(Avenida 5 de Outubro) You'll find the Algarve's best fish market a short hop from Faro in Olhão. It's a riot of colour and noise. Come on a Saturday and the area around the daily market includes additional stalls selling a medley of clothes, crafts and local produce.

On Faro's main pedestrianised shopping street, Arco de Santo António sells local crafts, many made from local Portuguese cork, including bracelets, place mats, handbags and shoes (19 Rua de Santo António, tel: 289 827 238).

Algarve Shopping is ideal for Christmas ideas, a large mall filled with local and international shops including FNAC, Zara and Quiksilver, as well as supermarkets, restaurants and cinemas (Lanka Parque Comercial e Industrial do Algarve, Guia 8200-417, Albufeira, tel: 289 105 500).

Portugal's shopping centres are always pleasant places to shop and Portimão's newest shopping centre, Aqua, is no exception. It has 117 stores including a hypermarket and a whole host of local and international shops, including Primark, H&M, Mango and Massimo Duti (Aqua, 72 Rua de São Pedro, Portimão; tel: 282 413 536).