Aveiro Day Trip From Porto Portugal: 1-Day Itinerary

Located on the west coast of central Portugal, Aveiro is a picturesque fishing town known for its Art Nouveau buildings, salt flats, patterned Portuguese pavement, and an egg-y dessert called ovo moles. The town is also known as the Venice of Portugal because of the canal system and the gondola-type boats called moliceiros.

The town of Aveiro is quite small which makes it an ideal day trip from Porto. And since the canal town is only 75km south of Porto, you can easily take a day trip to Aveiro from Porto by taking the urban train.

In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to take the train from Aveiro to Porto and how to see all the best attractions in Aveiro in one day.

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Travel Tips: Aveiro Day Trip from Porto

Before you take a day trip to Aveiro from Porto, take a look at some of these useful travel tips for travelling to Aveiro:

• Download the Comboios de Portugal app. You can check the schedule for the Porto to Aveiro train and buy tickets online via the app.
• Hop on the train for Aveiro before 8:30am. That will give you plenty of time to see everything in Aveiro on the same day.
• Some churches and museums in Aveiro close during lunch hour (12:30pm- 1:30pm)
• Aveiro is a walkable town. Wear your comfortable shoes for wandering around.
• Bring your credit card as many places accept credit cards only. Also, bring cash for smaller purchases.

How to get to Aveiro from Porto

The easiest and cheapest way to travel from Porto to Aveiro is by taking the urban train. You can start the train journey from either São Bento Station or Campanha Station in Porto.

All you have to do is buy a ticket from the counter or kiosk. This means you pay €0.50 for the reusable Siga card and one title (meaning one ticket) for the train journey to Aveiro.

Porto to Aveiro by train

Urban train: from Porto São Bento Station to Aveiro Station

• Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (about 1 or 2 trains per hour)
• Cost: €3.90 (plus €0.50 for the Siga reusable card)

Remember to keep the Siga card so you can use it to take the train from Aveiro to Porto. And make sure to validate your card before getting on the train.

Aveiro Day Trip Itinerary Summary & Map

Here is a quick summary of the day trip:

1. Antigo Estação Caminho de Ferro de Aveiro
2. Moliceiros Pier
3. Antiga Fábrica Jerónimo Pereira Campos
4. Monument to the Soft Eggs
5. Salinas de Aveiro
6. Ponte dos Botirões
7. Ponte dos Carcavelos
8. Praça Melo Freitas 
9. Praça do Peixe
10. Lunch in Aveiro 
11. Museu da Cidade
12. Museu de Arte Nova
13. Sé Catedral de Aveiro
14. Museu de Aveiro
15. Igreja das Carmelita de Aveiro
16. Praça da República
17. Ovo Moles
18. Forum Aveiro
19. Ponte dos Namorados

Below is an interactive map with all the highlights for my Aveiro itinerary. Red pins are all the must-see attractions on the Aveiro day trip, blue pins are other things to do if you have more time, burgundy pins are all the places to eat and yellow pins are accommodations if you decide to stay overnight.

How to Spend 1 Day in Aveiro

1. Antigo Estação Caminho de Ferro de Aveiro

Antigo Estação Caminho de Ferro de Aveiro is the Old Aveiro Railway Station, which has existed since 1916. When you exit Aveiro Station, you will see the restored station with blue and white tiles.

When you take a closer look at the panels of blue and white tiles, you will see different scenes that depict typical characteristics of the area, including the Aveiro salt flats, Aveiro at the beginning of the 18th century, and many more.

The inside of the old railway building houses a gift shop and an exhibition area on the upper floor. If you forget to buy souvenirs in the city centre, you can always pick up a few souvenirs here before jumping back on the train to Porto.

Address: R. do. Dr. João de Moura 2, Aveiro | Hours: 10am-12:30pm & 1:30-6pm

2. Moliceiros Pier

A perfect day trip to Aveiro must include a canal ride on a moliceiro boat. Moliceiros were used for fishing before, but now they are used as vessels for touring around the canals of Aveiro, similar to the gondolas in Venice, Italy.

The boat ride is about 45 minutes, and the colourful boat will take you to all the highlights along the Aveiro water canal.

All the boat tours along the Moliceiro Pier cost the same. I purchased an advanced ticket online for this Moliceiro boat tour. The process was easy and saved me a bit of time. All I had to do was go to the meeting point at the Moliceiro Pier, and then I got a ticket for the Moliceiro boat tour.

