The city of Aveiro is located about 68km to the south of Porto and has approximately 57,000 inhabitants. It is sometimes referred to as “The Portuguese Venice” due to the large number of canals and boats. It can be dated back to the 10th century when it was known by its Latin name Alavarium, which translates roughly as “a gathering place or preserve of birds”.
Have the freedom of exploring this interesting city at your own leisure and pace by booking an Aveiro hire car so you can travel where you want to and when you want to.
Aveiro Mini Guide
The City
Located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, Aveiro is the capital of the Aveiro Municipality in Portugal and has a total population of around 57,000. It is sometimes named "The Portuguese Venice", due to its canals and boats and is mainly an industrial city with a major seaport. Aveiro’s climate is a wet, humid one and the driest months tend to be in July and August.
Transport Options
The central train station is situated close to the city centre, with regional and fast trains to most cities, such as Porto, Coimbra or Lisbon. The main expressway of Aveiro is the A1 to Porto and Lisbon, which is also a toll road and there is also highway 29 which runs parallel to the A1. Francisco Sá Carneiro International in Porto is the closest airport and is located 80 km to the north of Aveiro.
A coach service which connects Aveiro to many Portuguese and Spanish cities is available and the local bus terminal is just a 15 minute walk from the main canal area. The best way to see Aveiro is by using the free-use bicycles, named the BUGA service and these can be accessed by the BUGA shops which are around the city.
Shopping
There are several shopping centres and malls in Aveiro, the most central one being Forum Aveiro which has fashion stores, restaurants, book shops and a cinema. Aside from this, Rua dos Combatientes da Guerra and Avenida Dr. Lourenço Peixinho are the major retail streets. For traditional ware, Vista Alegre is famous for its local ceramics.
Things to do
As this part of the coast is known as the Silver Coast due to the beauty of the golden sands, a day out at the beach is a real pleasure, the main ones being Barra, famous for its surfing and Costa Nova do Prado which has a sailboat club. With strong coastal winds in autumn and winter, these seasons are perfect for kiting, wind surfing or sailboat lessons. Boat hire is available on the canals and these painted boats are called Moliceiros, which are similar to Venetian Gondolas. For Portuguese culture, there is a cathedral and museum and for families there are several parks, including Dom Pedro Children’s Park.
Eating out
The main restaurant area is between the Old Neighbourhood (Bairro Antigo) and the fish market plaza (Mercado do Peixe). There is also a wide choice of restaurants at Barra and Costa Nova beaches. The sweet, Ovos Moles is a traditional product in Aveiro made from egg yolk and is sold in local bakeries.
Nightlife
Praça do Peixe (fish plaza) is the main area for nightlife. There you will find a variety of bars which are open until late and all have free entrance.
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