Only a stone’s throw awayfrom Porto on Europe's west coast,this hidden canal city is Portugal’s answer to Venice, with temperatures reaching 21C in April. Aveiro is a charming coastal city famous for its picturesque canals, colourful moliceiro boats, and dazzling Art Nouveau architecture.
Tourists can find the citysouth of Portoalong the Aveiro lagoon with easy access topicturesque beacheslike Praia de São Jacinto and Praia da Barra. A TripAdvisor user has hailed the city as "absolutely fantastic". They added: "The weather is amazing, the views of the city from the canal are amazing. I recommend”.
Top attractions include floating through the central canals in colourful moliceiro boats and visiting the nearby beach town of Costa Nova to take in the charming striped buildings. These houses known as palheiros aren't just brightly coloured to look pretty but also so fishermen can see them through the mist.
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Another fun Costa Nova quirk is that it's home to the Farol da Barra, the tallestlighthousein Portugal.
Moliceiro boat tours cost 13€ (£11.22). They start on the Central Canal of Rio de Aveiro before flowing through the streams to Canal de São Roque in the north of the city.
A TripAdvisor user wrote that the boat trip was “good value and the commentary informative and an enjoyable way to pass an hour on a hot and sunny day”.
You can experience local history and art in the Aveiro museum in the old Jesus convent or take a tour of the marinhas, active salt marshes, to learn about the region’s salt production.
For more natural landscapes, the Dunas de São Jacinto nature reserve offers kilometres of maritime pine woods and pristine sand dunes along the rugged Atlantic coast, perfect for nature enthusiasts who need a break from the city.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
