For self-catering tourists, the range of supermarkets in Lagos is among the best in the western Algarve. Unlike smaller resort villages that rely on seasonal convenience stores, Lagos is a working city with a year-round population. This benefits your holiday budget, provided you know where to look.

Visitors staying in the historic Old Town or near the beaches are often surrounded by small "Mini-Mercados." While useful for essentials, they operate on a convenience model with higher margins. Prices for basic staples such as water, alcohol, and fresh produce in these locations are often far higher than the national average.

To access standard Portuguese pricing, head to the commercial hubs on the town's outskirts, where options are extensive. You will find the major national chains like Continente and Pingo Doce, which dominate the fresh food market, alongside the German discounters Lidl and Aldi for efficient value. value. For those missing specific tastes from home, Intermarché offers a wide range of imported goods, while the hypermarket Auchan and the premium retailer Apolónia are just a short drive away.

This guide details the best supermarkets in Lagos and helps you find the most suitable option for your holiday food shop.

• Continente Modelo: The best all-rounder for a massive "arrival shop." This store functions as a compact hypermarket, stocking a full range of groceries alongside beach gear, kitchen equipment, and electronics.

• Pingo Doce: The top choice for fresh ingredients. If you plan to cook seafood on the BBQ, visit here. Their fish counters receive daily catches, and the store layout mimics a traditional market rather than an industrial warehouse.

• Intermarché: The import specialist. Head here if you need specific home comforts like English tea, French cheese, or German sausages not available in standard Portuguese shops.

• Lidl & Aldi: The savings option. These German discounters are perfect for buying large volumes of water, beer, and dry goods at the lowest possible prices. They stock fewer brands but offer consistent quality.

• Auchan: The giant option. Located a short drive away in Portimão, this massive hypermarket suits long-term visitors who need everything from bedding to bulk food supplies.

• Apolónia: The luxury choice. Situated in Lagoa (about 20 minutes away), this is the place to visit for fine wines, gluten-free specialty items, and gourmet deli products.

To assist with your planning, the map below details the locations of the primary supermarkets of Lagos. Note: zoom in or out to see the location of each of the supermarkets.

Legend: 1) Continente Modelo 2) Continente Modelo 3) Pingo Doce 4) Pingo Doce 5) Intermarché - Hiper 6) Aldi 7) Lidl 8) Auchan 9) Apolónia 10) The Food Co. Supermarket 11) Intermarché - Contact

Continente Modelo
Best for: The complete "Arrival Shop" & household goods.
As the largest retailer in Portugal, Continente is the logical first stop for a self-catering holiday. However, selecting the correct location is key. The main store in Lagos is the Continente Modelo located on the northern outskirts of the city (Cerro das Mós). A second store sits on the N125, 3km to the northeast of Lagos. This location is particularly convenient if you are staying within this eastern region, as it avoids the need to enter the city.

Operating as hypermarkets, these stores combine a full grocery supermarket with a department store. If you have just landed and need to equip your villa with food, beach umbrellas, inflatables, a replacement phone charger, or cleaning supplies, this is the most efficient single location.

Key Features:
• The "Arrival Shop": Unlike discount retailers, Continente stocks a vast range of non-food items. The center aisles are dedicated to textiles, kitchenware, and seasonal goods. If you arrive at your apartment and discover a need for extra beach towels, a sharp knife for cooking, or high-factor sunscreen, you will find it here.
• Fresh Counters: The store features fully staffed counters for meat (Talho) and fish (Peixaria). The fish counter is particularly good, receiving fresh deliveries of Atlantic catch daily. You can ask the fishmonger to scale and gut sea bream (Dourada) or sea bass (Robalo) ready for your BBQ.
• Wells: Inside, a dedicated "Wells" health and beauty section is available. This functions as a parapharmacy, stocking everything from baby formula and nappies to mosquito repellent and premium dermocosmetics.
• Worten: For any tech emergencies, there is a small electronics section where you can buy travel adapters, charging cables, or a local SIM card.
Website - www.continente.pt/

Pingo Doce (Marina & Avenida da República)
Best for: Fresh fish, fruit, and an inexpensive lunch.
While Continente feels like a large international retailer, Pingo Doce operates with a philosophy closer to a traditional municipal market. Their focus is "Comida Fresca" (Fresh Food), prioritizing high-quality fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish over household goods.

Lagos has two main stores of similar size, and your choice should depend on your transport and accommodation:
• Avenida da República (City Centre): This is the best option if you do not have a rental car. Situated just outside the city walls, it is within comfortable walking distance for anyone staying in the historic centre.
• Lagos Marina: This store is the most convenient option for tourists staying in the Meia Praia region. It acts as the closest major supermarket to the eastern side of the harbour, saving you the trouble of crossing the bridge into the main town.

