Dom João is a specialty Portuguese shop offering a robust selection of Portuguese foods. Wines are…read morethe top billing. Sweets like chocolates and cookies are also available. They offer some free samples, including chocolates and select wines. We chose the not too sweet pistachio almonds and chocolate coffee beans. Each costed €7.50. They are delectable! While at the shop, I heard other customers gushing about their wines. Good for them! To find them, look next door to the very popular Manteigaria pastel de nata. Can't miss it.

You just don't go to quaint Porto and its environs to dig up a large shopping center and,…read morefurthermore, even patronize it. However, my hat is off to ArrabidaShopping. I found it because it sits within walking distance from the Mercure Porto Gaia Hotel, where I have stayed, along with other hotels, on a promontory above the Rio Douro where the ring road crosses it on a beautiful arched bridge called Ponte da Arrabida. Also, if you use transit to the hotel(s), you may be getting off your bus (the 902 or 903 from the Casa da Musica Metro, which is a quick ride) at or near ArrabidaShopping. ArrabidaShopping sort of follows the American model. It has 3 levels, connected by stairs and escalators, inside an atrium setting. There is every kind of shop you might need. There are cinemas. There is a food court at the north end on Level 3. And guess what? If you go through that food court, you might have a tough time deciding where to eat because the choices are many and the food is good. Also, the roof is raised at the food court, and there are clerestories and such which make this upper level feel very airy and a nice place to take your time eating your meal. You will be surrounded by locals. That much I promise. Also, European centers differ from American and Canadian centers in one major regard - they don't have 3 or 4 different department store anchors. Oftentimes, they are anchored by a super-duper supermarket ... in this case the Continente ipermercado, or hyper-market. If you need to go to a shopping center in the Porto area, I would choose this center over El Corte Ingles on Avenida da Republica or Maia Forum, which is further out toward the airport. Not only that, if you take a walk outside, you can savor the beautiful setting and promontory which ArrabidaShopping occupies.

My son and I stumbled across this little gem when we were looking to visit the church across the…read morestreet. It was hard to choose what to buy! My son settled on some pillow covers and both of us purchased a table runner that could be used as a wall hanging. I also unfortunately purchased only one pillow cover and spent the rest of my time in Portugal regretting that I hadn't purchased more. Fantastic quality, excellent prices, and in spite of the language barriers, the staff helped us.

This business has turned cans of sardines and other seafoods including king crab into visually…read moreattractive and gift ready products. Clever! Walking in the shop looks like a chocolate shop. Surprise! It's seafood. Apparently, kids have expressed great disappointment. They have stickers ready for the kids to make up for it. Lol!! The cans are decorated with custom artwork, all the years going back to the 1920s with notable celebrities or historic figures, and city names in Portugal. Other than sardines, I spotted mackerel, tuna, king crab. Many are in different flavors. The basic is in olive oil. The down side: cost. A can of sardines start at just under €10. King crab is the highest at €84+. As intrigued as I was, I decided to skip it. Let's be honest, it's a tourist trap.