Aveiro
Aveiro
A short distance from Coimbra, Aveiro hugs the edge of the Ria, a shallow coastal lagoon rich in bird life. This could explain the name: Aveiro (uh-vey-roo) may come from the Latin aviarium (place of birds). The town is a prosperous, lively place with a bustling centre based around a busy riverfront.
Aveiro is occasionally dubbed the Venice of Portugal thanks to its high-prowed boats, humpbacked bridges and network of picturesque canals. The moliceiro – the traditional seaweed-harvesting boat – has now been fully converted to tourist use; trips leave regularly, heading out into the lagoon, with boatsmen doubling up as knowledgeable guides.
Aveiro in Two Days
The first thing you'll probably want to do is hop on board a moliceiro for a laid-back tour. Spend the rest of the day exploring the old centre or sampling the town's traditional sweets – ovos moles. Spend day two in the town's museums, shopping and enjoying Aveiro's traditional seafood.
Aveiro in Four Days
Spend day three taking a trip to the Museu Marítimo de Ílhavo, 8km south of Aveiro, which looks at Portugal's maritime history. Take a trip to Coimbra or even Porto on day four.
Arriving in Aveiro
Central bus stop All local and intercity buses arrive and leave from Rua Clube dos Galitos by the river.
Train station Handles regular services to Porto and Coimbra.
Sleeping
Hotels are dotted around the outer edge of the town centre though there are few beds actually in the historical centre. A couple of more upmarket places offer river views. Many tackle Aveiro as a day trip from elsewhere, but if you do turn up unannounced, the best place to head is the tourist office which can help with bookings.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Boat Trips
At the top of every itinerary in Aveiro is a tour on the town’s traditional, brightly-decorated seaweed harvesting boats. These relaxing trips head along the river and each boat has a guide on board.
Great For…
yDon't Miss
Notice the paintings on the prows of the moliceiros – some have very racy themes.
8Need to Know
Tickets cost €7.50. Boats leave every 30 minutes and tours take 45 minutes.
5Take a Break
There are numerous cafes lining the riverfront. A seafood lunch at Maré Cheia continues the watery theme.
oTop Tip
All the boat companies (around ten of them) charge the same.
Story of the Moliceiro
Aveiro's moliceiros date from the 19th century and were originally used to gather seaweed from the bottom of the canals. This gooey mess was spread out on threshing floors to dry and used as fertiliser on the poor soil which farmers worked around the town. With the development and introduction of chemical fertilisers over the course of the 20th century, the demand for this natural product declined and the boat owners slowly transformed their craft into a tourist attraction. The boats themselves are still made and repaired in the traditional way. As in the olden days, the bow and stern are brightly painted, most often today with some naughty seaside scene, oddly resembling Britain's 'dirty' postcards – you might be glad you don't understand the Portuguese captions and cover kids' eyes as some of the images decidedly verge on kinky! Each boat seats around 20 to 30 people on benches along both sides, and the ride, powered these days by diesel motor, is smooth.
Boat Trips
There are around ten companies offering moliceiro rides, all of them gathered around the bridge over the Canal Central, between the main bus stop and the big Fórum Aveiro shopping mall. Touts try to lure you into their boats, but as all charge the same fare (€7.50), condition of the craft, the friendliness of the boatsmen and extras such as welcome drinks come before cost when choosing which outfit to go with. Tours run around every 30 minutes and the 45-minute cruises explore the town's system of canals. The boatsmen usually double up as guides and are surprisingly clued up when it comes to Aveiro's history. If you are really fortunate they may even burst into song.
Contact the Aveiro Welcome Center for a rundown of the companies offering moliceiro trips.
The Canals
Describing Aveiro as the 'Portuguese Venice' might be a slight exaggeration, but the canals and gondola-like moliceiros passing beneath the small footbridges that span them certainly create a vaguely similar scene. The Canal Central is the Aveiro's Grand Canal with others such as the Canal do Coio, the Canal de São Roque and Canal do Paraiso extending from it. These canals are manmade and were built when the town was cut off from the lagoon by shifting sandbanks.
