Find Aveiro

Between the Sea and the Mountains

2009-05-27T13:25:00.000-07:00

Foreseen Duration: 2 days

Approximate Distance: 120 km

Type of Transport: 4X4

The etnography of this area was influenced by the center region of the country. It belonged for centuries (since 1253 till the creation of the bishopric of Aveiro, in the XVIII century) to the diocese of Coimbra, time that most of these lands started to be part of the territory of the actual headquarters of the district. Reflecting its importance in the History of Portugal,it is not strange to find that a part of the architectural legacy is of a religious nature, what is confirmed by the high number of churches and chapels, that appeared from the birth of the nation.It is this abundant heritage that, starting in Ílhavo, through Aveiro and Oliveira do Bairro and ending in Águeda , framed by the coming and going of the Atlantic Ocean waves on one side and by the ridges of the mountains on the other, constitutes for itself, its own reason to be contemplated.

The Inland Mountains

2009-05-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Foreseen Duration: 2 days

Approximate Distance: 195 km

Type of Transport: 4X4

This is a route that takes us to discover the charms of the interior of the region. Amongst mountains and valleys, we invite you to get to know the old villages, with their typical atmosphere still conserved , fields carved out of the steep hills and a welcoming atmosphere. We begin this route in Monte of Nossa Sra. do Socorro in Albergaria-a-Velha, about 20 Km from Aveiro - a place for contemplating the surrounding nature and the beautiful chapel, which peculiar history remounts to the XIX century. After, we take the connection to Sever do Vouga, a road that will take you trough the mountains, along side the river Vouga and its beautiful shores covered in willow trees. Arriving to this border region between the coast and the plateau Beirão, where the record of human presence goes back to prehistorical times, we'll make a stop on a beautiful riverside beach.This is an ideal moment for resting by the shore of the river, or, for the sportsmen, to go canoeing in the cristal clear water of river Vouga. The rest of the route takes us to one of the most picturesque villages of the area, Lomba, and to countless monuments of historical interest, giving us an example of the wealth and cultural diversity of this region.

See more in: The Inland Mountains (PDF)

The Sea Route

2009-05-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

Foreseen Duration: 2 days

Approximate Distance: 120 km

Type of Transport: 4X4

The coastal border of this area, a long lunar shaped patch that extends from Esmoriz to Areão, gathers a group of famous beaches of the North of Portugal. In this route we invite you to get to know the protected area of the Dunes of S. Jacinto, a reknown part of the region, where an exemplary biodiversity of the Atlantic forest subsists,providing a memorable landscape between the sea and the Ria. When traveling this route, you'll get to know most of the beaches of our coast and the unique cultural wealth of people dedicated to the arts of fishing and riverside agriculture. We highly recommend, to contemplate the sunset in these stops, where the sun sets behind the sea, providing moments of rare beauty.

See more in: The Sea Route (PDF)

The Veal Route

2009-05-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

Foreseen Duration: 1 Day

Approximate distance: TBA

Type of Transport: 4X4

From the green lush mountains of the interior of Rota da Luz, originating from cattle raised in the open pastures, a dish of refined palate was born. The veal... Tender meat, golden colours , that a tradition of centuries, passed from generation to generation, knows how to extract from carefully prepared ovens, accompanied by magnificent wines from farms that became famous for the excellence of their production, guarantees a culinary delight

Ria Route

2009-05-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

Foreseen Duration: 1 day

Approximate Distance: 90 km

Type of Transport: 4X4

Ria of Aveiro is a coastal lagoon that extends from Mira to Ovar, approximately 50 Km, being separated from the sea by a strait sand formation. Reminding long arms that extend to the riverside communities, the Ria originates its magnificent landscapes, in a scenery where the water reigns.In this route we invite you to circle the lagoon, starting in Aveiro and finishing in Ovar. There will be stops of notable natural value and of rich fauna diversity , you'll get to know the salt beds, the moliceiro boats, the people and their culture, in a walk that will stay in your memory forever, it is what we propose to you.

