Mercado do Livramento

In the centre of Setúbal, the Mercado do Livramento is one of the great fish markets of Portugal. Its stalls display the catch of the day with the pride of a centuries-old fishing tradition, and its walls are covered with remarkable tile panels that turn a market visit into a lesson in the region’s fish and shellfish.

History and identity

The market was built in the late nineteenth century as the municipal market of Setúbal, a city long defined by its fishing fleet. The celebrated azulejo panels, added in the twentieth century, depict the fish and shellfish of the Sado and the coast, making the market one of the most photographed interiors in the region.

What to find and discover

• The fish and shellfish stalls, with the catch of the Sado and the Atlantic.
• The tile panels, illustrating the species sold under the same roof.
• The produce and regional stalls of the surrounding halls.
• The market’s lively mornings, at the heart of the city’s daily life.

Products and specialities

Setúbal is famous for its fish and shellfish — from sardines and choco (cuttlefish) to the clams and oysters of the estuary — and the market is the place to see them at their freshest, alongside the fruit, vegetables and cheeses of the peninsula of Setúbal.

Nearby

O Parque Natural da Arrábida, with its hills and coves above the sea, begins just outside the city.

Visiting

The market is in the centre of Setúbal, about 50 kilometres south of Lisbon, reached by road and rail. It opens every morning, with variations on Sundays and holidays; check the official municipal pages before your visit.

Information: cm-setubal.pt.

Image credit: Mercado do Livramento, Setúbal, by Viet-hoian1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.