which supermarket is the cheapest.

[tricky]

We are coming out next week for four weeks and I want to do an initial big shop
and wondered which supermarkets the locals (blue.LB, e richard etc) think is the best one to shop at. I usually go to whatever its called near slide and splash but should i be going to the
big one near Portimao?

[laserblazer]

Good question. I think Pingo Doce might be the cheapest but not the best selection. I think if I was going to try and keep the cost down to a minimum, I'd go to LIDL (head for Ferragudo from the N125) and get as much as possible. Then go to Continente at Portimao Retail Park for the remainder.

I'm not a local BTW, just know a lot about eating

[steve]

Aldi at Alcantarilha is probably cheaper than Lidl now.

I like Continente at Guia because the choice is good and if you have a loyalty card you can make some very good savings with the discounts available on many items. If you are here for 2 weeks you can use the accumulated discount on a second shop. If you spend over €45 you get a petrol voucher which gives 5 cents a litre off at Galp and when you use the voucher you get another voucher from the petrol station worth 5 cents a litre as a discount at Continente. The savings all mount up. This applies at all the Continente/Modelo stores.

Apolonia at Gale has an upmarket reputation based on the original store at Almancil but is actually quite good for prices on many items and undercuts the larger supermarkets on some of the items I buy regularly. The large English sliced bread (white, wholemeal or granary) from the freezer section offers much better value than the Portuguese sliced loaves if you are in to this sort of thing.

[maccasa]

Pao Azucar just off the N125 towards the slide and splash? aqua park left at the island just outside Lagoa heading to Portimao - good value - cheaper than Intermarche and better selection than Pingo Doce at Lagoa- But for best prices, although less choice, the latter is cheapest.

[Gary/Gaynor]

Pao Azucar just off the N125 towards the slide and splash? aqua park left at the island just outside Lagoa heading to Portimao - good value - cheaper than Intermarche and better selection than Pingo Doce at Lagoa- But for best prices, although less choice, the latter is cheapest.

Agree, we always use this one too.
gaynor

[EMM]

We have started follwoing the examples of our neighbours and to take advantage of the monthly special offers from each of the big supermarkets.
These can be found in the flyers which most of us regard as a nuiscance.

Examples 50% saving on pate, 60% on some wines etc. Very good when it comes to cleaning materials and toiletries.

[ditzy]

We have started follwoing the examples of our neighbours and to take advantage of the monthly special offers from each of the big supermarkets.
These can be found in the flyers which most of us regard as a nuiscance.

Examples 50% saving on pate, 60% on some wines etc. Very good when it comes to cleaning materials and toiletries.

I second this.

In general, I would say that Continente has a better choice by far, and Pão de Açucar is often much emptier than its cheaper yet smaller 'neighbour' Pingo Doce

[laserblazer]

I like Pão de Açucar best. It's bright and airy and as Ditzy pointed out, not too busy. There's a good choice and the little cafe is good value, as is the clothes place.

[Farol]

For the best value and quality of fresh fruit, veg, meat, fish, bread and cakes I don't think you can beat the fresh produce market in Portimao. Not easy to find (coincidently it's near the cemetery) but once you have found it you will keep returning. If you have ever gone to the one in Loule (as many tourist do) the one in Portimao is every bit as good.

We stock up there at the start of our trips and then it doesn't matter so much what the supermarket chains charge as we have already got the basics.

We like the fact that you are supporting the local producers with some stalls being run by the farmers that have grown the goods. Don't be afraid to ask for a taster - it's what the locals do.

[pointersister]

Where is the cemetary? Not that I want to be in it!! but I need to get my bearings re: this market!! How often is it on? I am off to Carvoeiro on Friday fot 9 days and need to find good food!!

[blue]

We use the Continente at Guia for our large monthly shop (there's one on the 125 at Portimao also) I think Pingo Doce are very good & Pao de Acucar but generally I find Continente best value, I use the vouchers & I have a discount card we got 38 euros off our shop the other day with our card.

[Gary/Gaynor]

Blue, I have a cutomer card too but how does it work, they keep swiping it but do I ask for the points to be taken off????
Gaynor

[Farol]

Where is the cemetary? Not that I want to be in it!! but I need to get my bearings re: this market!! How often is it on? I am off to Carvoeiro on Friday fot 9 days and need to find good food!!

Market opening hours can be found here:
http://www.mercadodeportimao.pt/index.p ... &Itemid=57
but the fish stalls are nearly all closed on Mondays so go another day for those.

Approx locatiion on this Google map:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Avenida ... CBkQ8gEwAA

Not really easy to describe how to find it but:
- from N125 take the Hospital exit towards Portimao
- go straight over the hospital roundabout
- go down the underpass before the next roundabout
- half way along the underpass at the traffic lights take the right exit to turn left (ie you really want to turn left but have to do it in typical Portuguese way)
- you should go up a small hill with a double bend and then come to a set of traffic lights. (At these lights the fire station should be across the road on the left corner and the cemetery across the road on the right corner.)
- turn right at these lights
- the market (Mercado Municipal de Portimao) is then 100 metres along on the left next to the cemetery - it is a pretty anonymous looking building - mixture of stone & render as far as I can remember - but spotlessly clean and cool inside.
- you can either park in the field opposite (on your right the way I've described) or there is an undeground car park under the market.

[steve]

Gaqy/Gaynor

Any discounts accumulated on the Continente card apear on the till screen alongside the total payable. The discounts arise from special offers in store and the tokens issued from time to time. These can all build up quite quickly and offer a worthwhile saving. They used to give an amount for total spend but I don't recollect anything for a while.

[blue]

I usually save my points for the Christmas shop (got 75 euros off last year) but last time we had a load of people coming out so I thought I'd knock a few quid off so H didn't faint.
They normally ask if you want to use the points or not, I reply in my very bad Portuguese "uso os pontos" - I use the points, which they seem to understand & Bob's your aunty, they knock the money off.