Lisbon Shops

Opened in the 1930's and virtually unchanged ever since, Conserveira de Lisboa (Lisbon Cannery), sells mainly brightly colored vintage tins of fish. Quirky as it is, its charm is undeniable, whatever your culinary proclivities may be.

We love Branca Lagarto and Natacha Tavares Pinto's narrow, light-filled shop for unique, accessible Portuguese design pieces. The walls are hung with sweetly designed graphic prints, and the shelves are stocked with little sculptures and homewares, like star-shaped cutting boards, artful ceramics, and jewelry from local designers. Souvenir-wise, they've got a selection of quirky giftables like ornate craft scissors in the shape of a peacock, oversized erasers, and an old-school boomerang. Don't miss the kids' section.

This legendary kitchen and gourmet shop is worth visiting for the facade alone—practically untouched since the store opened almost a hundred years ago, it features ornate, gold-painted signage and old-school merchandising windows. The shelves are filled with Portuguese products like cans of sardines and tuna, homemade jams and quinces, oils, wine, spirits, and crackers. It's an ideal place to pick up souvenirs.

One of Portugal's only department stores, Fashion Clinic has floor space devoted to all the major designers (Stella McCartney, Isabel Marant, Prada, etc.), making it an indispensable part of Lisbon's fashion scene, if not necessarily known for showcasing Portuguese designers. Though the store has been in existence since the '90s, it got a major revitalization when it was purchased by Portuguese businesswoman Paula Amorim in 2005. Leave some time to check out the well-curated lifestyle section, which stocks everything from Diptyque candles to Smythson notebooks.

This adorable shop in Príncipe Real is a go-to for European (and often handmade) kids' brands, featuring everything from beautifully painted wooden blocks, to sleekly designed teething toys, to the teeniest little espadrilles. The buyers also have a few beachy homewares around for mom—baskets, oversized totes, and Turkish towels are scattered throughout the space.

What we love about 39a is that it's much more shop-able than your average concept store. Owner Raquel Prates covers the walls with art installations (there's always a cool temporary exhibition on display), and the racks are always filled with hard-to-find designers, but everything is relatable enough for regular wear. Win-win.

This shop is decorated from floor to ceiling in stunning, intricate, and mostly blue-and-white antique tiles from every era of Portuguese history. Collectors who know what they're looking for will have a field day here, but it's just as pleasurable an outing for naive tourists (some small tiles come in at a price range that's reasonable enough for a souvenir).

One of Lisbon's most impressive developments, Embaixada is a series of shops that form a gallery inside a neo-Moorish palace. All of the vendors are local, so the entire shopping experience feels like a celebration of Portuguese design and craftsmanship. The range of shops is huge—come here for everything from swimsuits to antique clothing to gifts and accessories.

This shop sells mostly classic Portuguese products—from kitchenware to toiletries, to stationery, to… detergent and floor wax (in colorful and graphic old-school packaging, of course). It’s the perfect spot to find a gift or a souvenir, and their gift boxes (random assortments of perfectly kitsch products) are hard to resist.

Lisbon's big open air flea market, which has been taking place since the 12th century, now assembles every Tuesday and Sunday. It's admittedly a bit all-over-the-place, so finding the good stuff can take some hunting, but if you're patient, you can find furniture, old postcards, antiques, and vintage clothes and accessories. Fiera da Ladra translates roughly to "thief fair," which is to say that haggling is central to the experience. Photos: Marco Verch