I’ll list all the highlights of the Molicios canal tour below. (FYI, you can see all these attractions on foot, but it is so much more fun seeing them on a boat cruise.)

Address: across from Turismo Centro on Rua João Mendonça | Hours: 9am-6pm | Tour price: €13

3 & 4. Fábrica de Cerâmica Jerónimo Pereira Campos and Monument to the Soft Eggs

First, the moliceiro boat sails to the south end of the canal. The boat passes the colourful Ponte dos Nomorados pedestrian bridge and Aveiro Forum. And then into Lago da Fonte Nova, one of the urban channels of Ria de Aveiro.

At the far end of the canal are the Jardim da Fonte Nova and the Antiga Fábrica Jerónimo Pereira Campos. The red-brick building with a smokestack in the middle used to be a ceramic factory. But it has been converted into a cultural congress centre today.

On the left side is the Monument to the Soft Eggs. These whimsical sculptures celebrate Aveiro’s famous dessert: ovo moles. The sculptures mimic the nautical shapes of the ovo moles and the mould for making the egg-y dessert.

5. Salinas de Aveiro

The moliceiro boat tour continues and travels to the northern part of the canal. And on the left side is the Salinas de Aveiro, the salt flats of Aveiro.

From the boat, you could see mounds of salt, but that’s about it. If you want to see more, you can walk back to salt flats, see the salt and also take a dip in the salt pool.

And if you are interested in learning more, you can visit the Ecomuseu Marinha da Troncalhada, an open-air museum showcasing traditional salt production.

Address: R. do Dr. Bernardino Machado 8, Aveiro | Hours: 10am-5pm

6 & 7. Ponte dos Botirões and Ponte dos Carcavelos

The moliceiro boat tour continues towards the west, where it passes two beautiful bridges.

First is the Ponte dos Botirões (Circular Pedestrian Bridge), a steel bridge built over two intersecting canals, the São Roque canal and Praça do Peixe canal. The modern bridge has a loop or the infinity symbol suspended over the bridge by cable wires.

Pedestrians and cyclists can access the wooden circular bridge from four different access points. I would describe the bridge as a roundabout for cars, but this is for people and bicycles.

Next is the Ponte dos Carcavelos (Carcavelos Bridge), one of the oldest bridges in Aveiro. The old bridge collapsed, so what you are seeing is a new and improved bridge. Take note of the center of the bridge; it is decorated with the city’s coat of arms (an eagle).

After passing the second bridge, the moliceiro boat makes a u-turn and returns back to Moliceiro Pier.

8 & 9. Praça Melo Freitas & Praça do Peixe

After the boat ride, take a stroll through the centre of Aveiro Town.

First, see Praça Melo Freitas, where it is full of intricate black and white Calçada Portuguese (traditional Portuguese pavement), many Art Nouveau architectural-style buildings and a limestone and marble obelisk.

Keep walking further and soon you will see Praça do Peixe, an open square with many restaurants and some of them face the canal.

The majority of restaurants in Aveiro are concentrated around these two squares. Many of them can be a bit touristy and busy (especially on weekends). But I have a few suggestions – see the next point.

10. Lunch in Aveiro

There are a few restaurants in Aveiro that I really like and are not in the touristy squares. I’ve tried these places and highly recommend them:

• Restaurante Picota – the best local restaurant in Aveiro in my opinion. They serve different types of grilled seafood, grilled meat and have several delicious house desserts.
• O Batel – also a wonderful restaurants for solo diners. Their shrimp rice is excellent.
• Zé do Pernil Aveiro – a local sandwich shop offering a few types of sandwiches including leitao (suckling pig) sandwich.
• Tripas da Praça – they have many types of tripas on their menu.

As for what to eat in Aveiro, the quaint town has a few specialties. Caldeirada de enguias (Aveiro-style eel stew) and seafood cataplana (traditional seafood stew) are often served in Aveiro. However, they are not ideal for solo diners (most restaurants only offer these dishes for two people). But you can find many other traditional Portuguese food for one person.

And if you crave for something sweet, try a tripa (pancake crepe filled with sweet fillings like chocolate, ovo moles or other ingredients).

11. Museu da Cidade

Next walk along the Moliceiros Pier and see the canal-facing houses. The next two attractions are along this pier.

First, visit Museu da Cidade (Aveiro City Museum), which has several exhibits on everything and anything that has to do with the history of Aveiro. From old photographs to different artifacts, you can learn something new about the city.

