Aveiro, Portugal

Q: What are the best dates for visiting Aveiro?

Aveiro is characterized by a good weather all year around , with averages of 20ºC in Summer and 13ºC the rest of the year . As a result, Aveiro can be visited easily visited all year . If you can afford choosing a date, then July is probably the best month, during this time the Festival dos Canais ( Festival of the Canals ) takes place. A celebration of the city where many different you will find many different activities such as concerts or theatre plays , among many other artistic spectacles. Another festivity that is worth experiencing is the S ã o Gonçalinho party , celebrated on the closest weekend to the 10 th of January . There is nothing resembling the caravacas throwing (tarts made of flour, eggs and sugar) from above the S ã o Gonçalinho chapel. The main purpose is to catch them with the help of any tool you can use, such as a fishing net or an umbrella . Between 25 March and 26 April, the Feira de Março ( Fair of March ) is celebrated in the city. This festivity has been taking place since 1435, where around 250 diverse market stalls are placed, selling typical products such as footwear, clothing and many more.

Q: How to get to Aveiro?

Aveiro’s optimal location makes it easy to reach it. The best way of getting there by car is from Porto , thanks to the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport . This international airport has numerous connections to Berlin , London or Paris among others, and not only to Europe but also to the rest of the continents . It is the most comfortable and quickest way of arriving to your destination. There is no problem if you don’t have a car , as Portugal is well connected by public transport . You will be able to take the train using the E line until Trindade , from there take the D line to Santo Ovidio until reaching General Torres stop. After that, you will only have to walk to the train station and take the Linha de Aveiro ( Aveiro line ). It is very easy to access the city from Lisbon , thanks to the Portela Airport , which has even more airline connections than the Oporto airport , due to the fact that it is the country’s biggest airport. From the capital, you can reach Aveiro by taking the highway in a short space of time. By public transport you only have to take the metro until the Gare do Oriente ( Lisbon Orient Station ) and then take the Alfa Pendular 182 train , which will take you directly to your destination.

Discover Aveiro, the Venezia of Portugal and you will be surprised by its canals and its modernist architecture

Aveiro, Portugal © Vitor Oliveira

Aveiro, a peculiar city based in the centre region of Portugal, is considered as a Museum-City. It was home to the wealthy bourgeoisie until the XX Century as they invested in Aveiro’s households thanks to its salt lakes, its commerce and its fishing. This led to a spectacular Art Nouveau style of architecture.

Aviero
© Vítor Oliveira

Aveiro is characterized by, among other things, its modernist architecture and the canals which cross the city-centre. You can sail through them in the typical boats of the locality, named as moliceiros or mercanteis; the moliceiro navigates swamps and the mercantel navigates canals transporting salts and goods.

Canals in Aveiro, Portugal
© Vítor Oliveira

Known as the Venezia of Portugal, one might think both cities have a lot in common due to the canals, but Aveiro is unparalleled for the magic and the special, unique style it radiates. Thanks to the wonderful weather and the warm temperatures practically all year, you will definitely enjoy taking a walk under the sun by the canals.

Palheiros Aveiro © Vítor Ribeiro

Furthermore, Aveiro is a destination for everybody; whether for ardent fans of culture and art thanks to the charming museums and architecture; or for anyone looking for a resting period. For the latter, there is nothing more relaxing than a stroll by the canals, drinking an espumante da Bairrada (foamy wine) on a terrace. Or you could roam through Portugal’s unique cobblestone streets whilst enjoying a delightful ovo mole, Aveiro’s most famous dessert, made from host in the exterior and yolk with sugar in the interior.

In the coast of this locality, you will find very beautiful and huge beaches where you can spend the day. Take the opportunity to savor the tasty fresh fish of the region and to admire Costa Nova’s picturesque colorful houses, known as Palheiros. The façade of theses buildings are painted with two lines of color, one of them always being white, whereas the other changes depending on the house, it usually is green, blue, yellow or red. This region of Portugal is well-known for baking the best tripas de Aveiro, very similar to a crepe with different fillings ideal to indulge yourself.

Apart from being Aveiro a fishing town, it is also a university city, which means that the customs and fishermen’s traditions are mixed with student life, making this destination a youthful and pleasant environment. But without losing the characteristic tranquility of a traditional city meant for getting away, a place for many tastes.

Being a special and different destination, it is perfect for a weekend getaway or a walk, as it is very easy to go all over the passageways and narrow streets. Taking a stroll by the canals, navigating in moliceiro or eating fresh fish is ideal for disconnecting from work and the bustling life.

Index

What are the best places to see in Aveiro, Portugal?
What are the best plans to follow in Aveiro?
What are the best dates for visiting Aveiro?
What are the best excursions in Aveiro?
How to get to Aveiro?
Where to stay in Aveiro?

What are the best places to see in Aveiro, Portugal?

