Never been to Aveiro? We have some ideas for you to spend a very lively day in the Venice of Portugal.
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If you’ve always wanted to visit one of the most picturesque cities in Portugal, find out here what really have to do in Aveiro.
Renowned for the charm of its shorelinewith fantastic beaches, and the recurring comparison to Venice, due to its many canals, bridges and colorful moliceiro boats, this friendly city is a small hidden treasure.
Come and discover 6 of its most appealing attractions.
What to do in Aveiro: 6 unmissable suggestions
1
Go through the canals in a moliceiro
When visiting Aveiro, it is inevitable to take a trip on a moliceiro boat. Its nickname of the Portuguese Venice, in addition to deriving from the obvious canals and bridges, is also due to these colorful boats, often compared to gondolas.
The moliceiros, painted with humorous decorations of everyday scenes, were originally used for collecting moliço – currently they are used for tourist purposes, taking peaceful walks along the canals.
Buy your ticket now: you will fall in love with the São Roque canal, which runs along the colorful Bairro da Beira-Mar, with the Central Canal, with its facades Art Nouveauvia Canal das Pirâmides, which gives access to the salt flats, or via Canal do Cojo, which shows you the most modern facet of the city.
Built between 1885 and 1893, the strength and beauty of this lighthouse impresses all who visit it: on one side, this building painted in red and white is at the mercy of the wild waves of the Atlantic Ocean, on the other it is limited by the beautiful profile of the city. Irresistible.
So, one thing that you cannot miss in Aveiro is to climb the 271 steps of Farol da Barra, the second largest in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the 26 largest in the world, and enjoy an absolutely unique view. Believe it’s worth it!
This is one of the things you really have to do in Aveiro – in our opinion, home to the best ovo moles in the world!
Legend has it that this delicious and decadent dessert was created in the 19th century. IXX by nuns who, using egg whites to iron their habits, found themselves with an excess of egg yolks.
The solution? A fabulous sweet made with egg yolks and sugar: the famous Aveiro soft eggs.
Currently, they are sold wrapped in wafer leaves (in the form of fish, whelks and other marine motifs typical of the region) and inside wooden barrels decorated with images of moliceiros.
Tip: to taste one of these delicacies, we suggest “A Barrica”, a certified pastry shop that sells sweets made according to the original recipe.
4
Visit the Train Station
Even if you choose another means of transport, it is worth paying a visit to the old train station.
Being an excellent example of the architectural style known as “Portuguese house”, the building stands out above all for its impressive decoration with polychrome tiles, in shades of blue and yellow.
These panels represent various traditional scenes of the time – the station opened its doors in 1864, and its construction took 3 years.
Located in Casa Major Pessoa, an iconic example of Art Nouveau, this museum lives up to its name and provides a true tour of this architectural style in Aveiro, the city considered its capital.
Keeping the spirit and atmosphere of this artistic current, dating from the years of transition to the 20th century. XX, you will also find on the ground floor of the museum a stunning tea house, where you can taste delicious drinks and a wide variety of traditional sweets.
If you are an art lover, don’t miss the opportunity to relax in this charming space.
To the salt flats take on themselves as a ex libris of the city of Aveiro and an unavoidable element of natural and cultural heritage, keeping alive the tradition associated with this secular activity.
We suggest that you get to know this unique landscape by visiting the Troncalhada seascape, which has been transformed into an Ecomuseum: here you will be able to learn about the fascinating methods of artisanal salt production, exploring the fauna and flora characteristic of the area. Unforgettable are the shapes resulting from the collection of salt: bright white pyramids that stand out against the deep blue sky.
Tip: among the varieties of salt that you will find on sale there, we recommend that you buy the salt with piri-piri, a true explosion of flavor.
And that’s it, you already have our suggestions on what to do in Aveiro. Get ready now to get to know a unique and inspiring city that offers many other interesting itineraries and experiences to those who visit it.
