Welcome to Aveiro
Hugging the edge of the Ria, a shallow coastal lagoon rich in birdlife, Aveiro (uh-vey-roo), whose name might come from the Latin aviarium (place of birds), is a prosperous town with a youthful, energetic buzz. It's occasionally dubbed the Venice of Portugal thanks to its high-prowed boats, humpbacked bridges and small network of picturesque canals. It's a lovely little place best explored on foot or aboard a moliceiro – the traditional seaweed-harvesting boat now converted to tourist use.
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Aveiro activities
Porto to Aveiro Half-Day Tour with Moliceiro Canal Cruise
Leave your central Porto hotel by luxury coach, and then travel south along the coast to Aveiro, an old fishing town on northern Portugal’s scenic Rota da Luz. Now a vibrant university town, Aveiro has retained its charming fishing port roots, and its myriad of canals and beautiful architecture attribute to its nickname – the Venice of Portugal.See its sights on a walking tour, admiring the attractive Art Nouveau homes that line Aveiro’s canals. Pass Museo de Aveiro, housed in a gorgeous Dominican convent, and then stop for photos by Aveiro Cathedral. As you walk, listen to tales about the town’s history, from its days as a small Roman settlement to a thriving medieval seaport.Finish your walking tour by a canal and hop aboard a moliceiro – one of the brightly colored gondola-style boats that bob around the canals. Relax as your guide navigates, allowing you to sit back and admire Aveiro’s sights from the water during your 1-hour canal cruise.Finish your cruise at Costa Nova, one of the town's beautiful sandy beaches, and enjoy some free time before returning to Porto. Admire the candy-colored fishing houses that line the beachfront, enjoy a snack in a café (own expense), and then meet your guide at the pre-arranged time for your journey to Porto. Your tour then finishes with a drop-off at the start point in central Porto.
Aveiro, Costa Nova Tour, Moliceiro River Cruise from Porto
Start your half-day tour early in the morning at 9am or in the afternoon, around 2pm. Once Aveiro was a fishing village, where residents made their living from the river, the sea and salt production. In this tour to Aveiro you will visit the historical center, the Fish Market, have a panoramic view of the “Stork nests” and the Aveiro “Salinas" which are a salt deposit. After visiting the historical center, board on a amazing hour cruise in the traditional boats named “moliceiro” decorated with motifs related to the local culture. After the cruise, enjoy a walk in Costa Nova neighborhood, between the borders of Aveiro and the sea. In this walking tour admire some of the old typical colored houses that will make you remind beach houses. Don't miss this amazing opportunity to visit the "Venice of Portugal", explore the region, see the fabulous sights, board in a fantastic cruise in a wonderful boat! The tour ends around 1pm (morning tour) or 6pm (afternoon tour).
Aveiro and Coimbra Day Trip From Porto
In this tour you start to visit the city of Aveiro, the so called "Portuguese Venice", name given because of the seawater channels that flood the city center. Once in Aveiro the tour goes to Costa Nova, by the seaside, where you can appreciate the typical fishermen houses full of colored stripes. Next you will visit Barra's beach. Here you will learn about the influence of the sea over the population of Aveiro during the 17th and the 18th century. Following that, we will take you to visit the city center, where you will see the 15th century cathedral, the old train station with it's 19th-century portuguese tiles and the fish market. To finish, you will take a boat tour at the city channels on a typical "moliceiro" boat. After lunch, the tour continues towards the "city of knowledge", Coimbra. This historical city was the birthplace of six Portuguese kings and the capital of Portugal. Visit the first Portuguese university from the 13th-century, and walk on the narrow streets of the medieval city center. Here, visit the 12th century Santa Cruz church, where is placed the tomb of the first Portuguese king. Moreover, meet Café of Santa Cruz (in the place of a former gothic church), Mosteiro of Santa Clara a Velha and Portugal dos Pequeninos. Come and enjoy the mixture of nature and history!