Aveiro
5Eating
1Sights
Museu de Aveiro/Santa JoanaMuseum
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; 
%234 423 297; www.ipmuseus.pt; Avenida Santa Joana; €4, 10am-2pm Sun free; 
h10am-6pm Tue-Sun)
This fine museum in a beautiful space, the former Mosteiro de Jesus, owes its finest treasures to Princesa Joana (later canonised), daughter of Afonso V. In 1472, 11 years after the convent was founded, Joana ‘retired’ here and, though forbidden to take full vows, she stayed until her death in 1490.
The extraordinary painting collection spans the 10th to 15th centuries. Her tomb, a 17th-century masterpiece of inlaid marble mosaic, takes centre stage in an equally lavish room (the remodelled lower choir stalls). The adjacent gold-leafed chapel is decorated with azulejos (hand-painted tiles) depicting Princesa Joana’s life. The museum’s paintings include a late-15th-century portrait of her, attributed to Nuno Gonçalves.
Reserva Natural das Dunas de São JacintoNature Reserve
( GOOGLE MAP ; www.rotadabairrada.pt)
Stretching north from São Jacinto, between the sea and the lagoon west of Aveiro, is this supremely peaceful 6.7-sq-km wooded nature reserve, equipped with trails and birdwatching hides. A meandering 7km loop trail runs through the pines and dunes and can be walked at any time (you should register at the interpretative centre, however). The best birdwatching is from November to February.
At the trailhead, 1.5km north of the ferry on the N327, is a map, as well as a small, helpful interpretative centre (
GOOGLE MAP
; %234 331 282; www.rotadabairrada.pt; Estrada Nacional 327; h9am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Sat).
To get here, take a bus from Aveiro to Forte da Barra (one way/return €2.50/4), where there is a ferry to São Jacinto (passenger/car return €3/5). Schedules for boats are at www.moveaveiro.pt; bus schedules are at www.transdev.pt. Drivers can also circumnavigate the lagoon and arrive from the north via Ovar, but it’s a much longer journey.
Museu Marítimo de ÍlhavoMuseum
(%234 329 990; www.museumaritimo.cm-ilhavo.pt; Avenida Dr Rocha Madahil; €5; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat year-round, 2-6pm Sun Mar-Sep)
The wonderful Museu Marítimo de Ílhavo is in a modern, award-winning building in the town of Ílhavo, 8km south of Aveiro. It covers the history of the maritime identity of the Portuguese, from cod fishing (with superb fishing vessels from the 19th and 20th centuries) to oil paintings on the bows of the moliceiros (the traditional seaweed-harvesting boats). A highlight is the codfish aquarium, showcasing the Atlantic cod, which the Portuguese have been fishing (and munching on!) for centuries.
Entry costs €6.50 if included with the associated Santo André ship museum.
Mercado do PeixeMarket
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Largo da Praça do Peixe; h7am-1pm Tue-Sat)
A fun place to watch the fishmongers sell their daily seafood wares to the restaurateurs and more besides.
Catedral de São DomingosCathedral
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.paroquiagloria.org)
Formerly part of a Dominican convent, with the Manueline stone cross of Saint Domingo displayed within. The facade has two pairs of unusual Doric pilasters. Note the three figures: Faith, Hope and Charity, along with the coat of arms of Infante D Pedro (the King's son).
BeachesBeach
The surfing venues of Praia da Barra and Costa Nova, 13km west of Aveiro, are good for a day’s outing. Prettier Costa Nova has a beachside street lined with cafes, kitsch gift shops and picturesque candy-striped cottages. Buses (€2.50/4 one way/return, hourly) go from Aveiro's Rua Clube dos Galitos.
Wilder and more remote is Praia de São Jacinto, on the northern side of the lagoon. The vast beach of dunes is a 1.5km walk from São Jacinto port, through a residential area at the back of town. Be sure to visit the Dunas de São Jacinto Interpretative Centre. Take a bus from Aveiro to Forte da Barra (one way/return €2.50/4), where there is a ferry to São Jacinto (passenger/car return €3/5). Schedules for boats are at www.moveaveiro.pt; bus schedules are at www.transdev.pt. Drivers can also circumnavigate the lagoon and arrive from the north via Ovar, a much longer trip.
