When you’re into retail therapy, holidays come with an extra dimension, giving you all four Ss: Sun, sea, sand and shopping! Lisbon, like every capital city, has its fair share of top class brands, big names and high street stores to explore. But there’s also a host of brilliant independent shops to get your teeth into, stacked with more unusual bits and bobs.
Here’s our guide to shopping in Lisbon. This is an excellent place to put your spending money to good use whether you’re hunting for curiosities, want to pick up a unique piece of Portuguese home decor or kitchenware, are on the trail of thoughtful souvenirs or just want to work your way steadily through every single clothing store in town.
About shopping in Lisbon – The highlights
For Lisbon’s unique version of high street shopping, head for the Baixa area, Chiado area and surrounding streets. Rua do Carmo is a big favourite with locals and visitors alike, and Rua Garrett is another street lined with popular international brands as well as interesting shops that go back generations. Buy Apple tech at GSM Store, see what’s different in their versions of Benetton, Zara and H&M, or pick up some smart sports shoes in Nike.
For a welcome dose of old-school charm, shelter for a while in the 100 year old Bertrand bookshop. Then go find souvenirs, including a bewildering variety of items featuring the famous cockerel symbol, on nearby Rua Anchieta 11 at A Vida Portuguesa. Or Vista Alegre Atlantis, seller of fabulous quality Portuguese ceramics and crystal.
This area is loved for its extremely smart boutiques piled high with stylish fashions and classics. You won’t want to miss the many delights of Paris em Lisboa. We also adore the sweet little glove shop on Rua do Carmo, as lovely from the outside as it is inside. After that you can head back to the 21st century for another bout of cosmetics and fashion retail in the Armazéns do Chiado shopping centre.
Talking about shopping centres, there are lots to explore. The Colombo Shopping Centre is accessible by public transport from the city centre, just one of a load of malls surrounding the bustle of the main city centre shopping area. 1980s Amoreiras Shopping Centre is on the number 24 tram route, offering cafes, shops and restaurants. The famous El Corte Inglés department store is the city’s largest, then there’s the whacking great Colombo shopping centre, the biggest on the entire Iberian Peninsula and containing more than 340 shops. Crikey.
Next in your shopping tour of Lisbon, assuming you still have some retail energy left, we have Rua Augusta. It’s a particularly vibrant street lined with buskers and street performers, 100% pedestrian so you can wander, stare and shop in its many fashion stores without getting mown down. Look at the road surface itself and you’ll see why cars aren’t allowed on this stunning street, which is intricately patterned in black and white stone. Amazing.
There’s a fab hat and shoe shop dating back to 1941 here. If you’re into the beautiful game, try the Benfica Official Store for branded Portuguese football gear and more. At the end of the street is the River Tejo, the perfect post-shopping destination for a cold drink with gorgeous views. If you can’t wait that long for refreshment, pick your favourite from oodles of different Italian ice creams at Amorino.
Feeling posh? Minted? Rolling in it? You’ll want to put elegant Avenida da Liberdade top of your list, a beautiful shopping street lined with white buildings and crammed with luxury brands. We’re talking designers like Cartier, Dior, Escada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Versace, with slightly more affordable choices scattered in between, places like Mango, Guess and Massimo Dutti. And let’s not forget the antiques and collectibles, and the beautiful foods. This is a lot like the Champs- Elysées in Paris, an upscale retail boulevard an impressive mile and a half long, so prepare for some serious walking. As it turns out, shopping can be good exercise!
Rua do Poço dos Negros is off the beaten track, away from Lisbon’s main tourist attractions. You’ll find it between the Bairro Alto and Santos districts, a destination where the city’s creatives flock to sell their wares, hang out, get inspiration and watch the world go by. Look out for ever-changing pop up shops, second hand stores to die for, galleries packed with affordable artworks, and a young, lively vibe to inspire you.
Next up, Rua da Escola Politécnica and Rua Dom Pedro V, the trendy home of delights like the Embaixada Shopping Gallery and the legendary blend of souvenirs and antiques at Príncipe Real. The Stró store and Fair Bazaar are both ideal for hand-made and artisan goodies like bags and hats, accessories and clothing, cosmetics and more. If you’d like to own a blue and white azulejos tile and have around a tenner to spare, you can buy a new one here. The real things, on sale in expensive antique stores and dating back to the 1400s and 1500s, cost a lot more.
Last but never least, you can’t beat a market for affordable, real-life retail thrills. There’s the Food Court at Time Out market to explore along with the Mercado da Ribeira, another traditional food market. Feira da Ladra is the city’s oldest market, a place where interesting junk meets really cool vintage and antique stuff. Pick up delicious local cheeses, sausages and wines at Praça da Figueira. Or buy lush organic produce at Feira da Avenida. Portugal Real market is full of regional products, Sabor de Perdição is an excellent craft market, and the Lx Rural farmers’ market at Lx Factory is a feast of fresh fruit and veg, home-baked goods and more.
When are the shops open in Lisbon?
So when can you enjoy all this retail magic? Lisbon’s shop opening hours are a bit weird, totally different from the UK. Because there’s no such thing as official opening hours, it’s a choice made by the individual shop opwners. Monday to Friday from 9 or 10 in the morning to anything from seven to eight in the evening isn’t unusual. Don’t forget that many smaller shops close for an hour or two at lunchtime, often from 1 – 3pm, giving you the perfect opportunity for a leisurely lunch of your own.
Chain stores, shopping centres and department stores tend to open at around 10am and stay open for twelve hours. Some stay open as late as midnight, adding extra flavour to give you a slightly surreal retail experience. And most supermarkets stay open ‘til 8pm.
One last tip. You know Lisbon is nicknamed the city of seven hills? You’ve guessed it…. this place is properly hilly, which means every dedicated shopaholic needs the kind of shoes you can shop ‘til you drop in.