However, there isn’t a lot to see throughout the three floors of the building that used to be an ancient convent. But the €5 entrance fee is worth spending because it includes the fee for visiting Museu de Arte Nova, the next stop on the Aveiro itinerary.

Address: R. João Mendonça 9, Aveiro | Hours: 10am-12:30pm & 1:30-6pm | Admission: €4 or €5 for both Museu da Cidade and Museu de Arte Nova

12. Museu de Arte Nova

Museu de Arte Nova (Art Nouveau Museum) is a three-story museum that houses different types of Art Nouveau artwork, from fashion to sculptures and other unique art pieces. However, the collection of work is relatively small compared to other museums I’ve been to.

The best part was seeing the museum’s facade. I really like Art Nouveau, especially in architecture, and it was great to see all the design intricacies in their building.

I was also given a brochure for finding all the Art Nouveau buildings and monuments in Aveiro. After leaving the museum, it became a scavenger hunt for me. I followed the map and found most of the buildings. Many of them were already part of my itinerary, including Praca do Peixe, Museu da Cidade, and Fábrica Jeronimo P. Campos.

Address: R. Dr. Barbosa de Magalhães 9-11, Aveiro | Hours: 10am-12:30pm & 1:30-6pm | Admission: €4 or €5 for both Museu de Arte Nova and Museu da Cidade

13. Sé Cathedral de Aveiro

Walk across town to the next attraction, which is the Sé Cathedral de Aveiro (Aveiro Cathedral). It is the only surviving structure in the old Dominican monastery. Founded in 1423, the church suffered many fires, leaving the building in bad condition. Many restorations were carried out, including the facade and the nave.

Today, you can visit this Roman Catholic church for free and see the Portuguese Baroque architecture style, Gothic sculptures, and a modern organ.

Address: Av. 5 de Outubro, Aveiro | Hours: 9am-7pm

14. Museu de Aveiro

Across the road from Aveiro Cathedral is Museu de Aveiro (Aveiro Museum). The building used to be the old Convent of Jesus but is now converted into a museum, that is best known for its ties with Saint Joana, the patron saint of Aveiro.

You can spend about an hour or so to see many artworks that feature the life of Princess Saint Joana. But the highlight has to be the elaborate tomb.

Also, don’t miss the cloisters, fountain in the courtyard and the gold-leafed interior of the Chapel of Jesus. They are all worth seeing especially if you like religious art and architecture.

Address: Av. Santa Joana, Aveiro | Hours: 10am-12:30pm & 1:30-6pm (closed Mondays) | Admission: €7 for both Aveiro Museum and Carmelitas Church

15. Igreja das Carmelita de Aveiro

Igreja das Carmelita de Aveiro (Church of the Carmelites) is a 17th-century church with a rather plain exterior.

But once you enter the church, your visual senses are bombarded by the ornate, gilded wood altarpiece depicting Our Lady of Conception, and by blue-and-white tiles with paintings illustrating scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary, Christ, and the Saints. The Baroque and Rococo architectural styles balance each other harmoniously.

Moreover, the most striking feature of the Carmelitas Church is the gold-leafed surfaces set against blue-and-white azulejo tiles. The contrast between gold and blue was considered the ideal design aesthetic at the time.

Address: Tv. do Governo Civil, Aveiro | Hours: 10am-12:30pm & 1:30-6pm Tuesday to Sunday | Admission: €2 or €7 for both Aveiro Museum and Carmelitas Church

16. Praça da República

Walk back to the centre of town and visit Praça da República, an open square surrounded by Teatro Aveirense and Igreja da Misericórdia de Aveiro.

On Rua de Coimbra, there is a large mural made with colourful tiles. The subject matter is all about typical Aveiro activities and things associated with the city, like moliceiro boat, ovo moles, salt, etc. This is one of the best outdoor art displays in Aveiro.

And you might have already seen many Portuguese patterned tiles throughout the day. But the one in front of the mural is my favourite. What do you think?

17. Try Ovo Moles de Aveiro

Ovo Moles de Aveiro is a small pastry made with egg yolk and sugar wrapped with a rice paper casing or wheat flour casing. The name means “soft eggs from Aveiro.” They are shaped nautically like seashells.

