Rua de Santa Catarina, a commercial artery 1500 meters long, is Porto’s main shopping centre. You will find most international shops such as Zara, but if you venture in the small side alleys on both sides of the street, you will find many traditional shops. You might as well not even try to resist the mouth- watering pâtisseries and do not resist the bread either because Portuguese bread is an experience ! You’ll go back for more… Try « A Perola do Bolhão » a grocery store at no 279 Rua Formosa, or the Arcadia bakery at no 63 Rua do Almada. And while you are in a shopping mode, try one of the shoe shops to get something comfortable because we are going to take you places with this guide !

Next to the Rua de Santa Catarina, look out for the Mercado do Bolhão in Rua Fernandes Tomas, a typical market absolutely not to be missed and of course the flower market (April to October) on the Praca da Liberdade (Freedom Square).