WORDS & PICTURES: Abi Prowse
Settled behind the still, graceful waters of its eponymous lagoon, its streets woven with elegant canals, is the sleepy city of Aveiro, Portugal. Sheltered from the vivacity of nearby Porto by a stretching expanse of greenery, this compact Portuguese city often goes unnoticed by visitors, who flock to Portugal in search of its bright beaches and tropical climate. Renowned as the ‘Venice of Portugal’, Aveiro’s moliceiros – their elaborately-decorated canal boats – are an iconic feature within the city, gliding gently through the canals in slow bursts of colour. But it is not only its unique waterfront location that makes Aveiro one of Portugal’s most beautiful destinations: its narrow streets are equally pretty, the paving stones swirling in a flurry of patterns typical of any Portuguese town. The pace of life here is decidedly laid-back, locals strolling along the waterfront or making their way towards the covered market in the aptly-named Praça do Peixe.
Aveiro’s unique, picturesque architecture is reminiscent of a watercolour painting. Its town centre is dominated by Art Nouveau buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries, brought to the city by wealthy Brazilians – the houses are decorated, though, with intricately-detailed Portuguese tiles. It is this penchant for unusual design and vibrant primary colours that renders Aveiro entirely unlike anywhere else in Portugal, marrying elegant stonework with an almost childlike palette. The city’s railway station, just a short walk from the centre, is unsurprisingly stunning, its blue and white tiles splashed across the building in a series of illustrations. From here, there are direct train links to both Porto and Lisbon.
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CAFÉS & PASTELARIAS
Coffee and pastries lie at the heart of Portuguese culture. Early each morning, expect to find the metal and wicker chairs which litter the pavements filled with locals, as they sit to enjoy their breakfast. Aveiro, Portugal, is particularly famous for its ovos moles: small sweets made from egg yolk and sugar, often encased in pearl-white rice paper, which accompany a delicious cup of coffee. For a traditional culinary experience, visit Rainha de Aveiro, situated at the heart of the city’s main avenue. A large pastelaria, this open-plan café is always bustling with customers, and serves some of the city’s best ovos moles.
Casa de Chá is an elegant tea and coffee house, located within one of Aveiro’s most striking buildings. With a sheltered outdoor courtyard, its walls blanketed in elaborate tiles, this is one of the most remarkable spots in the city centre for a coffee break – or, in the evening, a refreshing caipirinha. Pastelarias and bars frame the Praça 14 de Julho: a tree-lined, pedestrianised square which links the heart of Aveiro to its quieter, more residential warren of streets. Settle at their outdoor seating in the early afternoon for a glass of local wine, or a creamy galão (latte), as city life streams gently around you.
FRESHLY-CAUGHT SEAFOOD
It is unsurprising, given Aveiro’s unbeatable waterfront location, that this city is known as a source of delicious, fresh fish. A mecca for seafood fanatics, the elegant fish market stands proudly at the heart of the town centre, a gleaming beacon in the middle of the Praça do Peixe. Dating back to the 1700s, this covered, iron-clad market is where local fishermen congregate to sell their catches, providing Aveiro locals and visitors with fresh, responsibly-sourced fish. Above the market is the Restaurante Mercado do Peixe: a uniquely-located eatery serving seafood dishes which use produce from the market beneath it. Canals branch away from this square like arteries, giving this restaurant the best view in town. Just a short walk along the waterfront, where both sides are teeming with softly-lit restaurants and relaxed yet lively bars, is the family-friendly Restaurante Quatro Nós. Another top location in the city for seafood, this traditionally Portuguese haunt is as typical in its friendly, welcoming atmosphere as it is in its simple yet flavourful menu. After dinner, pay a visit to one of the Praça do Peixe’s numerous bars, and watch the evening light sparkle on the water.
RUGGED NATURAL BEAUTY
Despite its uniquely charming city centre, with its Art Nouveau architecture and elaborately-coloured boats, Aveiro is known mainly for its distinctive location. The tranquil waters of Aveiro Lagoon separate the city from its sprawling, sandy beach: the Costa Nova. Recognised primarily by its striped beach huts, the Costa Nova is beloved by visitors, who flock to the Avenida José Estevão, cameras in hand, for a shot of this unbelievably quaint seaside village.
However, passing through these colour-spattered streets to the other side of the narrow spit, you are greeted by great walls of sand. These are the dunes of the Praia da Costa Nova: a wild, rugged stretch of beach, where the crashing waves fly in from the Atlantic. Wooden walkways wind their way through these dunes, dipping and rising with the swells of the sand.
During winter, the beach is cloaked in an eerie beauty, a lone, white church nestled into the long, dry grass, without a soul in sight; in the summer months, surfers adorn the waves, the rough rawness of this stretch of coastline the perfect backdrop to their early-morning sessions. It is perhaps this sense of the ethereal teamed with an almost childlike energy that renders Aveiro, Portugal, so charming to its visitors.
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