11 of the best shops in Lisbon

If you like local design and family-run stores then Lisbon is the perfect destination for shopping. There are some high streets stores and shopping malls but the best shops in Lisbon are the small concept stores and independent design shops.

Some of the stores look as though they’ve been clinging on to the city’s steep narrow streets for hundreds of years – and many of them have!

Best shopping in Lisbon

But first you need to know where to look. Lisbon’s central neighbourhoods merge seamlessly with one another.

The heart of the city is arguably Chiado. Once the gathering point for Lisbon’s intellectuals today it’s home to high-end restaurants and international brand stores. It’s also where you’ll find the world’s oldest bookstore. The Príncipe Real and Avenida da Liberdade are flanked by high-end designer stores.

Baixa, sometimes referred to as ‘Downtown’, was completely rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake and each one of the streets were devoted to one trade. Little remains of this early town planning but Baixa is where you’ll find some of Lisbon’s oldest – and most interesting – shops.

Barrio Alto is thought to be Lisbon’s bohemian district. Rua do Norte houses luxury shops alongside bars and restaurants.

One shop we didn’t get to visit this time but comes highly recommended is Luvaria Ulisses, a charmingly old-fashioned tiny store that sells beautifully crafted leather gloves.

Livraria Bertrand

It’s definitely worth visiting Livraria Bertrand, it is the oldest bookstore in the world after all. But if you come hoping for a characterful old shop piled high with dusty, leather-bound books as I did, you will be disappointed!

Livraria Bertrand first opened in 1732 in the Chiado neighbourhood. Today, it feels like any old bookstore, albeit one with a large stock of books. But it’s fun to come and say that you’ve visited the oldest book shop in the world.

A Vida Portuguesa

My favourite shop in Lisbon has to be A Vida Portuguesa. There are several branches located across the city, including a concession in the Time Out Market. The flagship store opened in the Chiado district in 2007 and there are a further two stores in Lisbon and one in Porto.

These shops sell all manner of high quality Portuguese products from soaps and olive oil to ceramic tiles and andorinhas, swallows. Swallows have become a symbol of Lisbon, and indeed Portugal, and you’ll see plenty of them during your time in Lisbon.

Also on display are sardines, chocolates, jams, homewares, ceramics and plenty more covetable stuff. As far as souvenir shops go, this is definitely one of the best.

A Vida Portuguesa, Rua Anchieta 11, 1200-023 Chiado, Lisboa

Casa de Vellas 

A friend told me about this candle shop and I’m so pleased we stopped by. This small wooden shop, the House of Candles, first opened in 1789 making it one of the oldest operating candle stores in the world. It’s been run by the same family ever since it first started and we met Fernanda, a seventh generation family member, working behind the counter.

They make all the candles on-site and have a range of different fragrances, including some beeswax candles. It’s a wonderful step back in time and definitely worth a visit.

Casa de Vellas, Rua do Loreto 53, 1200-241 Lisboa

Arcádia Casa do Chocolate 

You’ll find a number of these delicious chocolate shops around Lisbon. Arcádia Casa do Chocolate was started by the Bastos family and they have been making chocolate goodies since 1933. The shop is best known for its linguas de gato (‘cat tongues’) and dragées but it also sells chocolate bars, individual chocolates, macaroons and more.

Arcádia Casa do Chocolate, Rua da Misericordia, 72, Chiado

Missangas & Co

Missangas & Co is one of the best shops in Lisbon for kids. This jewellery store also houses thousands and thousands of beads which you can use to make your own bracelets or necklaces. There are Portuguese-inspired beads, glass beads, metal beads, colourful beads, plain beads and anything else that you can think of. The three kids each created and made a bracelet in the shop and wore it for the rest of the holiday.

There are two branches in Lisbon and one in Belem.

Missangas & Co, Rua da Trindade, 3, 1200-467, Chiado

Papabubble

Another one of the cool stores in Lisbon that we discovered was this fun little emporium of all things sweet. Arrive between 11am and 3pm and you’ll see Lisbon’s answer to Willy Wonka creating rock candy behind the counter (it’s similar to Spun Candy in London). There are also lollipops and sweets for sale in a range of tasty flavours.

Papabubble, Rua da conceição 117-119, 1100-153 Lisbon

Claus Porto

Some of the best shopping in Lisbon can be found in Claus Porto. This lovely, small chain sells soaps and has been doing so since 1887. The company was set up by two German gentlemen who were living in Portugal at the time and little has changed with the Portuguese designed soaps and packaging since the company first started.

There are 16 fragrances in the Classic soap collection and 10 in the Art Deco collection. Claus Porto also creates perfume and cologne.

There are two Claus Porto shops in Lisbon and they are both beautiful, largely owing to the vintage packaging inspired my Portugal’s architecture. The Baixa store sells miniature soaps that are the perfect size for travel. In the Chiado store you can create your own box of three, six or nine soaps.

The shops also stock some of the original packaging from when the company first started; if you have an interest in design then it’s worth asking the staff to show them to you. The soaps are not cheap, however; the travel size ones are €8; the larger ones are €16 and boxes cost from €40-60.

Claus Porto, Rua dos Bacalhoeiros n.º36, 1100-071 Lisboa

Lisbon Duck Store

For some more unusual Lisbon souvenirs head to one of of the Lisbon Duck Stores. There are two in town and both house more than 180 different ducks ranging from astronauts and pirates to bridal ducks, unicorn ducks and more. Star Wars fans will appreciate the Chewquacker duck and Duck Vader.

There are a handful of Portuguese-themed ducks as well including one playing the traditional viola de fado (Portuguese guitar) and a rubber duck that looks like Portuguese football superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo. Ducks are €8.95, minis are €5.00 and limited editions are €18.00

Lisbon Duck Store, Rua da Madalena 54, Baixa or Largo Dr. António de Sousa de Macedo 6B, Santa Catarina

Companhia Portugueza do Chá

Did you know that the Portuguese introduced tea to Britain? I didn’t either before visiting Lisbon. But it was, in fact, the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza who arrived in Britain to marry King Charles II in 1662 bringing with her a casket of tea.

Today, this wonderful tea shop, Companhia Portugueza do Chá, celebrates Catherine’s good taste by featuring her silhouette on their tins of tea. This wonderful shop, housed within an old shoe store from 1880, sells tea from around the world. It’s a beautiful store and their teas are excellent.

Companhia Portugueza do Chá, R. Do Poco Dos Negros 105, 1200-342 Lisboa

Conserveira de Lisboa

The sardines in Lisbon are so good that you’ll probably want to take some home with you. Fortunately, there are shops aplenty selling canned sardines (and other fish) but if you’re looking for an authentic Lisbon souvenir then you’ll want to visit Conserveira de Lisboa.

Originally founded in 1930, this historic food shop is loved by both visitors and locals for its canned fish. It’s one of the best places to buy canned sardines in Lisbon but it also sells canned mackerel, canned tuna and bags of sea salt. If you’re not sure which of the 130 varieties of canned fish to choose from, just ask one of the helpful staff for guidance.

Conserveira de Lisboa, Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, 34, 1100-071 Lisboa

Burel Factory

For beautiful woollen products from blankets and scarves to backpacks and coats, head to Burel Factory. This shop stocks a wide range of woollen products all created in northern Portugal. The owners discovered an old sanatorium in the Penhas Douradas, in the mountains, and breathed new life into both the building and the region. Their products are beautifully made and have helped to create new jobs as well as sustain traditional weaving techniques.

Burel Factory, Rua Serpa Pinto, 15 B, 1200-443 Lisboa