See more in: Ria Route (PDF)

The Mountain Route

2009-05-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

Duration: 2 days

Foreseen Approximate Distance: 220 km

Type of Transport: 4X4

In this route, we invite you to discover the most northern area of the Region. An imposing and beautiful landscape, marked by the shape of the mountains and valleys, where nature reveals itself with a unique splendor. We suggest that the beginning of the walk, starts in the Castle of Paiva, easily accessible through the freeway A1. In this land on the shores of the river Douro, crossed by the rivers Paiva and Arda with their beautiful shores and crystalline waters, that provide the visitor with the possibility of canoeing or good fishing for trout, eal or catfish. We proceed after, heading south in direction to Arouca, a very old region, with an extensive valley hugged by the Mountains of Freita, of Montemuro and by the Hill of Srª da Mo.This route is rich with built historical patrimony, from the megalithycal monuments to the sumptuous Monastery of Arouca and marked unmistakably, by the presence of a welcoming nature, worthy of long walks and favorable for active tourism.

See more in: The Mountain Route (PDF)

Route of Art Nouveau

2009-05-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

Foreseen Approximate Distance: 30 km

Type of Transport: Car

Being mainly an "ornamental style", the Art Nouveau style doesn't apply a stereotypical architectural formula. Instead, it introduces, contradicting the previous academic styles, decoration using curved lines, with vegetal motives , that overflow in the facade tiles, in the iron fences, in the frames of doors and windows and in the stained glass. It is in fact, the tile craft ,that, in the panorama of materials that are the foundation of this style ( iron, glass, wood and stone, the symbols of progress) that rises to forefront, with her vivid colours, maybe mirroring the optmistical vision of the growing bourgeoisie and the happiness of living of the "belle époque." Aveiro of the beginning of the XX century , was the "home of the Tile", referred like this by the historian Amaro Neves, where renowned centers of artistical production developed, as the one in Côjo, the one in Fonte Nova, the Clayworks of Aveiro, the Aleluia factory , amongst others. As a result, the architectural style of the city found how to take advantage and to frame this presence. The discovery of this architectural style, is by itself, a reason to get to know and to understand the history, the city and the dynamism of the people of Aveiro .

Aveiro Details

2009-05-20T09:39:00.000-07:00

Aveiro - History

This city was once a great seaport with a history linked to its salt pans dating back prior to 959 AD. This is how it was recorded in the will of Countess Mumadona at which time the town was known by the name of Alavario. Much later, in the 16th Century it acquired new prosperity through its cod fishing industry practiced off the coast of Newfoundland. Unfortunately, very strong storms occurred at the end of the same century with the result that the harbour mouth silted up and thus virtually dealing a deathblow to all this beneficial trade.

Aveiro - Description

Today the area is a centre of industry but the old lagoon of about 65 sq. kms still has its charm with the many canals and the distinctive and interesting “moliceiros” boats that are used to collect seaweed. The town with its 55.000 inhabitants is basically a mixture of neat fishermen’s cottages and Art Nouveau townhouses with a few historic buildings. The small houses lining the beach area are most attractive on the eye with their distinct colourful facades of different painted colours. The church of Misericórdia dates from the 16th Century, whilst the more modest Cathedral São Domingos is from the 15th Century. The city’s museum is located in what previously was the Mosteiro de Jesus where Santa Joana, the daughter of King Afonso V, died in 1490. This museum, besides holding the well carved tomb of this Saint in a richly gold decorated sanctuary, maintains an interesting collection of primitive and 15th Century art.

A speciality pastry for which Aveiro is know is their "Ovas Moles", Small almond shaped creations filled with a sweet filling.