Aveiro's History
A prosperous seaport in the early 16th century, Aveiro suffered a ferocious storm in the 1570s that blocked the mouth of the Rio Vouga, closing it to ocean-going ships and creating fever-breeding marshes. Over the next two centuries, Aveiro’s population shrank by three-quarters. But in 1808 the Barra Canal forged a passage back to the sea, and within a century Aveiro was rich once more, as evidenced by the spate of art nouveau houses that still define the town’s old centre. Salt harvested here was taken to Newfoundland to preserve cod that came back as bacalhau (dried salt-cod).
TTours
Oficina do DoceFood
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %234 098 840; www.oficinadodoce.com; Rua João Mendonça 23; tours €2; h10am-7pm Jun-Sep, 10am-5pm Oct-May)
Part living museum, part workshop, Oficina do Doce introduces visitors to Aveiro’s proudest culinary tradition – ovos moles: eggy, sugary sweets originally developed by local nuns. You can watch as modern-day confectioners work their magic, or learn about the process first-hand by filling your own. Reserve your visit ahead (tours are 45 minutes) by visiting their premises, or via email.
EcoriaBoating
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.ecoria.pt; adult/child €8/4)
Near the turismo, this is one of several canalside operators offering 45-minute trips daily on moliceiros around the Ria, with departures subject to passenger numbers.
Viva a RiaBoating
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %969 008 687; www.vivaaria.com; adult/child €8/4)
Offers trips in moliceiros on the Ria; also arranges trips to the Oficina do Doce (though you can arrange these directly).
O CiceroneWalking
(%234 094 074; www.o-cicerone-tour.com; from per person €22.50)
In summer, O Cicerone leads various (half- and full-day) tours in Aveiro and surrounds.
5Eating
A PeixariaSeafood$$
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %234 331 165; www.restauranteapeixaria.pt; Rua Mestre Jorge Pestana, São Jacinto; mains €14-18, fish per kg €30-60; hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm Tue-Sun)
A block back from the waterfront in São Jacinto, this no-frills family restaurant has the best fish in town and, many say, the region. There's always a big variety of Atlantic species, simply and deliciously done – try the eel stew, too.
Tasca PalhuçaPortuguese$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Rua Antónia Rodrigues 28; daily plate half-portion €7; hhours vary Sun & Mon)
As 'tasca-like' and genuine as they come, this place is largely shielded from tourists due to its side-street location. We think it's great – the type of place where clients have stuck to their (regular) seats longer than the tiles have been glued to the walls. The cuisine is meaty, fishy and plentiful. This is the place to try caldeirada de enguias (eel stew) for two (€20).
Maré CheiaSeafood$$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Rua José Rabumba 8-12; fish per kg €30-60; hlunch & dinner Thu-Tue)
Maré cheia means ‘high tide’ in Portuguese, but 'cheia' (full) applies equally to this popular seafood eatery, complete with 'meet your meal' fish-tanks. You'll often have to elbow your way through a crowd of locals just to get your name on the waiting list. It’s a great place to try the local enguias (eels), served fried, grilled or caldeirada (stewed).
KiVegetarian$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.kimacrobiotico.com; Rua Capitão Sousa Pizarro 15; meals €8; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri; 
v)
Vegetarians, your prayers have been answered. This small, vegan-focused spot tucked away in a street in a quiet part of town, offers a different set plate daily, plus soup and tea. Desserts cost an extra €3. Nothing from animals is used; everything is vegan-licious.
Adega Típica O TelheiroPortuguese$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %234 429 473; Largo da Praça do Peixe 20-21; mains €7-9; hnoon-3.30pm & 7.30-11pm Tue-Sun)
A charismatic old-style place with hanging curios and rather nifty stools at the bar for comfier eating (also a great spot to sit if dining solo). The food is reliably tasty, with cheap daily specials and abundant doses of fish and grilled meat.
