Known as the "Venice of Portugal," Aveiro is a charming canal city where colourful moliceiro boats glide through Art Nouveau-lined waterways. But Aveiro is so much more than canals — it's a city of bold striped beach houses, the sweetest egg-based pastries in Portugal, and a laid-back university atmosphere that makes it one of the country's most enjoyable small-city discoveries.
Getting to Aveiro
By train: Fast trains from Porto take just 45 minutes (from €8), from Lisbon 2 hours 15 minutes (from €25) on the Alfa Pendular. The train station itself is covered in beautiful azulejo tiles worth photographing.
The Canals & Moliceiro Boats
Aveiro's central canal system was originally built for salt harvesting and seaweed collection. Today, the moliceiro boats — flat-bottomed vessels with high, elaborately painted prows depicting humorous and sometimes risqué scenes — carry tourists on 45-minute cruises (€13) through the canal network, passing under arched bridges and past Art Nouveau facades.
Costa Nova — The Striped Houses
Just 10 minutes from Aveiro, Costa Nova is Instagram gold — a row of palheiros (former fishermen's storage houses) painted in bold vertical stripes of red, blue, green, yellow, and white. Originally functional (the stripes helped fishermen identify their storage from the sea), they're now one of Portugal's most photographed sights.
Behind the striped houses lies a beautiful beach facing the Atlantic — wide, sandy, and popular with surfers and kitesurfers.
Art Nouveau Architecture
Aveiro has one of the best collections of Art Nouveau architecture in Portugal. The early 20th-century buildings along the canal feature ornate facades with decorative ironwork, curved glass, carved stone flowers, and colourful ceramic tiles. The Museu Arte Nova (free entry) in the former Casa Major Pessoa offers a beautiful introduction.
Ovos Moles — The Sweet Symbol
Aveiro's signature sweet is the ovos moles — a rich egg yolk and sugar paste encased in delicate rice paper moulded into sea-themed shapes (shells, fish, barrels). Created by nuns in the 17th century, they're now an officially protected regional product. Buy them from traditional confectioneries along the canal — Confeitaria Peixinho is the best-known.
Practical Tips
- Half day or full day: Canals, Art Nouveau, and ovos moles in 3-4 hours. Add Costa Nova for a full day
- Bus to Costa Nova: Local bus from Aveiro centre (20 min) or rent a bike
- Combine with: Coimbra (1 hour south by train) or Porto (45 min north)
- Salt pans: Visit the Troncalhada salt pans to see traditional salt harvesting — a practice dating back to Roman times
Bring Aveiro Home
The colourful moliceiro boats, the striped houses, the Art Nouveau canals — Aveiro is a city that paints itself onto your memory. Our MemBoards souvenir cutting boards capture the vibrant beauty of Portugal's Venice.