Top choice for books: Térmita

In our 5 Shops series, we guide you to our favorite independent retailers in some of the world’s most vibrant cities. From food markets to bookstores, vintage finds to artisanal designs, we’ve curated an exciting array of local shops where you can discover unique treasures.

Many travelers to Porto are captivated by the city’s culinary delights and rich traditions. While the shops reflect these elements beautifully, they also lead shoppers into some delightful, unexpected realms. Here are five of our top picks for shopping in northern Portugal’s enchanting cultural hub.

Alright, we confess, Banco de Materiais isn't a typical shop—unless you happen to own a dilapidated building in Porto. If that’s the case and some of your tiles are missing, you can request replacements from this archive of architectural pieces, and if they have matching patterns, you can snag the tiles at no cost.

Beyond an array of stunning hand-painted tiles, the “inventory” here features vintage street signs, advertisements, handcrafted door knockers, plaster elements, and metalworks. It’s accessible to the public, welcoming for browsers, and free; consider it a source of free design inspiration for both exteriors and interiors, a tile museum, or a more refined version of a trip to Home Depot.

Best for local craftsmanship GUR

When you think of Portugal, rugs might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, GUR (that’s “rug” spelled backwards—clever, right?) could change your perspective. This shop is a collaboration between owner Célia Esteves, global artists, and weavers from Viana do Castelo in northern Portugal. GUR’s rugs are vibrant, chunky (some almost 3D), and delightfully unconventional. They are also eco-friendly, handcrafted on wooden looms using leftover cotton fabric from the clothing industry.

Expense Reports: My budget-friendly weekend getaway to Porto, Portugal

GUR’s sole showroom, situated in Porto’s elegant Bonfim district, is a bright and airy space that allows those vibrant colors to pop. There’s a loom and workshop in the back, and GUR shares its venue with a gallery that features rotating exhibitions. Most of the rugs are compact enough to be rolled up and fit into a standard suitcase.

Top choice for souvenirsFerragens Fermoura

You likely didn’t plan to visit a hardware store during your Porto shopping spree, but hear us out. Ferragens Fermoura began in 1957 as a seller of tools and construction supplies, but as other shops shut down over the years, the fourth-generation owners smartly diversified their stock to include quirky, locally made items that attract visitors. Today, the store serves a mix of locals picking up stainless steel hinges and tourists discovering artisanal soaps.

Even visitors from Lisbon are captivated by the eclectic selection here, featuring items like deadstock toys, a wooden screw designed for cracking walnuts, furniture wax from heritage companies, the iconic stainless steel containers used for serving olive oil in Portugal, folk art figurines, and rustic clay dishes. “We offer a little bit of everything for everyone,” says Carlos, the amiable English-speaking owner, who mentions that sometimes foreign tourists drop by looking for tools or parts to mend their luggage or shoes.

Unlike Lisbon, where supermarkets dominate, Porto is still home to several timeless, family-run food shops. Our favorite among them is Casa Lourenço.

With a history spanning an estimated 120 years, the shop originally sold fruit and cheese from Serra de Estrela in northern Portugal. Today, its offerings, which fill every inch of the narrow space, include cheeses from all over the country, vintage bottles of Port wine, cured hams, tins of seafood, and rare olive oils. Owner João Cunha and his wife have managed the shop for 54 years, prioritizing products from small, artisanal producers. They’re also happy to slice or vacuum-pack items for visitors. When we stopped by, João recommended salpicão, a type of smoked meat from northern Portugal, and a bottle of wine from the Douro region for under 10 euros (“It’s almost a homemade wine!”), and I ended up taking both home.

With its collection of ‘zines, self-published works, and titles from independent and small presses, along with a diverse and knowledgeable selection of used books, Térmita (which means termite in Portuguese) evokes the vibe of a trendy 90s bookstore or the attic library of a friend with unique literary tastes.

The inventory is primarily in Portuguese, featuring numerous titles about Macau and China (with more awaiting in storage, we’re told), as well as books on history, colonial Portugal, and art. There are also selections in English, French, and Spanish, along with quirky vintage tourist guides, brochures, and maps that any reader will appreciate. The inventory is always evolving as owner Hugo acquires new titles from small publishers and adds more used books. Charming, Térmita also shares its space with Café Candelabro, one of Porto’s coolest wine bars, making it a perfect spot to read, sip, and exude sophistication.