Aveiro and Costa Nova: canals in the morning, striped houses by the sea after.

What you see

The canals and moliceiros. Aveiro’s centre is crossed by canals, and the moliceiros — long wooden boats with high, painted prows, once used to gather seaweed from the lagoon — now take visitors around them, usually for about 45 minutes. It is the classic Aveiro photo, and the boat ride is the easiest way to see the town.

Art nouveau and ovos moles. Walk the streets around the main canal for the art nouveau façades, then try ovos moles, Aveiro’s sweet egg-yolk filling in thin wafer shells shaped like fish and shells. The salt pans at the edge of town produce flor de sal — a good small thing to bring home.

Costa Nova. Across the lagoon on the sand bar, the old fishermen’s storage houses — palheiros — are painted in vertical stripes. Walk the row, then cross the dunes to the long Atlantic beach.

Option 1: a half-day tour (Aveiro + Costa Nova + the boat)

Most Aveiro tours from Porto take about four hours: a minibus from central Porto, a guided walk in Aveiro, the moliceiro canal ride, then a stop at Costa Nova before heading back. It is the simplest way to see both places, because Costa Nova is awkward to reach without a car.

More half-day and full-day trips from Porto, including Aveiro combined with the Douro: day trips from Porto on Tiqets.

Option 2: the train, on your own

Trains run from Porto (São Bento and Campanhã) to Aveiro all day. The fast long-distance trains are quicker; the suburban line is slower but cheaper and more frequent. Aveiro station is a short walk from the canals — look at the tiled panels on the old station building as you leave. From Aveiro, Costa Nova is a local bus or a short taxi ride away. This is the better choice if you want a slow day, lunch by the lagoon, and no group.

Timetables and tickets: CP, Portuguese railways.

Option 3: by car

By motorway Aveiro is about an hour from Porto, and a car makes Costa Nova and the beaches south of it (and the salt pans) easy. Pick the car up the morning you leave the city — car or metro? — and compare local Porto rental firms on Localrent.

Good to know

• Half a day is enough for Aveiro and Costa Nova. With a full day, add a long lunch or the beach.
• Wind. Costa Nova is on the open Atlantic; bring a layer even in summer.
• Comparing day trips? The Douro, Braga and Guimarães and the Paiva walkways are on day trips from Porto; history and castles in the north: Braga and Guimarães.

Questions people ask

Is Aveiro worth a day trip from Porto?

Yes, especially as an easy, flat day: the canals and moliceiro boats, art nouveau façades, ovos moles pastries, then the striped houses of Costa Nova by the sea. Half a day is enough for the highlights.

How do I get from Porto to Aveiro?

By train from Porto (São Bento or Campanhã) — the fast trains are quicker than the suburban line — or on a half-day tour that also takes you to Costa Nova. Costa Nova is a short bus or taxi ride from Aveiro.

What is a moliceiro?

A long, painted wooden boat with a high curved prow, originally used to collect seaweed in the Aveiro lagoon. Today they take visitors around the town’s canals, usually for about 45 minutes.