Mercado Municipal de Olhão

The Mercado Municipal de Olhao is the pair of market halls on Avenida 5 de Outubro that anchor the town's reputation as one of the Algarve's food destinations. Construction began in 1912 and the buildings, one for fish and shellfish and one for fruit, vegetables and meat, opened in 1916, built in iron and exposed brick with four glazed corner towers, each hall supported on 88 wooden piles linked by brick arches. The markets closed for rehabilitation in the late twentieth century and reopened to the public in 1998, with a more recent interior renovation adding painted azulejo tile panels by the artist Costa Pinheiro. Today the two halls are run by the municipal company Mercados de Olhao, based at Avenida 5 de Outubro, Loja 43. The operator describes the fish and shellfish hall and the produce and meat hall as among the town's emblems and a stop expected of both residents and visitors. The markets also host a season of cultural and gastronomic events, including showcooking demonstrations built around Olhao's food traditions and events marking the buildings' history.