local producers just outside this indoor market.

Designer Outlet Algarve is an open-air shopping outlet in Almancil, about a 20-minute drive from Faro. Established in 2017 as a typical local village, it now hosts more than 60 shops. You can expect to find from 30% to 70% discounts on major international and Portuguese brands.

Among the notable brands you can find at Designer Outlet Algarve are Adidas, Timberland, Guess, Levi’s, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, and Bimba y Lola. It is a lovely place to go window shopping and find good deals on fashion items, children’s clothing, various accessories, outdoor outfits, shoes, and household items.

Mercado da Fonte Santa, also known as the Quarteira Gypsy Market, is found on the outskirts of Quarteira. This Wednesday flea market is a great place to hunt for good bargains. You’ll find a range of typical flea market items such as clothes, linens, handbags, and cork items.

Drop by when the weather is good for a chance to browse more vendors and choices of knick-knacks. Mercado da Fonte Santa has a convenient parking area. Alternatively, you can get there by taking the green route bus from Vilamoura.

The Faro Municipal Market is an indoor market that's popular among locals and visitors for its variety of fresh produce. Located in central Faro, this market occupies a white building with a tower in its middle. Come here to fill in your baskets to prepare for a picnic or an exquisite dinner.

The market stalls are filled with colourful vegetables, tasty fruits, quality meats, and a variety of seafood. You can also find home-baked bread and pastries. If you're feeling peckish, simply head for lunch in one of the surrounding restaurants or enjoy delicious local brews in a local coffee shop.

Albufeira Shopping is a rather compact mall with a supermarket and around 40 stores selling items at reasonable prices. Like at any other mall, you’ll find just about everything, from clothing and sportswear to home decor and electronics goods.

The mall hosts temporary pop-up shops of local producers. There’s also a food court where you can enjoy pizza and Asian specialities, together with several cafes and bakeries. Albufeira Shopping is a convenient place to buy essential goods if you want to cook your own meals or find goods and souvenirs to bring back home.