Mercadinho da Figueira

About This Event

A partir de 21 de fevereiro, o espaço adjacente ao Polidesportivo da Figueira, recebe o novo Mercadinho da Figueira. A primeira edição é dedicada à laranja. Nas bancas dos produtores locais, poderá encontrar frutas, mel, licores tradicionais, doçaria típica, artesanato e muito mais, sempre acompanha

Portimão's Figueira neighbourhood gains a new weekend rhythm with the launch of Mercadinho da Figueira, a local producers' market that runs from late February through to the end of the year. Held in the space beside the Polidesportivo da Figueira, the market is designed to bring the region's small-scale growers and makers directly to residents and visitors, with each edition spotlighting a different seasonal product. The first outing celebrates the orange, which in late winter is at its fragrant, juice-heavy best.

The stalls are staffed by the people who grow, harvest and make what they sell: fruit from local orchards, honey from hives kept in the hills, traditional liqueurs distilled in small batches, regional sweets that follow recipes handed down through families, and handmade crafts that reflect the skills still practised in the countryside around Portimão. The atmosphere is informal and neighbourly, with producers happy to talk about their work and offer tastes where appropriate.

Figueira itself is a residential area a little inland from Portimão's centre, not a tourist district, which gives the market an authenticity that can be hard to find in the busier coastal markets. You are shopping alongside locals doing their weekly rounds, and the produce reflects what is actually grown and made in the Algarve rather than what is imported to meet visitor expectations. The orange theme for the first edition means citrus in many forms: fruit by the kilo, marmalades, cakes, liqueurs, and perhaps orange blossom honey if the timing is right.

The market runs on a regular schedule through the year, though the exact days and frequency are not specified here. If you are staying in Portimão or nearby resorts like Praia da Rocha or Alvor, it is worth checking locally to confirm when it is on during your visit. The Polidesportivo is easy to reach by car, with parking nearby, and the market is small enough to browse in an hour or so, making it a pleasant stop on the way to or from a day out.

This is not a polished tourist market with buskers and food trucks. It is a genuine local initiative, modest in scale but rich in what it offers to anyone interested in the Algarve beyond the beach. If you want to taste the region's agricultural traditions, meet the people who keep them going, and perhaps take home something that was made within a few kilometres of where you bought it, Mercadinho da Figueira is worth the short detour. Bring cash, as not all stalls will have card facilities, and come ready to carry your purchases — this is a place for filling a basket, not browsing empty-handed.