Market Tour & Cooking Class: Algarve’s Seafood Cataplana

Overview

Available languages

Portuguese

English

French

3 hours 30 minutes

Mobile ticket

The Market Tour and Cataplana Cooking Class offers a truly immersive experience, combining the excitement of exploring Lagos' vibrant market with the hands-on joy of cooking an authentic Algarve dish. Guided by a skilled chef, you'll select the freshest ingredients and learn traditional techniques that capture the essence of Portuguese cuisine. This experience not only enhances your culinary skills but also deepens your connection to the Algarve's rich culture. Join us for a unique and memorable journey that blends food, culture, and community in one unforgettable event.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

All the ingredients and traditional cookware needed to create this flavorful dish

A guided tour of the Municipal Market of Lagos to select fresh ingredients

A complete meal including an appetizer, dessert, water, and two glasses of wine

After the experience, you'll receive a PDF of the recipe so you can recreate the Cataplana at home

Guide; Languages offered: English, Portuguese, French

If customers want more than the two included glasses of wine, each extra glass costs €5, payable in cash.

What To Expect

Dive into the rich flavors of the Algarve with our Market Tour & Cataplana Cooking Class, a unique culinary experience that combines shopping for fresh ingredients with mastering the preparation of Cataplana, a traditional Portuguese seafood dish. Embodying the essence of the southern Portuguese coast, this 3.5-hour adventure begins with a guided visit to the Municipal Market of Lagos, where you'll select the freshest seafood and vegetables under the guidance of our expert chef. During this class, our chef will lead you through each step of the process, sharing the history and cultural significance of Cataplana. By the end of this experience, you will know how to: Choose and prepare the seafood and other essential ingredients Assemble the traditional Cataplana pan Cook the dish to perfection, blending flavors that are both fresh and aromatic You will also: Taste the authentic flavors of your freshly made Cataplana Connect with fellow food enthusiasts who appreciate culinary traditions Enhance your cooking skills with a recipe that’s steeped in Portuguese heritage

Sample Menu

starter

Algarve Starter

main

Cataplana - Seafood

dessert

Algarve dessert

Options

Market Tour & Cooking Class: Algarve’s Seafood Cataplana

Reviews

5.00

15 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Great!
maryjoa665,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Loved it! Will definitely make this dish when we get home. They were professional but fun as well. Best custard tarts ever.
Amazing Seafood Cataplana at the Kitchen
Guide21053639761,
Sep 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What a great experience we had. It all started with a tour of the local fish market where we had the chance to go with Joana buy the fish for our cataplana. Back at the Kitchen, we started preparing the cataplana with the other guests, under Joana's guidance. During preparation, Joana served one of her favorite white wines from the Algarve along with some olives and tremoços (lupine seeds). The cataplana was phenomenal. Whatelse would expect when you mix together Joana's expertise with fresh seafood and fresh locally grown vegetables !!! Finally, I'd like to say that Joana was a fantastic hostess. She went above and beyond to create a relaxing and friendly environment to make everyone feel at home.
Informative morning with delicious food!
JillsyDuncan,
Aug 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I booked this for myself and my 13 year old son who loves cooking. We had a super time. The visit to the fish market was really interesting, and we learnt some fun facts about Lagos old town along the way. Cooking the cataplana was really fun - and definitely easy enough to try again at home. There were generous portions of food - starters and two delicious local cakes to try, along with plentiful local wine and an Algarvian almond liqueur. I would definitely recommend - and will be booking the pastel da nata class next time we visit.
Fantastic Class!!
L4579OXjasonk,
Aug 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an awesome time at this class. The market tour was fun and the cooking class was very enjoyable. A wonderful and delicious experience overall. Highly recommend!!
Excellent cooking class
Ethan L,
Aug 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Jo was great in the tour and the class. The Pastel de maya at the end was amazing too!!! It was a small group class and able to enjoy and talk and learn about the local market
Amazing Family Cooking Experience
Navigate699561,
Jul 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Book this cooking class with Joanna and Margarita, you will not regret it. By far our best experience as a family in Lagos, Algarve. We went to the market to pick out only the freshest seafood/fish then went back to The Kitchen which is a super inviting atmosphere to prepare our cataplana. The food, the wine, the dessert, the fun conversations were fabulous! Did I mention I did this with my 11 yo son, who rated this experience and food 10/10?!!
A taste of Lagos.
dooleyg2022,
Apr 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What an amazing way to spend the morning. We met close to one, if not the oldest fish markets in Lagos. Our guides spoke to the memories of how busy the market used to be when they were younger. Fortunately, they both were seeing more people coming to the market these days . After gathering our supplies we headed to the kitchen. What a great space. Bright and roomy with plenty of room to prepare food. We enjoyed wine, fruit juice for me, and a Couvert. Afterwards, we enjoyed our Cataplana, followed by dessert and a delightful sweet wine. We had so much fun speaking about the dish, making new friends and getting some great places to check out in Lagos. I recommend this opportunity without reservations. Enjoy!!
Authentic homemade cataplana – a delicious experience.
Julia W,
Mar 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
The Cataplana cooking class was led by three wonderful women with a lot of love and dedication. We bought the seafood together at the fish market and learned a lot about fish and its history. The original location was unusable due to water damage, so we went to a nearby alternative restaurant, which was also beautifully designed and prepared. The group was just the right size (not too many participants), and the atmosphere was very informal. We learned a lot about the regional cuisine and culture. Overall, despite the difficult conditions caused by the water damage, the class was extremely well prepared, the atmosphere was fantastic, and everyone had a lot of fun (and wine 😉) – and the food was excellent and fresh. We highly recommend participating and will come back on our next vacation to Portugal. Thanks to Joana, her mom, Margarida, our group, and the team at the alternative location, Tasca do Kiko, for the spectacular day 💐
Must do experience. Great fun which learning!
markcrerar,
Mar 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a fabulous time shopping for and then learning how to cook seafood cataplana. Joana and Rida made it a wonderful afternoon and something we will remember. Our group was five groups of two whom had never met before. We bonded immediately making it more like a house party with great friends. Joana and Rida who created the environment and Joana happens to be an amazing cook! Through conversation and a game, we learned about the region. The food, wine, facility and overall ambiance were absolutely super. We were sad when it was our time to depart. M&J
We Were Spoiled
annesY7978OV,
Feb 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Thank you! We had the most wonderful time at the market and making seafood cataplana with new friends today. There was so much joy, wine, and goodwill mixed in with the recipe. Beyond delicious, truly spoiled, and we learned so much. It is an unforgettable experience and will always be a fond memory. Your mother would be as proud of you, Joana, just like you are so proud of her. Thank you again, we wish all of you the very best.