The Mercado do Bolhão is a busy central market with a variety of items on sale. ‘Bolhão means bubble. As the story goes, there used to be a spring bubbling up at this exact location. The market, which is just around the corner from the Café majestic, takes up an entire city block, stretching along Rua de Sá da Bandeira, a few blocks east of Avenida dos Aliados.
You’ll find an assortment of birds (living or already butchered), cheese, dried nuts, flowers, fruits, household goods, olives and vegetables for sale. Come autumn, stacks of chestnuts are set out to buy. Stout ‘fisher’ women hawk their goods in booming voices, competing for customers. It’s a lively place. The Mercado do Bolhão is open from the morning until the early afternoon, Monday through Saturday.