Shopping in Vilamoura
Vilamoura Main Shopping Area
One of the great things about the Algarve is that during high season most shops are open all day until midnight. The Marina really comes to life at night with the restaurants and bars at full capacity and hundreds of people strolling about. It is a great place to just relax and people watch for a couple of hours.
The main shopping area in Vilamoura is the Marina and adjacent roads. In this area you will find restaurants, bars, cafes and a wide range of shops selling everything from clothes, beach wear, souvenirs to home decor.
You will not find large shops in Vilamoura but a wide range of boutique sized stores, just about enough to keep you shopping until midnight every night. For a full-day shopping experience you should visit Mar Shopping in Faro.
Some great Portuguese brands and shops to visit
Força Portugal – Official Portuguese football kits and Cristiano Ronaldo merchandise
Parfois – jewellery, handbags and accessories
Quebramar – casual leisure wear
Caravela – home decor
International brands (boutique sized shops):
Hugo Boss – mens wear only
Escales – nautical and beach wear
United Colors of Benetton – woman and children
Natura – eco-friendly clothes and accessories
Food Shopping in Vilamoura
For those staying in villas or apartments grocery shopping is an important aspect in planning the holiday. There are 9 supermarkets spread throughout Vilamoura that stock everything you might need to purchase during your holiday.
Residents usually do their weekly shopping just on the outskirts of Vilamoura at the larger (and usually cheaper) supermarkets Pingo Doce, Modelo, Aldi and Lidl. For everyday items they just use the local supermarkets. You will need a car to go to these supermarkets and the taxi fare is probably not worth the difference in prices.
Quite a few supermarkets in the Algarve stock British products, especially in the Almancil area.
Supermarkets in Vilamoura
Jafers
Local chain of small supermarkets. The main shop is on Avenida Tivoli. Has a very good butcher, delicatessen and an impressive wine selection for a small supermarket. Other 2 stores are located in the Old Village and behind the Dom Pedro Marina hotel.
Spar
Various small shops throughout the resort. Flagship is on Rua Das Estrelas where you can also get a decent grilled chicken take-away and other dishes of the day. Also sell fish and have a butcher and bakery. Next to this supermarket is Krunchy Kreme a very cool donut shop that serves the best Nespresso coffees and lattes.
Intermarché
French chain with a small supermarket on Avenida XXI (next to the Galp Petrol Station). Here you can find all your basic items.
Online food shopping and delivery in Vilamoura
Most supermarkets in Portugal offer online shopping, unfortunately not all cater to foreigners and do not provide an English site (or any other language besides Portuguese). Most web browsers can translate the websites but overall not a very user friendly experience.
There are two supermarkets that have an English site and are geared towards foreigners, also based in the Algarve:
Apolónio Supermarkets: 9h00 to 19h00 high-end products and a minimum purchase of €75.
Supermarkets near Vilamoura
Pingo Doce
Just on the outskirts of Vilamoura is this medium sized supermarket. One of cheapest supermarkets in the area and where locals do their shopping. You will drive right past this supermarket when coming from the airport. Google Pingo Doce Quarteira for directions.
New Vilamoura Pingo Doce in 2023: Recently opened the new Pingo Doce Supermarket is located in Vilamoura in the Aldeia do Golfe area.
Open until 10pm in the summer.
Modelo Continente
One the largest supermarket chains in Portugal this supermarket is also a favourite among locals.
Convenience Store 24/7
The Galp petrol station and shop is open daily 24 hours and stocks basic items such as water, milk, bread, sweets and hygiene items. This store also sells alcohol but only until midnight (Portuguese law prohibits the sale).
Other Supermarkets near Vilamoura
The Food Co.
This supermarket in Almancil opened in 2019 and stocks Tesco’s, Iceland and Waitrose products.
Apolónia
Considered the best supermarket in the Algarve for premium products and foreign brands. This supermarket has everything including an exceptional wine section and even a sushi take-away counter. You can also buy online and have your shopping delivered in Vilamoura.
Apolónio Supermarket Online Deliveries: 9h00 to 19h00 a minimum purchase of €75 applies.
Lidl
This German supermarket has shops in all major towns in the Algarve. The closest to Vilamoura are Almancil or Fonte Santa (near the weekly market). In Boliqueime (N125 road towards Albufeira) there is another Lidl located just next to the Aldi Supermarket.
Open daily from 8am to 9.30pm.
Aldi
The Aldi supermarkets are also popular in Portugal and you will find the closest is in Almancil. As mentioned above Boliqueime also has an Aldi just next to Lidl.
Fish Market
The best place to buy the freshest fish and seafood is the Quarteira fish market. Open daily in the summer the vendors get their wares directly from the fisherman. You can walk to the fish market just follow the promenade from Vilamoura beach. There is also a bus to the fish market, check times and routes here.
Farmers Markets
The farmers market is held in Quarteira on Wednesdays on the same day as the gypsy market (different location). In Loulé the Farmers Market is on Saturdays just outside the Municipal Market.
Bakeries
Get fresh bread and pastries from one of the Mourapão bakeries or at any of the supermarkets in Vilamoura.
Butcher
Every supermarket in Vilamoura has a meat section or butcher. The best supermarket butcher is Jafers and the cheapest is Pingo Doce.
Markets
Gypsy Markets
Every Portuguese town has a weekly or monthly gypsy market. The closest to Vilamoura is the Wednesday market in Quarteira. You can also visit the Saturday Market in Loulé or the monthly market in Almancil every third Thursday of the month. There is a free bus to the Wednesday Gypsy Market in Quarteira check times here.
Vilamoura Mercadinho
Vilamoura holds a ‘Mercadinho’ (little market) before Christmas, at Easter and during the Summer. Small market where you can purchase souvenirs, regional gourmet products and handicrafts.