Key Features of Pingo Doce:
• The Fishmonger: A primary reason to choose Pingo Doce. The fish counters here are widely considered the best among mainstream chains, receiving daily deliveries of local Atlantic catch. For grilling sardines or sea bream at your villa, source them here.
• The Cafeteria & Takeaway: Most medium-to-large stores feature an in-house restaurant. More than a snack bar, it serves hot, chef-prepared meals like soups, grilled fish, and roast meats for a fraction of the price of a tourist restaurant. It is a viable spot for a quick, affordable lunch.
• The Frango Assado: For a self-catering night off, head to the takeaway counter. You can buy a whole grilled chicken with rice and chips by weight. It is often faster and more economical than the dedicated piri-piri chicken shops in town.
Website - www.pingodoce.pt/

Lidl & Aldi (The German Discounters)
Best for: Budget staples
These two German chains operate on a high-efficiency "Hard Discount" model. Unlike the massive Portuguese hypermarkets, they stock a limited range of products, typically around 2,000 items compared to 20,000 at Continente. Crucially, they focus on their own private-label brands rather than big-name manufacturers. Instead of ten different types of olive oil, expect one excellent option at an exceptional price.

The "Middle Aisle": In summer, the center aisle transforms into a discount beach depot. Here, you can find windbreaks, parasols, and snorkelling gear for roughly 50% of the price charged by beachfront souvenir shops.

Insider Tip: The best strategy is to visit one of these discounters first to buy heavy basics (water, beer, wine, charcoal) at the lowest price, then visit Pingo Doce or Continente for specific brands or fresh fish that the discounters lack.

Intermarché
Best for: Imported home comforts and low-cost fuel.
Intermarché occupies a unique niche in Lagos' retail landscape. Unlike the centralized management of Continente, these stores operate as franchises, allowing individual managers to adapt their inventory to the specific demographics of their local area.

• The Import Specialist: As many branches cater specifically to Northern European tourists and expatriates, Intermarché is the most reliable source for imported goods. If you are missing a specific item from home, such as British tea and bacon, German sausages, or French cheeses, this is where you are most likely to find it.

• Cheap Fuel: A major logistical advantage for self-catering tourists with a rental car is the "Low-Cost" fuel stations found at many locations. The price per litre here is often significantly lower than at the branded stations on the highway, making it an ideal stop for refuelling.
Website - www.intermarche.pt

Auchan (Aqua Portimão)
Best for: International variety, health foods, and hypermarket scale.
Located a 20-minute drive from Lagos, Auchan is situated inside the Aqua Portimão shopping centre. While it requires a short journey down the N125, it is the superior choice for long-term visitors who need to equip an apartment rather than just stock a fridge.

Formerly known as "Jumbo," this store operates as a massive hypermarket. It distinguishes itself by offering a scale of inventory that the smaller Lagos supermarkets cannot match. Beyond groceries, you will find extensive aisles dedicated to home textiles (bedding and towels), small kitchen appliances, and electronics. If you are staying for a month and need a specific coffee machine or extra pillows, this is where you will find them.

Key Features:
• Sabores do Mundo (World Flavours): Auchan is the preferred destination for international visitors due to its dedicated "Sabores do Mundo" section. This aisle stocks a broader and more diverse variety of international ingredients than typical Portuguese retailers, making it the best place to source spices, sauces, and specialty items for elaborate cooking.
• Health & Dietary: The chain places a strong emphasis on health and well-being. It offers one of the most comprehensive "Bio" (organic), gluten-free, and vegan sections in the region. If you have strict dietary requirements that local discounters cannot meet, Auchan is the safest bet.
• The Mall Experience: The store is part of the largest shopping centre in the western Algarve, which includes major brands like Primark, H&M, and Zara. This allows you to combine your grocery run with a clothes shopping trip.
Website: www.auchan.pt/

Apolónia
Best for: Gourmet foods, fine wine, and dietary requirements.
Apolónia is widely recognized as the premier supermarket in the Algarve, operating on a philosophy of "quality above all else". Shopping here is a refined experience, with spacious aisles and a level of service unrivaled by other retailers. While it carries a higher price point, it is the ideal destination for three specific types of shopper:

• The Gourmet Shopper: The butcher and fish counters are exceptional, offering premium cuts like Black Angus and Wagyu beef, alongside top-tier seafood often supplied to the region's best restaurants.
• Dietary Needs: It is the safest destination for travellers with dietary restrictions, boasting the region's most comprehensive selection of gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, and organic products.
• The Wine Lover: The store features a temperature-controlled wine cellar curated by sommeliers, stocking everything from affordable local wines to rare vintage champagnes.
• Delivery: They offer a premium home delivery service which is free for orders over €125 - perfect for stocking a luxury villa with heavy water and wine upon arrival.
Website: www.apolonia.com/

The Food Co.
Best for: British brands and products.
Established in 2019 to bring a "taste of home" to the Iberian Peninsula, The Food Co is a specialist importer dedicated to serving the large British expatriate and tourist community. If you are self-catering and struggling to find specific tastes from home in Portuguese stores, this is your solution.

• The Tesco Connection: The store acts as an official stockist for Tesco, carrying approximately 7,500 product lines of British goods. This includes everything from Tesco Finest ready meals to specific cleaning products.
• Home Comforts: It is the reliable place to find items that are otherwise hard to find in the Algarve, such as strong English tea bags, cheddar cheese, bacon, crumpets, and specific condiments like Marmite or salad cream.
• For Families: If you are travelling with children who are selective eaters and accustomed to specific UK brands (e.g., baked beans, cereals, or squash), a trip here can save your holiday meals.
Website: www.thefoodco.es/