Today, shopping in Lisbon is becoming increasingly popular. In the capital of Portugal, anyone can buy accessories, clothes, shoes and other little things, leaving a memory of this city. Experienced shopaholics visit Lisbon regularly, returning from there with a huge amount of purchases, but for beginners it will be quite difficult to figure out all the shopping centers, shops, shops and markets. Therefore, before you go for a ticket to Portugal, you should learn more about the benefits of this shopping and the places where you can buy high-quality and not too expensive products.
The article will tell you how wonderful shopping in Lisbon can be. Outlets, shopping centers and markets where goods are sold at affordable prices are described in detail below. Thanks to this information, tourists who are planning to go to the capital of Portugal for the first time will not have to search for the right store in an unfamiliar town for a long time.
Features of Portuguese Shopping
In large Portuguese cities there are huge shopping malls, but there are not so many of them. For example, for shopping in Lisbon in 2017, you can go to the Colombo and Vasco da Gama shopping centers, which are the largest and most popular places for shopping. In addition to shopping malls, there are also department stores of the largest Spanish chain El Corte Ingles, where branded goods are displayed on the shelves. More tourists like to go on an inexpensive shopping trip to Lisbon thanks to small retail facilities (private shops or small shops).
Of the main advantages of shopping in Portugal, the low cost of things should be noted. In general, here you can buy quality goods at prices below average European. The disadvantages include a modest selection of goods, for which tourists come from different countries, as well as a limited number of branded items. Products of many manufacturers are imported into Portugal in not too large batches, which is why shoes and clothes of the most popular sizes and colors are bought up instantly.
What tourists bring
People who go shopping in Lisbon or any other city in Portugal are sure to get the most popular souvenir there - a cockerel figurine. As you know, this bird is a symbol of the country, so it can be found in different designs in any souvenir shop. Local craftsmen make cockerels from porcelain, wood, glass and even fabric, and also embroider them on towels, various aprons and other items of clothing.
The country is famous for its ceramic and porcelain hand-painted. These souvenirs can be found on every street counter along with multi-colored painted clay tiles.
Portuguese shoes have long been recognized throughout Europe as the highest quality, so not a single tourist can leave without them. In addition, the minimum price for a pair of shoes is only 10 euros. The only negative is that it will not be possible to buy warm shoes, because in Portugal there is a completely different idea of winter, unlike Russia and neighboring countries.
Shop Hours
Shopping in Lisbon and other Portuguese cities can start at 10 a.m. It was at this time that all stores and shops opened, but it should be remembered that from 12.30 to 15.00 all of them closed for siesta. After 8 o’clock in the evening, nothing will be bought, since all objects of trade are closed.
On Saturday, you can buy anything in the shops only before lunch, on Sunday they do not open at all. Fortunately, such a schedule does not apply to large department stores and supermarkets, as they are open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight.
Sales and discounts
Positive feedback about shopping in Lisbon is often received due to regular seasonal sales with a total collapse in prices. In Portugal, you can buy goods at huge discounts from August to September during the summer liquidation of the entire assortment, and in winter from January to February. Having gone shopping during these periods, each person will be able to spend half as much money as on ordinary days. If you couldn’t get to Lisbon at this time, then you should not be upset, because in many large malls you can still find a local sale of a particular brand.
Shopping in Lisbon
In the metropolitan area of Chiado, there are various boutiques with fashionable clothes, as well as colorful street counters. This arrangement of places with goods is quite convenient for tourists, because they can immediately calculate their path and finances. In the same quarter there are excellent jewelry stores, which are distinguished by a rich assortment and quite reasonable prices for all people.
A tidy place for shopping lovers is the Baixa district, located right in the historical center of the city. Here you can visit souvenir shops, shops with leather and textile products, souvenirs from cork, ceramics, shoes, various drinks and food.
Caulino
The creator and owner of the shop-atelier Katya Pessoa independently organizes various exhibitions and workshops that attract the attention of not only tourists, but also local residents. This place is considered by many people to be an ordinary ceramics store, but in reality it is not. Caulino is a real design studio where absolutely any visitor can purchase original ceramic products, as well as make an individual order.
For those who want to learn how to create unusual gizmos with their own hands, master classes are constantly held here. All works of students are exhibited on separate shelves of the store. They can also be purchased at affordable prices.
Shopping center "Vasco da Gama"
The fairly compact center is located in the modern district of the capital, next to Oriente train station. It was built, like the whole area, especially for the exhibition, which was held in 1998 and was timed to the 500th anniversary of the opening of the sea route to India by the famous Portuguese navigator named Vasco da Gama.
On the ground floor there is a fairly large Continental grocery hypermarket. It sells food, various souvenirs in the form of food, and some places are reserved for the wine and cheese departments.
The second floor is occupied by a cinema. Films in this country are not duplicated into other languages, so tourists have a great opportunity to hear the novelty in the original. Nearby is the food court area, which consists of many fast food outlets. For a bite to eat and take a break from the mall, guests can enjoy a terrace overlooking the river.
Eureka
Without the desire to purchase several pairs of shoes for shopping in Lisbon, you can not go, and even more so if these shoes are the most successful modern brand Eureka. The store combines several Portuguese designers at the same time and is characterized by modern design and true Portuguese quality.
Tourists and locals go shopping here when it becomes necessary to purchase a new pair of shoes. On average, the cost is 100 euros on ordinary days, and during sales the same shoes can be picked up only for 40-50 euros.
"Feira da Ladra"
The Lisbon market is presented to tourists as a place where all the long forgotten or lost things are collected. It works exclusively on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so you cannot buy anything from its range on any other day.
Here a person can find gizmos that are a real treasure for him. Someone will turn their attention to an old figurine that my grandmother spoke about, and someone will be attracted to the famous English picnic basket, which will cost only 5 euros.
TC "Colombo"
The shopping center, bearing the name of the great seafarer, opened in 1997. Under one roof, the administration managed to place as many as 340 stores, about 60 food outlets, as well as many places for entertainment, which include a children's room, a bowling alley, a cinema and a sports club.
The interior of the center creates an atmosphere of an era of geographical discoveries. Everything here reminds of that time - fountains, sculptures, street names.
Outlet Freeport
The largest outlet in Europe with its parking lot occupies 75 thousand square meters. It is located not in the capital, but in a suburb on the other side of the river.
Visitors can buy clothes from world famous brands, as well as clothing from local manufacturers. The entire range is presented in the middle price category, therefore, taking with you a tidy sum, you can leave from there with a bunch of full packages of beautiful and high-quality things.
Reviews on Shopping in Lisbon
Many people visit the capital of Portugal regularly, because they really want to spend their money there. Reviews about shopping are extremely positive, which is rare today, because not every country can please tourists with pleasant prices and a good assortment of goods.
Tourists speak positively about the friendliness of local residents, including sellers, as well as consultants in stores. Going up to any Portuguese on the street and asking him a question, you can get an accessible and understandable answer. Thanks to this, people want to come to Lisbon again and again.
Among other things, guests of the capital are surprised at the quality of goods. No matter where they are sold, whether it is a huge shopping center or a small street shop, all the products here are really worthy of the European level.
Beginners can easily learn useful things about shopping in Lisbon from tourists who have already visited there by talking with them personally. Now finding a shopaholic who has visited the capital of Portugal is not so simple. Therefore, it is best to go there yourself, go to all the shops, shops and shopping centers that are described above, to make sure that such shopping is a great way to relax and have fun.