Aveiro is Portuguese’s Venice, with traditional boats taking you for stunning trips on the canal running through the town. The wide array of enchanting buildings of the art nouveau style catch your eye, inviting you to stop and wander inside for a peek at Aveiro’s history.
Local cafés and restaurants present the best local delicacies: sweets, seafood, and Portuguese coffee, whose aromas travel through the air under the wonderful, warm sun. You can travel to Aveiro as a day trip from Murtosa, a quick car ride away from the town. If you’re planning on staying at one of our Pousadas of Portugal, the Pousada da Ria is a modern Hotel in Torreira, Murtosa surrounded by water which is ideal for fishing.
Sé de Aveiro
Also known as Igreja de São Domingos (or Church of St Dominic), the Cathedral of Aveiro is a Roman Catholic cathedral built in the style of Portuguese baroque. Founded in 1423, it was restored by Pope Pius XI in 1938 and it has since been working as the seat of the Diocese of Aveiro.
The façade is a stunning and a sure eye catcher; the images of the Human Virtues and the imposing bell tower are beautiful examples of Portuguese architecture. On the inside, the architectural marvel continues with the limestone’s white colour and the chapel decorations of stone and tile from different periods.
Ovos Moles de Aveiro
This local delicacy translate literally to “soft eggs from Aveiro” and it’s made from egg yolks and sugar. The filling is soft due to the freshness of the ingredients. Surrounding it is a pastry made from wheat flour, which will give the sweets the typical shapes of clams, barrels, fish, and more.
Dating back to the 19th century, this delicacy was originally made by nuns of local convents (Dominican Order, Franciscan Order, and Carmelites); the egg whites were used to iron the habits, and the yolks were used to make the sweets.
Ria de Aveiro
When in Aveiro, the Ria de Aveiro itself (or the Aveiro Lagoon) is something you can’t miss. The Ria is the river mouth of the river Vouga, and it’s rich in fish and aquatic birds in its 11,000 hectares, of which six are constantly flooded.
You can take a trip in a moliceiro, a gondola-shaped boat, on the Ria de Aveiro for approximately 45 minutes and see the town and its beautiful architecture while sitting on a piece of Aveiro’s history.
Museu de Arte Nova
Residing in the Casa Major Pessoa, the Museu de Arte Nova (Museum of Art Nouveu) has exquisite architecture possible due to architects Silvia Rocha and Ernest Korrodi. The intricate art nouveau detail of the exterior is seen through the stone façade and the wrought iron embellishments. An eagle tops the building, and the motif can be seen carried out through the interior in traditional Portuguese azulejos (tiles).
On the first level, you can enjoy the tearoom Casa de Chá with cosy bistro tables. The piano in the room invites both experts and amateurs to try their hands at entertaining the room. They specialise in cappuccino, tea, local cakes, and fresh scones during the day. At night, the cocktails and the caipirinhas are the chosen vibe for a relaxed end to the day.
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Associado Nº 1.322