Ikea store in the south of Portugal…read more
This is the IKEA store for the entirety of the Algarve, the south facing coast of Portugal. Along with stores near Lisbon and Porto, this one rounds out the three stores in this smaller EU country.
It is located smack in the middle of the Algarve, just slightly north of Faro, the administrative hub of this region. It sits up by the "Via do Infante," the faster highway (A 22) across the Algarve named after Prince Henry the Navigator. It is in Mar Shopping, which is seen from the freeway, is fairly easy to reach, and is a large and impressive enough shopping center.
The food at this location is reliable and a good value, just like at the other European stores I have visited. The service is a little more aloof, possibly owing to the fact that this is a touristic area and they might be a little tourist weary. However, this is counterbalanced by how nice the restaurant itself is. The restaurant appears to be much larger and airier than others because of a very high ceiling and a tall window system, bringing in the surrounding hills and vegetation. Being in its own area with not much nearby and because of the Mediterranean climate, there is also an outdoor terrace at which customers can eat. I've eaten both inside the restaurant and on the outdoor terrace, and both make for a very pleasant experience.
All of the other areas of the store seem to be well stocked, organized, and clean. There is plenty of parking and there are many other stores and restaurants one can visit, with a fair number of them belonging to known chains. Also the "Via do Infante" autostrada, where the tolls were somewhat reasonable, has become free of charge. I also believe that one area bus may come to Mar Shopping. In concluding, what makes this Ikea a worthwhile place to shop or eat is its spaciousness and its being part of the modern and nicely done Mar Shopping complex.
