The 6 Local Market Tours in Portugal That Earn Their Price

1.Porto Local Market Visit & Cooking Class / Showcooking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 206 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) Our pick

Meet guides such as Nuno or Ana at Mercado do Bolhão for a food-focused walk and market shop. Then take the metro over the Luís I Bridge to a clean kitchen in Gaia for a Portuguese showcooking lunch with cod, alheira croquettes, pastel de nata, wine, and coffee.

“We really enjoyed walking through the market and our host, sharing with us the history of Porto. He was knowledgeable and funny. When we went to the kitchen, his partner was also knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Both did a great job of including the whole group and we enjoyed the others in our group. We came home with great recipes and skills.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Local Market, Food, and Culture Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 40 reviews · from $82

Start at Time Out Market with coffee and Pastel de Nata, cross to Cacilhas for seafood, then return through Baixa and Rossio for bifana, Ginjinha, cheese, wine, and local stories. Guides such as Luis, Bruno, Alexandra, and Tania lead in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.

“If you love 'somebody Feedback Phil' you must do this tour. The guide Luis is such a great guide! He reallye gives you insights of the city, the food and the culture. It's a highlight if you vitit the City. So: grap your sneakers, come hungry and enjoy Lisbon with this event.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Local Market Tour & Cooking Class/Showcooking

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 32 reviews · from $114

Start with Ana at Mercado do Bolhão, where you learn about Portuguese ingredients, vendors, and food traditions. Then take the metro across the upper level of the Luís I Bridge to Jardim do Morro, where Ana and Joseph lead a relaxed cod-focused showcooking with tastings, wine, and dessert.

“Without a doubt the most magical experience you could have in Porto. Ana provided a fantastic overview of the market and local vendors, she made us feel so comfortable that we had no problem returning to navigate the market on our own. The kitchen space is perfect for an intimate group, Ana and Joseph were relatable, entertaining, and made learning the cooking techniques fun and easy. The food was delicious and we enjoyed the company of our small group very much. We loved every minute!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Madeira : Santo de Serra Local Farmers’ Market half day trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 26 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $49Best value

Spend half a day with a local guide such as Eduardo or Dino, visiting Santo da Serra’s Sunday market and riding an open 4x4 through Santa Cruz, Morena, steep village roads, and mountain viewpoints. Hotel pickup from Funchal is included, with small groups of up to eight.

“Friendly driver who gave us a guided tour that was very interesting.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Cooking Class with Local Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $106

Meet Nuno at his home, shop for fresh ingredients in small local markets, then prepare a full Portuguese meal from scratch. You will cook, learn about Portugal’s food traditions, taste wine, port, and olive oil, and finish with dishes such as fish and pastel de nata.

“A very hands on experience. Nice to visit small local markets to shop for ingredients. Learned some cooking tips and tricks as well as some Portuguese recipes that I should be able to duplicate at home.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.South of Lisbon: Local Market & Canned Sardines Factory Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3 hours · from $91

Spend three hours in Setúbal with a private Portuguese, English, or Spanish-speaking guide. Visit Livramento Market, the Jesus Convent, historic churches, and a working canned sardines factory. Morning tours include the Fisherman’s Market, and guide Raquel has earned special praise for her warm, interesting style.

Check availability →Read our full review