Find out where to go shopping in Porto. We’ve brought you some great tips on shopping malls and great streets for you to enjoy.
Shopping in Porto’s malls
The city of Porto has many shopping malls to choose from. In the city, you’ll find many world-famous brands, as well as more economical and popular options in Portugal and Europe. Here are the main options:
1. Arrábida Shopping in Gaia: is on the other side of the bridge that connects Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia. It has around 170 stores, such as Worten electronics, Sport Zone, Mango, Sfera and O Boticário, as well as a supermarket.
You can also stop by the food court, which has around 30 restaurants and a leisure area with a bowling alley. Another place you can’t miss is the shopping center’s balcony, which overlooks the River Douro and the entire city of Porto.
- Address: PCT de Henrique Moreira 244, 4400-346 Vila Nova de Gaia.
Important tip: To make the most of your trip is to stay in the best region. If you want, see our article here that explains the best area, hotels and how to save a lot on accommodation.
2. Shopping Cidade do Porto: is near the Bom Sucesso Market, in the Boa Vista area. It has 4 floors with 112 stores, such as Zara, Mango, Benetton, O Boticário and many others.
There, you can also shop at the Froiz supermarket, a Spanish brand with excellent products. In addition, the mall has two food courts and four cinemas for you to enjoy!
- Address: R. de Gonçalo Sampaio 350, 4150-365 Porto.
3. Norte Shopping: is a shopping center located near Matosinhos and is one of the most modern in the country. This is no coincidence, as it has 264 stores, with prestigious national and international brands.
One of the main ones is Primark, as its main branch is in this shopping center. Primark is one of the most loved and sought after by tourists, as it covers departments and shopping areas such as fashion (women’s, men’s, children’s and sportswear), footwear, bags, accessories and even home and office products.
There you will also find restaurants, movie theaters and play areas for children, as well as a fitness club and many other services.
- Address: Rua Sara Afonso, 4460-841 Sra. da Hora.
Shopping at Baixa region in Porto
In the Baixa region, you’ll find Rua Santa Catarina, which is the most traditional shopping area in Porto. To give you an idea of the diversity of brands, some you’ll find there are Zara, Parfois, Tezenis, Bershka and H&M.
You’ll also find souvenir stores, several cafés and typical Portuguese stores. On this street, there is also a shopping center-gallery called Via Catarina, which is very popular.
Shopping at El Corte Inglés near Porto
El Corte Inglés is a huge department store located in the city of Gaia, on the other side of the River Douro, less than 20 minutes from Porto. There you’ll find everything from clothes, shoes and accessories to perfumes. Without a doubt, this is one of the best places to shop on this list.
Shopping in Porto’s Arts Quarter
The Arts Quarter is made up of Rua Miguel Bombarda and other neighboring streets, and is very famous for the many art galleries and alternative stores that are part of it. Even for those who want to buy artistic products, this is the best option. But even if you just want to stroll around, it’s well worth it.
Extra tip:
Understand how to use Tax Free for your purchases in Porto
Tax Free is a very common feature in some countries and Portugal is one of them. It works for tourists who, when buying outside their country of residence, receive a discount on the taxes added to the price.
To get Tax Free, you first need to spend more than 61.35 euros and be sure that the store offers the possibility of a refund.
After that, you just have to ask for the Tax Free at the checkout; the attendants will give you a form to fill in on the spot. Please note that you will need to provide your name, passport number and country of residence on this form.
We recommend that you have these documents with you at the time, as you may be asked to show your passport, for example.
Please note: the store is not responsible for refunding your money. You can choose in the store, when filling in the form, whether you want to get the money back at the airport – at the end of your trip – or by depositing it on your credit card.
At the end of your trip, all you have to do is hand in all these receipts and forms to the customs or federal police at the airport. From there, simply go to customs or to the part of the airport marked “tax refund”. Once this is done, you need to present all the forms and proof of purchase.
Depending on the agent, they may ask you to show them the products you’ve bought. So, if you can, separate only the items you want to recover the tax on in a suitcase. After this review, the agents will stamp the documents and inform you of the procedure for recovering the tax.
Save money on your trip to Porto:
Saving money: do you want to plan your trip while making the most of your budget? Be sure to read our article on how to travel to Porto cheap, with all the tips to save the most, while still enjoying it!
Tickets: find out where to buy your Porto tickets in the cheapest and safest way – for parks, museums and ticket combos. You can save up to 40%!
Car: if you are thinking about renting one this is the best website. It compares the price at all rental companies and finds unbeatable prices. You can save up to 30%!
Mobile chip: we always use this chip. It’s electronic (eSIM), you install it instantly and you can use your cell phone’s Internet anywhere in the world.
Hotels: our article on where to stay in Porto. You will find out the best area, the hotels that we have stayed there and how to save a lot on the hotel.
Travel insurance: medical care in another country is very expensive and it is extremely important to take out travel insurance for any trip abroad. This is the website we always take out our insurance on. Reliable and at a good price.
Transfer: do you need one from the airport to the hotel? Find out here how to book and for the lowest price!