Seasonal Markets
Throughout the Algarve you will find seasonal or themed markets during the high season. Check out the events calendar for upcoming markets.
Fairs and Festivals
Fatacil Fair - Lagoa in August
Fatacil is the most important agriculture, commerce, handicraft and gastronomy fair in the region. This annual fair has grown into a major culture event attracting 800 exhibitors and over 180 000 visitors.
For ten nights during August tourists and locals enjoy regional gastronomy, wine tastings, street artists, handicrafts, equestrian shows, music concerts and amusement rides.
Kids younger than 12 go free and adults pay a nominal fee of €3,50. Fair grounds open at 18h00 and close at 01h00.
Santa Iria Fair - Faro in October
The Santa Iria Fair in Faro is thought to be one of the oldest fairs in Portugal, historians have found references to this fair in manuscripts dating as far back as 1596.
The fairgrounds are at Largo São Francisco near the old town and harbour. You can visit this fair for ten days during late October and enjoy the amusement park, regional gastronomy, handicrafts or also cultural events.
Medieval Festival - Silves in August
The Medieval Festival is great fun for the whole family. Street performers, jugglers, snake charmers and artists parade in medieval costume animating Silves for 10 days during August.
The town becomes a massive medieval market during this fair with a great atmosphere filled with music, shows, live cooking and games. You can rent costumes and participate in the fun. Arrive early and expect crowds at this popular event.
Other Fairs and Festivals in the Algarve
Med Festival – Loulé in September
São Miguel Fair – Olhão in October
Praia Fair – Vila Real Santo Antonio in October
São Francisco Fair – Tavira in November
São Martinho Fair – Portimão in November
Shopping Centres near Vilamoura
Mar Shopping Centre - Faro
The best shopping centre in the region. Comprised of three sections: an IKEA store, the Mar Shopping centre and the outdoor Designer Outlet Algarve.
IKEA
You probably won’t be buying furniture during your holiday but check out the IKEA restaurant or café area, they serve Portuguese dishes and you can get an espresso and Pastel de Nata for 50c.
Mar Shopping Centre
This is the indoor part of this complex and where you will find food court, cinemas, supermarkets, pharmacies and 110 shops including Primark, Zara, Mango, Starbucks etc.
Spacious and modern this venue is great to spend a few hours. For kids and bored husbands the centre offers an outdoor playground and leisure area. The supervised Lego Play area where you can leave your child (ages 3 to 10) for a couple of hours is great. Check the list of shops, services and opening times for the Mar Shopping here.
Designer Outlet Algarve
The outdoor outlet was designed to look like a charming little village inspired by the regional architecture. Here you will find over 50 premium brands offering permanent discounts from 30 to 70%. The Outlet Village has a couple of charming cafes and also hosts some great events during the year. Check out the list of brands here.
Bus to Mar Shopping Centre from Vilamoura
In 2022 we finally have a bus route from Quarteira (Station) to Mar Shopping. Read more here.
Algarve Shopping - Guia (Albufeira)
The Algarve Shopping centre is located in Guia about a 20-minute drive from Vilamoura. A large retail area with 101 shops and well known high street brands like Zara, Mango and H&M. Also has a huge supermarket at basement level, free parking and a medical centre.
Located just behind the shopping centre is the Guia Retail Park, where you can find great bargains at the Nike Factory shop and the British supermarket Iceland.
The Zoomarine theme park and the Adega do Cantor Vineyard (Cliff Richards Vineyard) is in the same area. Guia is also famous for the chicken piri-piri restaurants.
Forum Algarve in Faro-very similar to the Algarve Shopping.
FAQ
Where can you buy Lost Mary in Vilamoura?
Kiosk Fortuna sells Lost Mary and has all the flavours available in Portugal. They also have Elf Bars, SKE Crystal and other disposable brands.
Is there a Decathlon shop in Vilamoura?
Decathlon is a very popular sports goods store in Portugal. Vilamoura does not have a Decathlon store but you can find one in Quarteira right on the beachfront. The Quarteira Decathlon is small and mostly geared towards water sports. In Faro Decathlon has a large shop that sells everything from golf equipment to fishing gear.
Are shops open in Vilamoura on a Sunday?
Shops in Vilamoura have different opening times depending on the season. During the winter months (November to March) most shops will close earlier and some on weekends. For the remaining months, you’ll find that shops especially around the marina will stay open everyday and closing around midnight. Shops in Vilamoura like supermarkets, pharmacies or bakeries are open everyday and all year round.
In the Algarve (and in Portugal) all major shopping centres open everyday until at least 10pm in winter or midnight in the summer. Usually the only exceptions are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Where can I buy stamps in Vilamoura?
Some news agents and souvenir shops sell international stamps. The best option is to purchase stamps at the local Post Office in Vilamoura and take your postcards or letters with you so they can be dispatched on the same day. The Post Office is located just next to the Galp Petrol station within walking distance of the marina. Location on Google maps or search for CTT Vilamoura.
Where can I buy CR2 batteries in Vilamoura?
CR2 3V Lithium Batteries are most commonly used for golf rangefinders. You can find CR2 Duracell batteries at Kiosk Fortuna near the MacDonalds in Vilamoura.
Where is the Cristiano Ronaldo CR7 Shop in Vilamoura?
The CR7 Shop in Vilamoura closed a few years ago but you can still buy official football merchandise, the National Team and Club Kits at Força Portugal Shop on the Marina (just look for the life-sized plastic cow with the Portuguese Flag).
Are there Vape shops in Vilamoura?
The only Vape shop in Vilamoura is the Kiosk Fortuna. Here you can find disposable vapes wide selection of e-liquids, e-cigs, pod systems and kits. Kiosk Fortuna has the largest selection of disposable vape brands and flavours – with nicotine.