O BatelPortuguese$$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Travessa Tenente Resende 21; fish per kg €30-60; hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat, lunch Sun)
This narrow, nautically themed restaurant in a small alley is worth tracking down. Its good-value daily specials (€7.50) are backed up by a great-quality seafood-heavy menu with some innovative touches. Service is professional and friendly.
Restaurante Mercado do PeixePortuguese$$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %234 383 511; http://mercadopeixeaveiro.pt; Largo da Praça do Peixe; mains €12-20; hnoon-3pm & 7.30-11pm Tue-Sat, noon-3pm Sun)
Perched above the city’s homely fish market, this industrial-chic restaurant has large windows overlooking the canal and the adjacent square. The seafood is good, and low-priced lunch specials Monday to Friday include homemade bread, soup and a main course.
Ovos Moles
Almost every cafe and confitaria in town advertises ovos moles, a sticky-sweet egg-yolk-and-sugar blend encased in a crisp white wafer case. They are often sold by the kilo.
6Drinking & Nightlife
A big student population and summer holiday crowds make for some raucous nightlife. Action radiates from Largo da Praça do Peixe, with several places clustered on Rua do Tenente Resende.
Casa de CháBar
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.casadechaartenova.com; Rua Dr Barbosa Magalhães 9; h9.30am-2am Tue-Fri, noon-2am Sat, noon-10pm Sun; 
W)
In the town's most striking art nouveau building, this casual cafe-bar has a fine range of tea and infusions and livens up at night with excellent caipirinhas, Friday night DJs and a perky summer scene.
Decante Wine BarWine Bar
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Rua do Tenente Resende 28; h5pm-late)
People congregate at the streetside tables to sip wine during the early evening, then move inside for live music most nights, including everything from Latin rhythms, rock and blues to jazz and world music.
8Information
Tourist Information
Aveiro Welcome CenterTourist Information
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %234 377 761; www.cm-aveiro.pt; Rua Clube dos Galitos 2; h9am-6pm)
Its helpfulness varies, although it can book some excursions.
Regional TurismoTourist Information
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %234 420 760; www.turismodocentro.pt; Rua João Mendonça 8; h9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat & Sun Jun-Sep, 9am-1 & 2-6pm Oct-May)
In an art nouveau gem beside the Canal Central; has some information on Portugal's central region.
8Getting There & Away
Trains run from the modern station. Aveiro is within Porto’s urbano network, which means there are commuter trains there at least every half hour (€3.40, one hour); much pricier IC/AP links (€11.70/14.20, 30 to 40 minutes) are only slightly faster. There are also at least hourly links to Coimbra (regional/intercity/AP €5.25/11.70/14.20, 30 to 60 minutes) and several daily IC (€21.45, 2½ hours) and AP (€27.55, two hours) trains to Lisbon.
Few long-distance buses terminate here – there isn’t even a bus station. Catch buses at the stop ( GOOGLE MAP ) on Rua Clube dos Galitos; many also stop at the train station.
Rede Expresso (www.rede-expressos.pt) has five to six daily services to/from Lisbon (€16, three to four hours) and Coimbra (€6, 45 minutes).
Where to Stay
Aveiro has a reasonable selection of rooms to cater to all budgets though very few are high-end. Things can get crowded during summer holidays though in the winter months you might feel like you have Aveiro to yourself. Hotels and guest houses are pretty spread out around the town, though there's a greater concentration north of the town centre than south of the Canal Central. The town's premier digs are the Hotel Aveiro Palace, an upmarket affair overlooking the main bridge in the very heart of the action and a few steps from the moliceiros.
8Getting Around
Loja BUGA (Bicicleta de Utilização Gratuita de Aveiro;
GOOGLE MAP
; www.moveaveiro.pt; Praça do Mercado 2; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm & 2-6pm Sat & Sun) Provides bikes for use within the town limits, all for free. Bike quality can vary a bit. Leave an ID such as your driver's licence or passport.
Catch buses to the coast at the stop on Rua Clube dos Galitos (€1.90, or €9.40 for a 10-trip ticket). It’s an easy 15-minute walk southwest from the train station into town.