Shopping on the Algarve

There are two main large shopping complexes on the Algarve, the Guia Shopping Center near Albufeira and the Forum Algarve in Faro City. We have supplied more detailed information on both of these below.

As you would expect most of the resort towns such as Albufeira and Portimao offer an excellent range of shops, cafes and restaurants.

Overall we found that most of the clothes were a little cheaper then the UK with shops such as Zara and Massimo Dutti as the obvious examples. Food in the supermarket was not any cheaper and if you shop for UK brand products then expect to pay quite a high price.

Useful Algarve Shopping Information

Small businesses and shops within the resorts and towns normally open from 09:00 or 10:00 and open until around 19:00. Most of the shops and businesses close for a lunch hour. The Portuguese do not take a siesta like the Spanish.

The prices of all products on sale must be displayed and you should always check that the price listed is the price that you pay.

All shops in the Algarve and Portugal are NOT obliged to exchange goods purchased unless they are defective.

The VAT rate for Portugal is currently 19% and is charged on most goods and services.

The Guia Shopping Center Albufeira - Algarve

The Guia Shopping and Entertainment Complex can be found on the N125 just outside of Albufeira and is a modern shopping centre with an excellent range of well known shops, a multiplex cinema and an amazing range of cafes and restaurants on the top floor.

Some tips that we would like to pass on to you are that if you fancy a coffee or something to eat head upstairs were there is also a large sun terrace for you to sit on.

If you have kids and they are older than 2 then there is a creche on the first floor, just behind the main selection of Restaurants. The creche is exceptionally well fitted out the charges are around €7.00 per hour.

Staying on the Kids theme the Algarve Guia also has a selection of pushchairs, pedal cars and various other toys available for free hire. There is no need to take your own pushchairs.

All the restaurants have baby chairs and for the best parking head downstairs where your car will stay cool in the hot summer sun.

The shops at the Guia on the Algarve include, Zara, Massimo Dutti, Paul and Bear and Benetton.

The whole centre is open from 09:00 to midnight with the shops open between 10:00 and 22:00..

The Forum Algarve - Faro

This is another fantastic shopping centre, half in the open and half under cover. It has an excellent selection of recognisable shops, great parking facilities and a multiplex cinema.

All the shops are spread out over just two levels with a large Hipermarket - Jumbo - on the ground floor.

As with the Guia Shopping centre the Forum is very well geared up for the kids. They have pushchairs available for you to use for free, family toilets, baby changing facilities and high chairs in every restaurant and cafe.

Although it is located in Faro City itself it is very easy to find, (head in the general direction of the airport and follow the signs into Faro), and the traffic is not bad either.

There is a huge selection of shops and restaurants on offer at the Algarve Forum: the list is too long to print here but they include, Zara, Stradivarius, Benetton, Levis, Oysho, Women´s Secret, FNAC and Imaginarium.

The shops are open every day between 09:00 and 23:00 and in the summer months and leading up to Christmas they are open until Midnight.

For further Information on the Forum Algarve call the customer service desk, (English Speaking) on: 00351 289 88 93 00.