Catedral de Aveiro
© Vítor Ribeiro

The Cathedral of Aveiro, of baroque style, has a distinguished bell tower on the outside, and an entrance hall with four Solomonic columns. Apart from the beautiful cathedral, the Church da Misericordia will draw your attention with its façade covered by blue tiles from the XIX Century, and its impressive baroque entrance.

To learn more about the local culture, you must visit the museums, which you will find many and thematically diverse. The Museum of Aveiro, also known as the museum of Princess Santa Joana, is considered as a masterpiece where her tomb remains. This museum is located in an ancient convent, home to Santa Joana where you will find many different expositions about paintings, sculptures and jewelry, among other things. On the other hand, the Museu de Arte Nova (Modern Art Museum) contains expositions dedicated to the artistic genre that characterizes Aveiro, the Art Nouveau. Finally, a bit further away from the city, more precisely in Ilhavo, you will have the opportunity to visit the Vista Alegre Museum, an incredible visit. It is one of the best-selling and known porcelain brands in the world, so much so that even Elizabeth II of England possesses different pieces of this brand. This mark has a massive store in the centre of Aveiro, where you must go if you run out of time and miss out on visiting the museum.

Due to the presence of the canals in the locality, we can stumble upon lots of bridges, with the most peculiar being the Ponte Laços de Amizade (Lovers’ Bridge), where people tie ribbons as a sign of love or friendship. It is worth crossing this bridge covered with ribbons. The Praça da República (Square of the Republic) is another sight to see, as it is in this place where you will find the Câmara Municipal de Aveiro (City Council of Aveiro) and the Church da Misericordia. You will have the desire to take a walk around and sit down to admire the living history of Aveiro in one of the benches placed in the square. You should also enter one of the most charming and popular sweet shops of the city, Confeitaria Peixinho. A place where you will have the opportunity of trying the best common sweets of the region.

Las Marinhas de Sal (Salt Lakes of Aveiro) are another huge tourist attraction, where you will love to see the process of creation of this essential condiment, required in any cooking board around the world. It is something you must visit as it also forms a very beautiful landscape that is hardly ever seen in other destinations. The salt lakes of this region, likewise, have a great historic importance for the economic growth of the city, because salt would become very valuable as it was the best way of preserving food. At the same time, close by, in Gafanha da Nazaré large boats would set sail for cod fishing and these salt lakes were essential for keeping the fish well preserved. Now the importance is not as big, though not only do they serve now as salt mines but also as great tourist attractions. A perfect classroom for the youth to learn its history, while also being a key element for the existence of native vegetation.

What are the best plans to follow in Aveiro?

In such a city with canals, it is practically necessary to take a boat trip in a moliceiro or mercantel, for they are the Aveiro’s typical boats that could be compared to the gondolas of Venezia. Though with slight differences, such as the motorized moliceiros, which the local government is trying to change to electric motors in order to have a more sustainable city.

Dunas de São Jacinto, Aveiro
© Hugo Miguel Carriço

In the past, these boats used to be employed by farmers for transporting moliço, a mixing of seaweed. There are many kinds of boat rides for these boats; whether cruising to the dunes of São Jacinto, navigating under the sunset or sighting birds. There is nothing better than a ride in one of these boats, setting sail from the ancient zone of the city, where you will notice the contrast. Old residential family houses living on fishing are set here, houses that are smaller and very colorful, similar to moliceiros, with yellow or blue colors usually standing out.

If you don’t fancy getting on a boat, you should take a walk across the beautiful Dom Pedro Infante park. A place in the middle of nature where you can disconnect, and where children can play in the sledges of the park. Wandering by the canals is also an activity you must do in Aveiro, a city made for pleasant walks along its flat cobblestone streets. What a pleasure it is to take a walk here.

One might say that Beira Mar is the most traditional neighborhood of this locality, because this is where the fishermen’s houses are located. It is a real treat for the eyes to see, as each and every house has a loud, different color. Being a fishing city, in this zone you will find the best restaurants where you will taste the freshest fish, such as the salty cod of Portugal, very commercialized in this region; or the caldeirada de enguias (stew of eels), among many other splendid dishes. After such a delicious plate, one craves taking a walk to appreciate the architecture of its picturesque, narrow streets. Or going to a sweet shop for the ovos moles, so famous in the city.

The trail of the passageways is located in the lagoon “Ría de Aveiro”, a route you can visit in two ways. On foot it is a good opportunity to take a walk while sightseeing lots of different birds, a perfect plan for couples and families with children around the paradisiacal estuary of Aveiro. Another way of getting there is on small boats only if the tide is low, you will notice a large quantity of ancient salt lakes, no longer in use.

What are the best dates for visiting Aveiro?

