Shopping in Lisbon is an all-day affair with plenty of major shopping malls, including two of Europe's largest, namely Centro Colombo and the Amoreiras Shopping Centre. Some of Lisbon's smaller independent shops can be found downtown in the Baixa quarter and strolling through these streets, visitors can marvel at the unique exteriors of shops lining the pavement.The most famous market in Lisbon has to be the Feira da Ladra, held every Tuesday and Saturday on the Campo de Santa Clara. Here, bargain hunters can sift through clothing, hand-made goods, CDs, books, antiques, furniture and second hand bits and pieces. It's a must when shopping in Lisbon but tourists should beware of pickpockets.Shops in Lisbon are generally open from 9am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm, Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, shopping hours are from 9am to 7pm and many of the larger shopping malls stay open until midnight.Visitors should look into obtaining a Lisboa Shopping Card, which is available from tourist offices and provides discounts for tourists at more than 200 participating stores.There is a sales tax of 23% included in general prices and part of this tax can be reclaimed by non-EU visitors when leaving the EU. Visitors wanting to reclaim this tax should ask for a refund cheque at the point of purchase for more expensive buys. This is then stamped by a customs official on departure and is only offered by participating stores in Lisbon.
