Shopping in Albufeira

Offering a vast array of shops selling just about everything, Albufeira is a shopaholics paradise!

There are outlets ranging from seafront kiosks selling everything for the beach, the town’s main shopping plaza, the Modelo Centre in Rua de Municipio, crammed full of different shops and the Algarve Shopping Complex just a short distance away in Guia selling just about everything including factory outlets and brand name designer shoes and clothes.

This is a large mall with over 100 shops which has its own restaurants, cinema showing English films and bowling alley. Times vary for individual shops, but the opening hours at this mall span from 9.00 am to midnight. If this is not enough, market day held once a week in Albufeira Old Town offers a wealth of souvenirs and gifts with numerous hand made items including mats made from rush or corn husks, woven baskets, wood carvings and glazed terracotta ceramics.

There is also a gypsy market held every two weeks in the main square at Albufeira. Here you will find some very attractive ceramics, delicate filigree jewellery, traditional oil paintings and delicious wild lavender honey.

There are plenty of different types of shop to choose from for food shopping in the Algarve. The terminology can be a bit misleading with small shops being labeled mini markets, medium shops are supermarkets and what we would term as a supermarket is called a hypermarket.

In Albufeira probably the best two “hypermarkets” which offer an excellent selection of fresh produce, local breads and croissants and good value wines are Model and AliSuper which are located near the town centre. For those preferring to stick to food they know, a good range of branded products you will recognize from your home country are also available here.