Aveiro is characterized by a good weather all year around, with averages of 20ºC in Summer and 13ºC the rest of the year. As a result, Aveiro can be visited easily visited all year. If you can afford choosing a date, then July is probably the best month, during this time the Festival dos Canais (Festival of the Canals) takes place. A celebration of the city where many different you will find many different activities such as concerts or theatre plays, among many other artistic spectacles. Another festivity that is worth experiencing is the São Gonçalinho party, celebrated on the closest weekend to the 10th of January. There is nothing resembling the caravacas throwing (tarts made of flour, eggs and sugar) from above the São Gonçalinho chapel. The main purpose is to catch them with the help of any tool you can use, such as a fishing net or an umbrella. Between 25 March and 26 April, the Feira de Março (Fair of March) is celebrated in the city. This festivity has been taking place since 1435, where around 250 diverse market stalls are placed, selling typical products such as footwear, clothing and many more.

What are the best excursions in Aveiro?

Faro, Praia da Barra
© Vítor Oliveira

Whether in the city of Aveiro or in its outskirts, you have varied plans to follow; from different gastronomic routes tasting the typical products; to the Art Nouveau route; passing by trips to Costa Nova and Praia da Barra (Barra Beach). The former is characterized by colorful houses in a coastal zone with diverse spectacular beaches. And the former is known for a lighthouse reigning form above.

The Natural Dune Reservation in São Jacinto is a beach resembling a desert with massive dunes of white sand. An astonishing setting and compulsory stop in this region of Portugal. You have the possibility of getting there by ferry crossing the salt lake by ferry, though you can also reach the place by car. Aveiro is one of those destinations where going from one place to another is an excursion by itself, such is the case of reaching Costa Nova by ferry.

Águeda, Portugal
© Vítor Ribeiro

Águeda, known as the most colorful town in Portugal, is another necessary stop in the Summer months, between June and September. Its streets are decorated with thousands of colorful umbrellas, and the town becomes a scene for improvised parties, concerts and artistic festivities. It is a place to have a great time in a unique and special ambience.

To the north of Aveiro, in the municipality of Arouca, the Passages of Paiva are located. It is a path that goes by mountains in a wooden walkway, it is all in all a unique route as there are not many like this in the world. This makes it a true recommendation if you want to enjoy nature and the environment.

The city of Coimbra is very close to Aveiro, and strongly recommended to visit in your stay in this region of Portugal. You must see its university, which is a UNESCO World Heritage and its historic centre or the Sé Velha (Old Cathedral). You must also taste the best piglet of Portugal, as it is a very popular region because of this meat.

In the list of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, the Mosteiro da Batalha (Batalha Monastery) is included as one of the many Word Heritages of this country. This monumental building will surprise you due to its late Gothic or “Manueline” style of architecture. A place that will not leave you indifferent for its artistic beauty and its incredible immensity.

How to get to Aveiro?

Aveiro’s optimal location makes it easy to reach it. The best way of getting there by car is from Porto, thanks to the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport. This international airport has numerous connections to Berlin, London or Paris among others, and not only to Europe but also to the rest of the continents. It is the most comfortable and quickest way of arriving to your destination.

There is no problem if you don’t have a car, as Portugal is well connected by public transport. You will be able to take the train using the E line until Trindade, from there take the D line to Santo Ovidio until reaching General Torres stop. After that, you will only have to walk to the train station and take the Linha de Aveiro (Aveiro line).

It is very easy to access the city from Lisbon, thanks to the Portela Airport, which has even more airline connections than the Oporto airport, due to the fact that it is the country’s biggest airport. From the capital, you can reach Aveiro by taking the highway in a short space of time. By public transport you only have to take the metro until the Gare do Oriente (Lisbon Orient Station) and then take the Alfa Pendular 182 train, which will take you directly to your destination.

Where to stay in Aveiro?

As it is not an overcrowded place, you will not be able to find big hotels nor resorts. The biggest hotel, however, is the Meliá Ria, with a cube-shaped structure, its architecture stands out in the middle of the seashore. This hotel, with gorgeous facilities, is in the four star category, and offers services such as free Wi-Fi all around the complex and 24 hour reception.

Aveiro is a place destined for resting and visiting its different landmarks offered by its perimeter. Small hotels, with very few rooms, are situated in traditional buildings of the region, usually of Art Nouveau style and very comfy. They are totally equipped, and most of them have parking slots for the clients.

The Das Salinas Hotel, a three star hotel, is located at the entrance to the salt lakes, making its location the strongest asset of this hotel. Also, it was refurbished in 2016 and it offers Wi-Fi in the whole building, as well as having a laundry service among many other things.

In another region of the city, the recently refurbished Afonso V Hotel stands with three stars right in the cultural centre. It is very close to the Aveirense Theatre, making the location of the hotel ideal for ardent fans of the performing arts.

Just two streets from the Praça da República (Square of the Republic), you can stay at the Aveiro Center Hotel. As its name makes it clear, it is right in the city centre, granting it an exceptional location. It is near the most important churches and one of the best examples of the Art Nouveau in the city. It is worth mentioning that it is a three star hotel.

On the other hand, the presence of fully equipped lodgings and accommodations also stands out for your staying in this wonderful city.

Recommended Excursions:

Mapa Interactivo:

Moliceiro Trips

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