It’s not a Gondola!
No visit to Aveiro is complete without a ride on its famous moliceiros — the long, flat-bottomed boats that once harvested seaweed and now glide gracefully through the city’s canals.
You can book a 40–50 minute canal tour right from the central dock near the Rossio area. Prices range from €10–15 per person, and you can buy tickets directly from the kiosks along the main canal or online through local operators like Passeio de Moliceiro or Eco Ria.
You’ll drift past:
- The Art Nouveau façades lining the main canal
- The Fish Market (Mercado do Peixe) — lively and colorful
- Old salt warehouses that recall Aveiro’s maritime past
- Beautiful azulejo-covered buildings, including the old train station
- The Rossio gardens and bridges, perfect for photos
- The Ria de Aveiro lagoon, where the canals open wide toward nature
It’s a peaceful, photogenic ride and the barqueiros are as friendly as they come, often sharing bits of local history and humor along the way.
Casa do Major Pessoa – The Art Nouveau Gem
Among Aveiro’s prettiest buildings, none stands out like Casa do Major Pessoa, home to the Museu de Arte Nova.
This is the crown jewel of the city’s Art Nouveau architecture, with its ornate balconies, flowing floral designs, and intricate tiles. Inside, the museum highlights Aveiro’s architectural boom of the early 20th century, complete with elegant interior details and a cozy café that feels straight out of the Belle Époque.
Salt Flats and the Perfect Souvenir
If you’re like us, you love a souvenir that’s practical, unbreakable, and instantly brings you back to your travels. Sea salt is one of our go-to’s — small, affordable, and full of local character.
The salt flats (salinas) around Aveiro have been producing salt for centuries using traditional methods — sun, wind, and patience. The result is Flor de Sal, delicate salt crystals that sparkle like tiny diamonds.
You can visit the Marinha da Troncalhada ecomuseum near town, or book a guided visit with Salinas de Aveiro or Marinha da Noeirinha. Both offer fascinating tours (about an hour) where you can walk the pans, meet the marnotos (salt workers), and often buy freshly harvested salt to take home.
Costa Nova – Stripes, Promenades, and Cocktails
Costa Nova is technically a coastal parish within the municipality of Ílhavo, but to visitors it feels like Aveiro’s seaside twin.
The promenade along the lagoon is lined with those famous striped houses in bright primary colors — once fishermen’s huts, now repainted in bright primary colors. It’s a postcard-perfect stroll.
After your walk, head toward the beach side to Quebramar Beach Club for a cocktail or glass of vinho verde. The setting is casual, breezy, and ideal for watching the sun sink into the Atlantic — all within easy walking distance of the main promenade.
Praia da Costa Nova
As much as we adore our biopool, sometimes you just need to feel the waves, smell the sea brine, and hear the seagulls. And after your “exhausting morning of boat rides and boardwalks, maybe it’s time to just chill out. That’s where Praia da Costa Nova comes in — a long, narrow Atlantic beach that stretches as far as the eye can see.
It’s perfect for swimming and surfing, with lifeguards on duty in summer and a wooden boardwalk that runs above the dunes. After a swim, you’ll find plenty of beach bars and cafés where you can grab a cold drink or seafood lunch.
Why We Think You’ll Love It
Aveiro and Costa Nova make for a relaxing day of gentle sightseeing and lounging on the beach.
- The moliceiros ride is calm, charming, and full of local personality.
- The Art Nouveau architecture provides a tiny amount of culture and history.
- The salt flats connect you to centuries of tradition.
- And the Costa Nova promenade, with its cheerful primary stripes and ocean breeze, is simple joy in technicolor.
Together, they’re a perfect blend of culture, coast, and calm — just what we look for in a Tiny Escape.
