There isn’t a city that I found more photogenic than Aveiro. It’s not out of nowhere they call it the Portuguese Venice. From the colorful tiles to the moliceiro boats, here’s what to see in Aveiro.
I have a deep passion for trains and train stations, so when I arrived in Aveiro that was the first thing I captured.
As I spent more time there, I started noticing the different tiles around the city and decided to make a collection of them, which you can see below.
If you’re looking for a weekend getaway from Lisbon, Aveiro is a great option, and you can easily reach it by train!
What to see in Aveiro, Portugal
The Aveiro Boats
Aveiro is known as the Portuguese Venice. And you’ll see why once you spot the moliceiros sailing through the Aveiro lagoon and the little pedestrian bridges.
Today, these long, colorful boats are a symbol of the region, but it was only recently that they became a tourist attraction.
In the 19th century, locals took the boats to harvest moliço, a kind of seaweed used as fertilizer for farming. When chemical fertilizers appeared, this activity declined, and the boats were left abandoned.
Luckily, someone had the idea to bring back the moliceiros and turn them into tourist boats.
What makes the moliceiros so unique is their curly bow and its decorative panels, usually featuring sly innuendoes. Honestly, we Portuguese have a thing for sexual jokes. Just listen to pimba.
If you turn away from the water, you’ll also notice Aveiro’s stunning Art Noveau buildings. A few good examples are the Art Noveau museum and the building of Casa dos Ovos Moles (we’ll get to that in a minute).
Useful Info:
Tours can last between 30 minutes to 45 minutes. The price is around €10 per adult, €5 for a child (4-12), and free for kids under 4.
Beaches in Aveiro, Portugal
If you pass by Aveiro, don’t miss the beaches! Even if it’s not summer yet, it’s still worth visiting.
The two seaside destinations in Aveiro are Costa Nova and Barra. There’s also a river beach in Sever do Vouga.
Costa Nova
Costa Nova is famous for its colorful stripped houses, known as palheiros. Before they became an Instagram feature, these houses were used to store fishing tackle, due to their privileged location by the sea. You can find them along Avenida José Estevão.
The beach in Costa Nova is pleasant, but like many beaches in Portugal, the water is always a bit cold.
If you’re visiting in the morning, you should check the local fish market. It’s open every day except Mondays.
Barra
Barra also has an iconic landmark— Farol da Barra, the tallest lighthouse in Portugal. You can climb to the top of it! Visits usually take place on Wednesdays between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m in the Summer and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Winter.
The beach is a bit bigger than Costa Nova, and there’s a wide range of restaurants nearby.
Sever do Vouga
If you have a car, you should drive up to Sever do Vouga and visit the Praia Fluvial da Quinta do Barco. This river beach is usually guarded in the summer and offers a few amenities like a picnic area and a bar. Besides swimming, Quinta do Barco is the perfect spot for canoeing as well.
How to get to the Aveiro beaches?
If you’re traveling to Aveiro by train, you can still reach the beaches by taking a taxi, which costs around €15 one-way or a bus. The bus terminal is located near the train station. Here’s the location on the map. You can then choose to get off at Barra or Costa Nova. Check the bus schedules before you go!
Aveiro Landmarks
Even if you stick to the center of Aveiro and don’t venture out to the beaches, there are still a few things you can see. Some of the major attractions in the city include the Mosteiro de Jesus, Parque Dom Pedro Infante, Museu de Aveiro, and the Art Noveau museum. I couldn’t visit this last one when I was there, but I did get to try their tea house 🙂
What to eat and drink in Aveiro
When you visit Aveiro, you must try the local delicacies. There is ovos moles, a sweet made with egg yolks and sugar, famous for its little shell shapes. And then there’s the tripas (not to be mistaken with tripas de porco). This specialty is very similar to a crepe but with a slight difference in texture.
You can buy ovos moles in most local cafés or get a box from Casa de Ovos Moles. For the tripas, you should go to Tripas Têzero.
Aveiro also has one of the tastiest Portuguese craft beers I’ve ever had. The award-winning Maldita comes in three different types: pilsener, porter, and barleywine. You can buy a bottle at the Lovecraft Beershop or try it in one of the local bars. We tried it at Nós trás os montes.
As for proper meals, there are many restaurants around Aveiro. The best sushi I’ve ever had in Portugal was from a sushi restaurant here called Subenshi Sushi. If you want something more traditional, though, you can try O Buraco or Cais da Tosca.
Hotels in Aveiro, Portugal
When I visited Aveiro, I stayed at the Youth Hostel. Honestly, even though it’s cheap, it’s not close to the city center (about 30 min walk). If you’re staying the night, I would suggest booking a room at the OC Salon Charm or the Aveiro Palace.
How to get to Aveiro by train
Lisbon to Aveiro
From Lisbon, you can get the train from the Santa Apolónia station or Oriente. The journey takes around 2h30. You can find the train schedules here. Tickets cost on average €30, but you can get cheaper ones if you book at least ten days in advance. There are also discounts for young people and seniors.
Note: There’s an option to choose your discount at the end of your booking.
Porto to Aveiro
From Porto, you can get the train from the Porto Campanhã station or São Bento. The ride takes around 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on which train you get. Tickets for the urban trains cost around €4, while the long-distance ones cant cost €15 or more. Check the schedules here.
Note: If you get the train from São Bento, make sure you don’t have to change at Campanhã!
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