Portugal Guide: Mercado do Bolhão

Mercado do Bolhão

Address | R. Formosa 322, 4000-248 Porto, Portugal

As a Chef and a Foodie, one of my favorite activities when traveling abroad is to visit the markets and Mercado do Bolhão Porto is the perfect place to spend a few hours in the city. This open air market offers fresh produce, wine tasting bars, specialty fish, meats, chocolates, coffees, hot sauces, and cheeses. It’s the perfect place to taste Porto and stock up on culinary gifts. If you’d like to to have a glass of wine, the vendors welcome you to enjoy at your leisure while you shop and you can return the glass later which makes for pleasurable experience of sip and shop.

Mercado do Bolhão is an iconic market located in Porto, Portugal. It's renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and diverse array of vendors selling fresh produce, meats, fish, flowers, and artisanal goods. The market has a long history dating back to the late 19th century when it was established.

The market is housed in a two-story neoclassical building, which adds to its charm and character. Inside, you'll find a bustling scene with vendors shouting their wares, locals haggling for the best prices, and tourists soaking in the unique ambiance.

Mercado do Bolhão isn't just a place to shop for groceries; it's also a cultural experience. Many visitors come to soak up the atmosphere, take photographs of the colorful displays, and sample local delicacies like Portuguese cheeses, cured meats, and pastries.

Our favorite shopping was for Portuguese famed tin fish. We spent a solid 45 minutes selecting and sampling some incredible sardines including tin teriyaki sardines which were incredibly tasty. Our luggage gained some weight on the journey home as we packed a lot of tin fish to take home. At the fruit stands proprietors will prepare fresh cut fruit cups or smoothies and juices for you to enjoy as you shop. My son went for a round or two of the delicious fresh fruit. At the wine stands I also sampled the Ginja—a famed Portuguese liqueur made from aguardente and infused with sour cherries, sugar and cinnamon—served in a chocolate shot cup. It’s sweet, cherry flavor forward and delicious chased with the chocolate.

In addition to finding incredible culinary delights, we found a shop with beautiful Portuguese print table cloths, hand embroidered linen napkins, and magnets, etc. With themes of blue and yellow, and fish and sea, we purchased the perfect set up for summer entertaining.

In short, we had a great time at the market and you should definitely carve out a good amount of time to visit Mercado do Bolhão in Porto. For both residents and visitors, Mercado do Bolhão offers a glimpse into Porto's culinary traditions and provides a lively gathering place where people can connect over food and culture.