A couple months ago I had the privilege to visit Aveiro, also known as the portuguese Venice. In this post, I’m going to show you all about its beautiful moliceiros (the little boats similar to gondolas), the romantic atmosphere and the places you shoud definitely visit.
Healthy Brunch at Green Point
Let’s start with the food. Me and my friends had the most delicious brunch at Green Point. We had a reservation and everything went smoothly. The space is beautiful and well-decorated and the food is absolutely amazing. There is something for everyone, including healthy and vegan friendly options. Everything is fresh and full of flavour. Totally recommend!
Traditional tripas and ovos moles
I have tried ovos moles before and to be completely honest with you, I think they are a little too sweet for my taste but you should totally give it a try and see for yourself. On the other hand, I’m a big fan of the traditional tripa with melted chocolate.
Dinner at Porta 36
We stopped there for dinner. The waiters were friendly and the food was ok. I think the great thing about this restaurant is the warm and romantic environment.
A stroll by the town
The first thing you should do is to go for a walk around the town. Aveiro is full of beautiful buildings, cute streets, colorful tiles and a charming atmosphere. There you can find lots of cafes and restaurants where you can stop for a drink. You can also see some amazing street artists. I saw a violinist next to Fórum Aveiro and it was absolutely breathtaking.
Ponte dos Laços da Amizade
The bridge gained popularity due to the initiative of some university students who began to place ribbons there as symbol of love or friendship, challenging others to do the same. It’s a charming little bridge decorated with colorful ribbons, right next to the shopping mall. Right now you can actually find six bridges that are being colored in the same way as the first one. It’s also a great place to take pictures.
Ponte de Carcavelos
I felt a little disappointed because a saw a beautiful photo of the bridge with bright colors and gorgeous details but when I got there, it was not as colorful as I expected. Unfortunetely, it ended up being nothing special. I think the weather didn’t help. Probably it would look better with a blue sky and sunshine. Anyway, nothing a little bit of editing won’t fix.
The Famous Moliceiros
A big part of Aveiro’s charm is the canals . The city is full of these little colorful boats called moliceiros. During the 19th century, they were used in seaweed harvesting. These boats were originally conceived for the collection and transport of the “moliço”, an acquatic plant used as a fertilizer. They are now tourist boats. You can book a river cruise. A roundtrip of the town takes around 45 minutes for 13 euros.
Costa Nova
Costa Nova is well known for its cute little houses. You can find one in every color. They were used by the fishermen to store their fishing nets. It’s a super instagrammable spot, next to the beach, and let me warn you that you will want to take a photo every two steps.
Hope you liked my suggestions. Also, feel free to check my post about 9 unforgettable places to visit in Sintra and this one with basic survival portuguese phrases. I promise you won’t regret it!
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