Aveiro, one more reason to love Portugal
We start this article with a spoiler: no, my friend, **Aveiro is not the Venice of Portugal** no matter how much the bike has been sold to you.
So if your idea of planting yourself in this cozy corner of the north portuguese It comes motivated by looking for something that resembles the Italian city, we are very sorry, but you will take a huge disappointment.
However, this is not at all negative. Rather the complete opposite. because it means that aveiro it is enough and there is enough to show off its attractions no need to compare yourself to anything.
It radiates charisma in abundance, is self-sufficient in proposals and, of course, exudes charm from each of its bricks. If you still don't believe us, keep reading. We reveal the keys to discover it.
Much more than the Venice of Portugal
Art nouveau and moliceiros
The first thing one comes across when arriving in Aveiro is its historic center, curiously attached to the IP5 , the access road to the city.
It also comes face to face with those **canals by which it will be eternally compared to Venice**. Because they do exist, of course, and they run quietly through the alleys of the old town.
Curved bridges rise above them and the traditional moliceiros, high bow barges painted in bright colors.
Many have, at their ends, drawings that portray scenes of everyday life. In the past they were used to collect moliço, the algae used to fertilizer from neighboring lands.
And the truth is that yes, they could, at some point, remember the mythical venetian gondolas .
With the big difference that these are motorized, the route is much less impressive and, if any captain dares to sing ** O Sole Mio ** -there is, we can attest-, he will do it to make people laugh on purpose with his off-key intonation.
If what one seeks is to blend in with the environment, the first move will be clear: it will be necessary to sign up for any of those walks that are hired, at the foot of the canal, in one of the moliceiros.
moliceiros
45 minutes long they cost a few 10 euros per person and help to get an approximate idea of how the city is organized, as well as allowing you to discover some of its historical and architectural details.
Speaking of architecture: in Aveiro there is something to get bored with. And it is precisely around the Central Canal that the typical buildings of art nouveau they dazzle, rising everywhere and giving away indescribably beautiful postcards.
The why, we clarify: at the beginning of the 20th century wealthy families settled in the city they represented the colonial bourgeoisie and that they had enough income to make their homes authentic works of art.
That is why, when walking through Rua Joao Mendoça or Rua B. Magalhães , no one can avoid falling exhausted at the foot of those buildings that managed turn Aveiro into a City-Museum of Modernism in Portugal .
Some houses have been transformed and have been assigned another use: the city's own Tourist Office, as well as the Museum of the City of Aveiro or the Museum of Nova Art , located in the Casa do Major Pessoa , from 1906, occupy several of them.
Here the ideal is to put your feet on the ground and wander around. Get lost among ancient buildings and search for the authentic identity of Aveiro, the one that is reflected in the tile lined facades who remember that, without a doubt, that is ** Portugal **.
And, of course, tile facades!
The churches They are not far behind, some of them very collected in size but spectacular for what they give off. It is the case of the Chapel of São Gonçalinho , located in the middle of a cozy square. Even more central is the Igreja da Vera Cruz.
The exuberance of baroque explodes in altarpieces inside , although what makes you fall in love with it are the typical Portuguese tiles that decorate the walls almost to the ceiling.
Souvenir shops, restaurants, traditional shops and confectioneries –there are endless and in them it is essential to try the traditional ovos moles, sweet egg yolks wrapped in wafers - struggle to capture the attention of the tourists hanging around the area.
Among the businesses, two stand out. The first is a humble place based on the art of basketry piloted by César, a nice man with whom, in addition to doing business, you can strike up a wonderful conversation.
It is located in front of the I Greja da Vera Cruz, in a salmon-colored building and in a place without a sign. the other is Soul of Alecrim , on the other side of the Central Canal, a concept store where you can buy ceramics or design accessories super original.
In Aveiro you breathe the essence of fishing
the fishing district
A picturesque, few beat the fishermen's neighborhood, located three steps from the historic center of the city.
Raised next to the canal, at this point many of the old fishermen's houses have been renovated and alternate with newly constructed buildings whose sharp lines they could well remind any Nordic city.
in front of them the oldest bridge in Aveiro, known as "the one of lovers" , challenges the most romantic couples to kiss on him.
The Fish Market it is also located here and is one of the architectural emblems of Aveiro. They say the building It was designed by Gustave Eiffel himself. and it is a great proposal for "tape" in the purest Portuguese style.
a bit of cod is something essential for these lands -in the neighboring Ílhavo is the Maritime Museum, dedicated to this species-, although sardines They will also be a safe bet.
In the restaurants from the surroundings you can eat good food although, yes, at a price of gold: do not forget that it is one of the most tourist areas. A perfect option is Maré-Cheia , on the opposite side of the channel. It is essential to book and try their seafood, rice and wine.
Shall we walk?
A walk along the canal
Take a walk or bike ride along the riverbank Center channel leads to the old ceramic factory Jerónimo Pereria Campos , an immense -and picturesque- exposed brick building that today houses the Aveiro convention center.
Green areas abound at this point , why not take advantage of them to rest, cheer up with a picnic or, why not, take a luso-style nap?
The cube-shaped building that houses the **Meliá Ria hotel** is striking, but even more curious is the peculiar sculpture dedicated to the ovo mole in the garden -exact: the sweet Aveirense quintessential has its own tribute to supersize-.
Along the canal, more attractive: Manuel Firmino Market , where the fruits, vegetables and flowers they share space with original souvenir shops.
beyond the city
It is necessary to pull a car to venture to discover the surroundings of Aveiro, where the one that governs , unquestionably, it is the estuary , which runs parallel to the sea.
A stop at your acquaintances Salinas It is essential for nature lovers: among mountains of salt you will not only be able to enjoy watching the vast number of bird species that inhabit it. They can also take home a bag of this freshly mined ore perfect for seasoning dishes.
Typical houses of Costa Nova
To the south, on the coast, San Jacinto Dunes Nature Reserve gives, in its 700 hectares, one of the most beautiful landscapes of the north of Portugal . a little lower, the mythical Farol da Barra , with their red and white lines , becomes another of the most acclaimed enclaves in the entire area.
Although for claim, the little houses of Costa Nova , There's no doubt. their traditional palm trees -the old fishermen's houses- , have been painted with colored stripes and transformed into an incredibly photogenic print -and Instagrammed, everything must be said-.
In Rimini, a traditional ice cream parlor that occupies one of them, it is obligatory to treat yourself. Why not? Towels are splashed along the shoreline in beaches such as San Jacinto or Vagueira , in Vagos.
In the latter is White House , a beach bar/lounge bar from which to watch the Atlantic breaking fiercely against the coast -it is chosen by many surfers for a reason- while deciding whether to take courage and face its enormous waves or better dedicate yourself to the pleasure of contemplation with a cocktail in hand and in the distance.
Chill out corner in Casablanca
You cannot go to Aveiro without paying a visit to the town of Ilhavo , where it is located, since its foundation in 1824, the famous porcelain factory Good views .
Famous throughout the world for the quality of its pieces, to preserve the memory of its excellence today an entire complex has been set up around it, in which the Historical Museum of Vista Alegre (with more than 30,000 pieces), the palace, the Chapel of Our Lady of Peña de Francia and, of course, two stores, one official and another outlet , ideal to indulge in the last whim of the trip.
And more pretty houses!