Central Canal
Decorated buildings.
Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan — CC BY-SA 2.0
Aveiro is a city in central Portugal on the Atlantic coast, about 60 km south of Porto, crossed by canals linked to the Ria de Aveiro lagoon, which is why it is sometimes called the «Venice of Portugal». The Central Canal is the heart of the city, lined with Art Nouveau facades and houses covered in colourful tiles. The canals are best known for their long, brightly painted moliceiro boats with tall curving prows, once used to gather seaweed from the lagoon to fertilise the fields. Their sides are decorated with vivid paintings and scenes of daily life, and today they carry visitors on short trips along the canals under arched bridges. Old salt pans surround the city, some still worked, and nearby Costa Nova has striped, colourful houses on the ocean beach. Aveiro is famous for its traditional «ovos moles» sweets, made from egg yolk and sugar in shell-shaped wafers. Walking along the canals is free, and boat trips are paid and last about 45 minutes. The city is an easy train trip from Porto or Coimbra.
Decorated buildings.
About 45 minutes.
Striped houses.
Aveiro, Portugal
By train from Porto or Coimbra.
Ovos moles, made from egg yolk.