Porto Combo: Porto City Tour, Aveiro, Costa Nova, Douro, Braga and Guimarães
Day 1 - Morning: Porto. The city of Porto is known as the City "Invicta". It is still a city known worldwide for its wine, its bridges and ancient and contemporary architecture, its historical center, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. Its beautiful monuments and historic buildings such as the imposing Cathedral and the Tower of Clerics, Porto is the second largest city of Portugal, offers a harmonious synthesis of old and ontemporâneas attractions. On the opposite bank of the river, Vila Nova de Gaia, has superb views of the world-famous Port Wine Cellars main production center of Port wine. where the wine is blended and aged and where you can taste the different varieties, or opt for a cruise on the Douro. We will visit: Café Majestic, Bolhão market, Clerigos Tower and Church, Lello bookshop, Aliados avenue (panoramic view) Cathedral, S. Bento station, , Ribeira region and finally one celler of Port Wine with the tasting of two of them. We offer you a café and a tipical pastry called "nata", the tipical breakfast here.- Afternoon: Aveiro and Costa Nova - In this fascinating tour we will visit the city of Aveiro, which is considered the "Venice of Portugal" as well as the attractive region of Costa Nova, located on the seafront of the city of Ílhavo. An extraordinary tour where you can admire the canals running through the city of Aveiro, the numerous footbridges, buildings of Art Nouveau by the sea and the colorful boats Moliceiros, single symbol of the region. We will visit: Aveiro historical center, Fish Market, salt ponds (panoramic view), Costa Nova houses (panoramic view) and you will enjoy a Cruise in the traditional moliceiro boat. Day 2 - Douro Vinhateiro - A nice, relaxing trip where you can admire the beauty of the Douro endless landscapes and the true treasure that there is produced: the best wines of Portugal. On this tour we will visit a reputable fifth producer of port, where you will have the opportunity to taste their delicious wines. We will visit: Monastery S. Gonçalo in Amarante, local wine farm with wine tasting in Régua, Shrine Our Lady of Remedies in Lamego, and Sparkling Cellars in lamego too (tour and tasting of sparkling wine) ** except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. **Day 3 - Braga & Guimarães - In this tour will begin by visiting the oldest city in Portugal. Braga is a city rich in culture and tradition, where the squares and the emblematic churches abound. In Braga we will see: Cathedral Braga Cathedral, Sanctuary Bom Jesus and Sanctuary of Sameiro. After Braga follow the medieval city of Guimarães, which is regarded as "The Cradle of Portugal". Here we will walk through the streets of Old Town, a World Heritage site, and visit the Palace of the Dukes, Castle of Guimarães, Chapel St. Michael and the historical center.
Aveiro Half-Day Private Tour from Porto with Moliceiro River Cruise
We leave your hotel in Porto and head south. Start off this tour with an hour-long ride on a moliceiro, the typical boat used to collect seagrasses in the Aveiro lagoon. Then admire the Art Nouveau architecture, especially the buildings near the Praça do Rossio (Rossio square). Cobblestone can still be found on many streets near and around this square. Satisfy your sweet tooth with the famous ovos moles, a legacy of Aveiro's conventual sweets tradition made with water, sugar, and egg yolks.We also recommend a visit to the Art Nouveau Museum and the Mercado do Peixe (Fish Market).The tour then continues to Costa Nova, with its extensive beaches and a paradise with several species of birds. You will have time to visit the lighthouse and the famous old coloured fishermen's beach houses. On the way back, your private driver will leave you at your hotel, or any other location of your choice.
Small-Group Tour of Aveiro and Coimbra
Be picked up from your Oporto hotel in the morning and through the salt fields and the fishing port, from where the brave men left for cod fishing in distant seas of Norway, you will arrive at Costa Nova, with houses full of color and beauty involved in a natural landscape, and the nearby city of Aveiro.In the afternoon, you will go further south between the sound of guitars and the traditional student capes where you will visit Coimbra, the city that was once the nation's capital and home of one of the oldest universities in the world. In a walking tour by its narrow streets hide the love stories of thousands of students who passed by the University. Among aqueducts and gardens, convents and monasteries, Coimbra delights in all aspects and you will visit the major sights with time for amazing photos.Visit downtown Aveiro, get a panoramic view to Costa Nova, then head to Coimbra and have some free time for lunch (at own expense). See the University of Coimbra, visit to the cathedral, and visit to the Historical Center before heading back to your hotel.