If you're passing through Portimão in the second half of October, there's a free and slightly unexpected reason to duck into the Continente Shopping Centre: a two-week exhibition of work by children and teenagers from local visual arts school Montradartekids.

The show, titled Apis Mellifera — Latin for the western honeybee — runs from October 16 to 30 on the first floor of the centre, in the Cultura no Centro space. There's an official opening on Saturday, October 17, from 5pm to 6pm, which is likely the liveliest time to drop in if you want to see the young artists celebrated by family, teachers and locals.

This is the fourth edition of the annual exhibition and doubles as a 15th-anniversary celebration for the school. Montradartekids was founded in 2011 and teaches visual arts to children and teenagers from age five upwards. It's led by Vanessa Barreto, daughter of Algarve artist Stela Barreto — so there's a family artistic lineage behind the project. The teaching philosophy goes beyond technique: pupils are introduced to different styles and artists, but the emphasis is on curiosity, observation and building confidence in their own creative voice.

For visitors, the appeal is simple. It's an easy, cost-free slice of local life — the kind of community event most holidaymakers never stumble across. Portimão is best known for its beaches, fish restaurants and the dramatic cliffs of the nearby Rocha and Alvor coastline, so a half-hour browse among paintings by five-year-olds and teenagers makes for a nice change of pace, especially on a rare overcast Algarve afternoon. And because it's inside a working shopping centre, you can pair it with errands, coffee or a supermarket run without going out of your way.

Anyone wanting more details can call 966 190 617 or check Montradartekids on Instagram. The exhibition closes on October 30, so timing matters if this is on your list.

Who is this for? Families travelling with kids who might enjoy seeing work by local children, art lovers keen on grassroots Algarve culture rather than gallery blockbusters, and anyone staying in or near Portimão in mid-to-late October looking for something indoors and free. If you're visiting outside those dates, the Cultura no Centro space hosts rotating events, so it's worth checking what's on when you're in town.

Full credit goes to Portugal Resident for the original report.