Shopping in Sao Miguel Island - authentic goods, best outlets, malls and boutiques

Sao Miguel is not a small island. Here you can find shopping centres and shops with products from many well-known European brands. However, if your plans are to buy a large number of items of clothing, shoes and a variety of accessories, it is worth to spend a day or two and go to the continental part of the country. The island is a perfect place where you can buy goods from local producers and authentic souvenirs that will remind you of the journey for many years. If you are going to visit the shops of the island, remember that siesta plays an important role for Sao Miguel inhabitants. All small shops are closed from 12 to 3 o’clock. Sometimes you can buy some goods in large supermarkets during this period of time.

It is not accepted to bargain too actively here, but still, you should also remember that you can ask for a discount in small shops for a few one-time purchases if the seller does not offer it himself. A pineapple liqueur will be a unique gift from Sao Miguel. The taste of the drink is quite unusual but it conveys the mood of the island and its inhabitants. Be sure to bring home a few bottles of wine Biscoitos de Terceira from the island, any kind of green wine and local beer, which are high quality delicious drinks here. Remember that green wine is best to drink chilled. If your plans include buying a large number of different wines, you should better look for them at local wineries.

Be sure to bring a pack of local tea for your family or friends. It is grown directly on the island and almost never exported outside the archipelago, despite the high quality of the final product. You can look for the coffee, which can be found even at the smallest shops of Sao Miguel. The islanders love this drink, and you will never find low-quality coffee here. Local cezves are also made here with great care. A good purchase would be a local coffee machine or a coffee grinder. Souvenir coffee cups are also sold in large quantities on the island. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

You should definitely buy cheese from local farmers. Here is a big choice of cheese – both goat, cow, hard, and soft. Buy what you like most, but in any case, try São Jorge cheese, which is almost not sold outside the Azores. In short, everyone will find cheese to his taste. Canned fish caught in local waters is also delicious. For example, local tuna has unusual red meat. If the way home is not too long, you can take an orange roll or cakes with chocolate filling, but you should pack them carefully.

Do you want to buy beautiful and useful things? Leather items made by local workers are famous among tourists. It can be a stylish bracelet, clutch, handbag or backpack, and even shoes – all of these are made with great care. Portuguese leather shoes are said to be some of the best, right up there with Italian ones. So there is no doubt about the quality of the products of local craftsmen. But do not try to buy something at a low price, there is a great chance to get a Chinese counterfeit. Local laces can be a very interesting purchase. Of course, not all of the women of Sao Miguel are engaged in needlework in the 21st century, but the traditions of ancestors are not forgotten here. Only the motives that determined the pattern are changing over the centuries. Embroidery of different types is sold here in any souvenir shop. Embroidered towels, pillowcases, bedspreads and tablecloths are popular among the tourists.

The items of local potters will definitely remind you about sunny Sao Miguel. Bright plates, mugs, bowls and even salad bowls and dishes will decorate any festive or a daily meal. Large painted dishes can be used to decorate the house. A good souvenir will also be traditional for Portugal patterned tiles or a small statue of a man or animal. The latter, by the way, is often made in the form of a rooster, which is a symbol of the archipelago. A variety of cork products are famous among tourists. From postcards and pens to umbrellas and many other useful things.