Aveiro is one of those cities that you can visit in one day, it is located 75km from Porto and can be reached by car, train or bus. We left in the morning from Sao Bento train station, which is located in the center of the city, the ticket cost us 3,55€ and took about an hour and a half.
The first thing we did when we arrived was to walk around the center and take pictures of its canals, bridges and its famous "Moliceiros", boats that make tours for tourists. We also found the Bridge of Bonds (Ponte Laços de Amizade), full of colors that adorn its railings.
Then we decided to pedal, we took two "Bugas" bicycles that the city council offers for free to get to know the city in a more sustainable way, just leave some identification in the office and you can use it for up to two hours in the downtown area.
We visited the salt pans of Aveiro (Salinas), one of the essential places to visit. The extraction of salt was linked for many centuries to the economy not only of the city, but also of the area, and although this activity has been reduced, still today you can see the artisanal collection. They are only a 10 minute bike ride from downtown, or a 15 minute walk.
On our way back from the Salinas we pass a group of modernist style buildings, located next to the main canal and the Art Deco Museum. The city is full of buildings of this style and you can even follow the Modernism Route to learn more about this aspect of the city.
The Beira Mar neighborhood is one of the most visited places, originally it was the fishermen's neighborhood, but today we can appreciate a mixture of elegant buildings, neighborhood stores and picturesque houses. Also there is the Fish Square (Praça do Peixe), where every morning you can get fresh fish. From this square start the narrow streets that make up the neighborhood and where there is a lot of atmosphere with bars and restaurants.
After lunch, we took the bus to Costa Nova to see its colorful houses and beautiful beach. Former warehouses of fishermen's tools, they have now been converted into picturesque wooden houses that are the perfect place to spend a vacation near the beach, which is several kilometers long and has good waves for those surf lovers.
On the north side is Barra Beach, ideal for a walk along the wooden footbridges and to see the highest lighthouse in Portugal. There we watched the sunset accompanied by some natas and good Argentinian mates before heading back to Porto.
Aveiro is one of those small cities that are worth visiting, with its streets and canals full of charm, its typical gastronomy, and various activities for all its visitors.