Known as the Venice of Portugal, Aveiro is surrounded by salt-flats, beaches and lagoons and dominated by the Central Canal running through town. Once a big sea port, Aveiro lies in a region of valleys cut by mountains and fertile lagoon plains.
The city of Aveiro is crossed by canals, which give it quite an individual character, and in the old quarter tourists can see the quaint whitewashed houses of the fishermen and visit, early in the morning, the Mercado do Peixe, an auction of the fish caught during the night. Of all the boats seen in the area, the moliceiro is the most elegant, being perfectly lined, painted with bright colours and with often ingenious and humorous decorations.

Sé Cathedral of Aveiro

The Church of Saint Dominic, now Sé Catedral de Aveiro, was founded in 1423 and was remodelled in the 16th and 17th centuries. The works executed in 1719 greatly altered its façade. It features examples of several religious architectural styles, namely mannerist (side chapels), baroque (high choir, vaults and cross) and modernist (transept and master chapel).

Church of St. John the Evangelist

Also known as Igreja das Carmelitas (Carmelites Church), the Igreja de São João Evangelista belonged to the convent of the same name, of Carmelite nuns. Founded in 1657, it is a classic example of the religious architecture of the mannerist and baroque periods. It is a temple of longitudinal plan, with mannerist architectural structure and internal baroque decoration, in golden woodwork and tiles.

Church of Carmo

Constructed in 1613. Inside, two altars of 17th and a8yh centuries can be admired. It contains sculptures of artistic value and screens representing scenes of the Passion.

Museum of Aveiro

Established in 1911, the Museum of Aveiro occupies the building of the old Convent of Jesus, conserving unbroken some spaces of the previous conventual experience that integrate the circuit of visit of the museum. The quantity of the museum, with origin in the estates of the Convent of Jesus and other religious houses of the extinct city and the country with the liberal legislation, encloses colecções of painting, sculpture, would paramentaria, tile, goldsmithery, furniture, ceramics with particular incidence in the baroque period. It still possesss deep a documentary one of centuries XV to the XIX.

Aveiro

2009-05-18T09:47:00.000-07:00

Salt industry (Aveiro): this is an interesting group of constructions related to salt-pans, just like the barns of S. Roque’s Channel, used as storehouses for salt.

Arouca Monastery and Saint Mafalda’s Tomb (Arouca): religious, classical and baroque architecture. It’s a Cistercian monastery, constructed under the classical roman style. The backs of the lecture hall are carved in gold, with 30 pictures of Saint Mafalda’s and other saint’s lives.

Lady of the Mó Hill (Arouca): located 8 km from the village, 711 meters high. It has an excellent view of the Arouca valley and this is where the Lady of the Mó Chapel is located.

The Mill’s Route (Arouca): there are 17 mills, all lined, that constitute a unique case in Portugal. Located at Alvarenga parish, this group is known as the Mill’s Route and is served by the same water. Constructed in schist and covered with slate, they are similar to the traditional architecture of this region.

Taco’s Megalithic Nucleus (Albergaria-a-Velha): this nucleus, firstly with three dolmens, has know only two. They look like big hillocks and usually cover different funerary chambers.

Silver Coast Must See's

2009-05-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

Some of the country's most impressive architecture, historical and religious sites can be found in this region, in the center of Portugal.

On the coastline, nearly empty beaches mix with quaint fishing towns and villages, of which Nazaré is one of the finest examples; inland, fertile country stretches along the banks of rivers like the Tagus, producing livestock and crops from grapes to fruit and rice.

Coimbra, the birthplace of six kings and the seat of the country's oldest university, fascinates with its historical associations, and nearby you can visit the largest escavate Roman site in Portugal, Conímbriga.

Further north, the city of Aveiro, once a great seaport, still carries the charm of its canals and lagoon, known as "the ria".

Not far from Lisbon, the ancient city of Leiria, with its fortified castle built early in the 12th century, is a good base from which to visit the great abbeys of Batalha and Alcobaça and the well known shrine of Fátima.

Regional food in all this area is richly varied: from the eel stew of Aveiro to roasted sucking pig near Coimbra, and an immensity of seafood dishes along the coast.