Aveiro and region
Traditionally, Aveiro is known for its canals that flow trough the city, for its characteristic boats, the Moliceiros, for its salt-pans and for its sweet delicacies. On arriving in Aveiro, any visitor will also take in the youth, vigour and dynamism that Aveiro exhibits. Despite its considerable growth in recent years, the city of Aveiro has been able to preserve its quality of life and offer access to the infra-structures and services of any modern urban centre.
Today, Aveiro is an industrial city, a hub of commerce and services and also a centre for culture and leisure, with a burgeoning offer in various forms; cinema, theatre, art exhibitions, music, dance, the plastic arts, science, technology, water sports, night-life …
The Beaches and the Ria (Estuary of Aveiro)
Costa Nova is a small village overlooking both the Ria and the sea, very well known for its typical houses and for its long beach with white and thin sand. In its main avenue you’ll find some charming wooden houses painted in strips of vivid colours “the palheiros” that will make good photos to take back home.
The ocean is quite boisterous sometimes, as it is common in the northern beaches of the country, providing good conditions for surf, body board and windsurf.
The lagoon here is also an excellent place for the practice of various nautical sports.
Barra is just two kilometres after Costa Nova. The long strip of land ends here. Its main attraction is its imposing Lighthouse, the highest of Portugal, the 2nd in Europe and the 3rd in the world. Built between 1885 and 1893, the cylinder of its body is more than 60meters high and the flashes of lightning can be seen from 60kms of distance, in the open sea.
But Barra has more than the lighthouse. You may find here many bars and restaurants, two hotels, modern buildings, most of them only for summer time, a pier with about one kilometre long for jogging and fishing, a splendid beach, and many shops. Barra means the true entrance for the harbour. This kind of mouth allows big ships to come to the port of Aveiro. If we are lucky, we can even observe the departure or the entrance of one of those ships passing quite near us.
Things you really must do in Aveiro
- Enjoy the beauty and the tranquillity of the canals and lagoon on foot, cycling or on board a beautiful Moliceiro boat;
- Wander around the quant streets of fishermen’s houses and friendly restaurants of the beira-mar old quarter of the city;
- Discover the small treasures of Art Nouveau that dot the city;
- Stroll around the university campus, a true open-air museum of modern Portuguese architecture;
- At night, visit the area around the fish market, known as the Praça do Peixe, an essential meeting point for anyone who wants to enjoy a lively night in one of its many bars;
- Indulge in the varied traditional food, from fish stews to the famous “ovos moles”, a sweet egg comfiture in a fine casing or served in other confections;
- Take a ride to the neighbouring beaches of Barra, with its impressive lighthouse or to Costa Nova, with its colourful striped houses;
And before coming enjoy some photographs:
http://fotos.ua.sapo.pt/sre/playview/260
http://fotos.ua.sapo.pt/sre/playview/16
