What to see in Aveiro in one day, the city of canals and moliceiros

Aveiro is a city in Portugal that many know as “the Portuguese Venice”. Here we are going to tell you what to see in Aveiro, something you can do in one day.
Obviously this nickname is somewhat exaggerated because as the Italian city there is none but the canals that cross Aveiro and the charm of the moliceiros.
Aveiro is very close to Porto and every year it is visited by more tourists attracted by its charms and also by the nearby beaches that overlook the Atlantic Ocean.
What to see in Aveiro in one day
1. The surroundings of the Forum Aveiro, the nerve center
If you travel to Aveiro by car, it is best to leave it in the Forum Aveiro car park, a small but modern shopping center located in the heart of the city.
From there we go out to the main canal, of the three that there are, admiring from the bridge that crosses it some of the main buildings to see in Aveiro.
It is, on the one hand, the Edificio da Capitania, built in 1830 and also known as Capitania dos Arcos, due to the fact that it is supported by arches that emerge from the canal.
Initially it was a tide mill and is currently the seat of the Municipal Assembly of Aveiro.
In the same square is the Aveiro Palace Hotel, one of the most beautiful in Aveiro and where one of the best neighborhoods to visit in Aveiro begins.
Next to it are the tourist office and two museums, the Museum of the City of Aveiro and the Museum of Nova Art. From here we have the best views of Aveiro, its canals and the moliceiros, which we talk about below so you can learn more about them.
2. The Beira Mar neighborhood and the Church of Vera Cruz
On that bank of the estuary we find the Barrio de Beira Mar, a fishermen’s neighborhood that still retains the same charm as in the past and where it is necessary to walk to get to know it.
In this neighborhood we will find countless restaurants where you can taste the best cuisine in the area and also some of the most emblematic places in the city.
The Church of Vera Cruz is its main monument. It stands out for its white facade where you can see two tile panels in which the color blue predominates. In addition, its interior is also very beautiful and deserves a visit.
In this neighborhood we also find Praça do Peixe, where we can buy good fresh fish and where Aveiro’s nightlife is concentrated.
3. Walking south of the Ria de Aveiro
On the other side of the estuary we find a slightly different city, more modern, but with a very special charm.
The Plaza de la República is its nerve center and there we find buildings as beautiful as the Municipal Chamber of Aveiro, the Aveiro Theater and especially the baroque Misericordia Church, which stands out for its facade formed by the famous blue tiles of Portugal..
Walking the streets we easily reach two of the most important places to see in Aveiro.
One is the Sé Catedral, with a single tower, a beautiful façade and a surprise, a modernist altar that you can find in few places.
The other is the Museo de Aveiro, which many say is the main point of interest in the city. Inside we can find an important collection of sacred art.
4. In a moliceiro along the Ria de Aveiro
The moliceiros are the main attraction of Aveiro. Without them, this city would possibly go unnoticed and of course it would never be compared to Venice. For that, they deserve a special mention.
These boats were originally used to collect algae from the Ria de Aveiro, but today they are dedicated to tourism, taking visitors to the city along its canals.
Thanks to the moliceiros and their tourist trips, the Art Nouveau buildings that dominate Aveiro and the bridges that cross the estuary, such as the famous Carcavelos Bridge, can be admired from another perspective.
From the moliceiros you can also admire the Old Ceramic Factory, whose red brick dominates one of the ends of the canals.
5. Costa Nova and Barra Beach
A few kilometers from the center of Aveiro we reach the Atlantic Ocean where Costa Nova is located, a place that you cannot miss if you have reached this corner of Portugal.
But in Costa Nova, the most beautiful part does not look at the Atlantic but at the Ría de Aveiro and that is where the palheiros are located, the famous houses painted with colored stripes that provide a great color.
On the other side of Costa Nova is its beach, an extensive sandbank that is worth visiting.
But the most beautiful beach is a little further north. This is Playa da Barra, which is accessed through wooden walkways that give it a special charm and at the end of which you can see the Lighthouse of Aveiro, the highest in Portugal and second in the Iberian Peninsula.
You can find more information on the official Aveiro tourism page.