Lisbon's most popular shopping area is the Baixa, a compact downtown district comprising several parallel streets including the traffic-free Rua Augusta. A short walk up Rua do Carmo brings you to the fashionable Chiado district, which has almost totally recovered from a devastating fire in 1988. The Colombo Centre just off the city center at Benfica is the largest shopping mall in the Iberian Peninsula.

Visitors to Porto should head for Rua de Santa Catarina in the main downtown area of the city. There are several upmarket boutiques and and fashion stores along Avenida da Boavista around the Meridien Park Atlantic Hotel. Portugal's many shopping centres (centros comerciais) are open for much longer periods, generally from 10 am until midnight. The small antiques shops tucked away in the backstreets of the larger cities such as Lisbon and Oporto offer a fine assortment of items dating back hundreds of years.

Filigree Work in Portugal

In Portugal, one of the most ancient known traces of filigree work were a pair of earrings found at Citania de Briteiros, an Iron Age settlement located near Braga in the northern part of the country.

Pieces of the same style and period were found at other archaeological sites in the same region. The curious thing about these pieces of jewellery is that they were found in an area that still has an active goldsmith industry today, or more precisely an industry dedicated exclusively to the production of filigree pieces.

Today, the production of filigree is aimed not only at the domestic buyer but also the professional and tourism markets, where the demand for this kind of jewellery has been steadily increasing.

Portugal has a rich tradition of cottage industries and handmade goods, a lot of which retails out of stores in Lisbon but also finds its way into smaller stores countrywide.

Take your pick from handcrafted leather, metal work in copper, silver and gold, hand-woven tapestries, finely crafted china, porcelain, glinting glassware and brilliant crystal.  Shoes and towels are a bargain and also worth putting on your shopping list.

Azulejos Tiles

Portugal is especially famous for the lovely ceramic tiles or azulejos that are handcrafted and embellished with little patterns or paint, pottery, woven rugs, fine lace, wickerwork and other old crafts that have been all but forgotten in other parts of the world.  The ceramics are sold in different forms and may come glazed, highly decorated or may just be sold in their elemental brown clay form.

History

Portugal has a history of tile making that dates back to the days when England and France began using red clay to fashion tiles that were patterned with designs in white. While the tile making of these countries goes back to the 14th century, it's the Portuguese who made the art famous with their Azulejo tiles. The art form arrived in Portugal with the Moors via the Iberian Peninsula.

Portugal's tile making came into its own in the 17th century when artists began to use them as a form of artistic expression. Certain parts of Lisbon like Madragoa and Mouraria housed the master tile makers of the era and it is here that you will still find Ceramica Constancia - tile makers extraordinaire.

At the turn of the century, new approaches to tile making were seen, with the influence of the Dutch and the Chinese. The use of porcelain from China and blue and white coloured tiles from the Dutch became commonplace throughout the 18th century.  Tiles soon became regarded as works of ‘art' as tile makers began to mark their tiles with a signature!

Spot some tiles!

To see some of the finest examples of this art form, head out to the National Azulejo Museum - it's dedicated to the art and showcases a variety of styles and techniques that have evolved.  The panel depicting ‘our lady of life' or Nossa Senhora da Vida is possibly one of the finest.

For a look at the oldest tiles, visit the chapel of Sao Roque in Lisbon or the estate of Quinta da Bacalhoa in the hilly Serra da Arrabida.  

Other Handicrafts

For collectors of handicrafts Portugal is nothing short of heaven. You'll be spoilt rotten for choice with the displays of wickerwork, exquisite embroidery, ceramics, handcrafted wood, tooled leather, metal work and more.

Embroidery, wickerwork and handmade lace are best bought in Madeira, where quality and perfection are the hallmark of the local craftsmen.

Rugs

Moorish rugs in Arraiolos are reminiscent of the kind the invaders brought with them hundreds of years ago, during the Iberian occupation. The art of making these rugs is rare outside Portugal, but the locals make these by hand, in little cottage industries, to supply large stores around the country. To get a peek at the way these are made, though, you will need to head to Arraiolos.

Leather

Leather is another favourite with shoppers and most of the hides come from lamb and sheep. Cow leather is tougher and is used mainly for heavier jackets. Finding a leather product won't be hard since there are hundreds of stores selling a variety of goods across Portugal. You can pick up a coat for yourself or bring home gifts of leather gloves, notebooks, wallets, belts and other little knick knacks made of leather.

Filigree

For something a little daintier, the filigree work is a good buy. Minho, to the north of the country, is where you'll find some of the finest workmanship. Threads made of gold and silver are intricately woven into delicate earrings, pendants, brooches and other jewellery.

Ceramics

Ceramics and Portugal have a closely interlinked history and there's no finer reflection of the spirit of the people than their vibrant plates and jugs which you'll be tempted to display in a china cabinet and preserve for posterity once you're back home.

Street Markets

Shopping in Portugal just wouldn't be the same without the colourful, noisy street markets - there are all kinds, from those selling local farm produce to antique markets to the ubiquitous clothes markets.

These markets are usually held in the square or the largest open ground in a town and, typically, on a fixed day of the week. Some markets stay open all week long - so do enquire. Try and visit earlier in the day when the stock is fresh and the stalls are all open. Many stall owners pack up early, so you'd miss out on some if you went too late in the afternoon.

There are, of course, the usual indoor markets which the townspeople frequent on a daily basis for their food and clothing, so if you can't make it to the special street markets, head to these instead.  You'll be able to buy local ware including souvenirs and they are open through the week (but usually closed on Sundays).

Best Street Markets

Barcelos, Northern Portugal - (Thursday) - Hunt for some really great souvenirs, pick up handmade lace, lovely embroidered goods, rugs and pottery.

Feira da Ladra, Lisbon - (Tuesday and Saturday) - Held in the Alfama area of the city, this market is a great place to pick up clothes and jewellery as well as antiques.

Other Great Markets

- Albufeira (2nd Saturday)
- Carcavelos (Thursday)
- Cascais (Wednesday)
- Coimbra (last Saturday)
- Estremoz (Saturday)
- Lagos (first Saturday)
- Loulé (Saturday)
- Oeiras (first Sunday)
- Portimao (Sunday)
- Feira de Sao Pedro in Sintra (2nd and 4th Sundays)

Shopping Hours in Portugal

From 9am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday; From 9am to 1pm on Saturday (In December from 3pm to 7pm).