Before leaving Aveiro, I highly recommend trying ovo moles. A few local pastry shops sell this sweet treat:

• Confeitaria Peixinho (10am-8pm) – boutique confectionary store selling local sweets and has a sitting area on the third floor
• M1882 Maria da Apresentação da Cruz, Herds (10am-7pm) – local shop selling many types of sweet treats
• Café a Barrica (9am-7pm) – you can order local desserts at this coffee shop
• Confectionery Pastry Ramos (8am-8pm Monday to Saturday; 3-8pm Sundays) – popular coffee shop with many types of desserts

You can also get other sweet treats made with the same creamy yolk and sugar combination, such as pao-de-lo de Ovar (sponge cake), cookies, tarts, and more.

Or if you want to make ovo moles yourself, there is a workshop in Aveiro that allows you to make these sweet treats. The workshop is affordable and only takes 30 minutes.

18 & 19. Forum Aveiro & Ponte dos Namorados

After all the sightseeing in Aveiro, check out Forum Aveiro, a shopping plaza with over 70+ stores. There are clothing stores like Zara, Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius, Pull & Bear, Bershka and many more brands.

I always like to put the shopping options at the end of my travel itineraries so you are not carrying all your shopping goods around the city.

Also check out the Ponte dos Nomorados bridge next to the shopping centre. It is different from other “lover’s bridges” in other parts of the world. Instead of putting a love padlock on the bridge, a love ribbon or tie is used. The whole act symbolizes the unbreakable love and friendship between two people.

And when you are ready, walk back to Aveiro Station and catch the next train back to Porto.

Address: R. do Batalhão de Caçadores 10, Aveiro | Hours: 10am-10pm

Other Things to Do in Aveiro Portugal

There are many more things to do in Aveiro besides the attractions mentioned in the itinerary. If you are spending more than 1 day in Aveiro, here are a few more things to see in Aveiro (see blue pins on the map):

1. Praia da Costa Nova – 9km of gorgeous beach and the famous Palheiros beach houses with vertical stripes. Take bus 36 from bus terminal at Aveiro Station. It takes 40 minutes and costs €2.60.
2. Praia da Barra – walk along the 6km boardwalk from Praia da Costa Nova and see the tallest lighthouse in Portugal.
3. Ecomuseu Marinha da Troncalhada – you can see the salt flats from the moliceiro boat tour, but you can go back and get a guided tour of the open-air museum.
4. Marinha da Noeirinha – soak in the mineral-rich saltwater pool and relax at the salt spa.

Where to stay in Aveiro Portugal

There’s no need to stay overnight when you follow my Aveiro itinerary. But if you want to spend another day or two in Aveiro, there are several hotels and Airbnb options.

I stayed at the Moliceiro Retreat Apartment which is a modern loft unit near Forum Aveiro. It is excellent for short and long term.

I also saw a contemporary hotel across the Forum Aveiro called Noma Living Avenida 60. It looks like the rooms are apartment-like with living spaces and kitchenettes. If I didn’t stay at the Moliceiro Apartment, I would try this one. Check prices & reviews on Agoda and Booking.

Is Aveiro worth visiting for solo travellers

I absolutely think so! I’ve been to Aveiro several times over the past few years and this is one of my favourite towns in Portugal. It is an easy day trip destination from Porto but if you prefer a quieter town, it is also nice to stay for a few days, especially if you want to visit Praia da Costa Nova or Coimbra.

Let me know in the comments if you enjoyed this post or if I am missing any attractions that should be part of this itinerary.

Ready to plan your trip to Porto? Here are some of my go-to travel planning resources:
* Book your flight: find flight deals on Skyscanner 
* Book accommodation: find the best Porto accommodations on Agoda or Booking
* Buy insurance: Safetywing is my go-to provider for travel insurance, as it covers many things. I will never travel without the Nomad Insurance Package because it protects me against unforeseen events. Get a quote today.
* Order a SIM card: order a SIM card in advance and set up your mobile phone before arriving at your destination.
* Join tours: check Get Your Guide and Klook for the best tours around Porto.

Thank you for reading my Aveiro itinerary

I have many posts on Portugal, and you might also like these other posts on solo travel in Portugal:

• Portugal solo travel itinerary: 2 weeks in Portugal by train

Lisbon region posts

• Lisbon solo travel guide for first-timers
• Is the Lisboa Card worth it?
• Best day trips from Lisbon Portugal

Northern Portugal posts

• 2 days in Porto: things to do alone in Porto
• Best Porto food: what and where to eat in Porto
• 7 excellent day trips from Porto
• Day trip to Guimarães from Porto: 1-day itinerary
• Day trip from Porto to Espinho: 1-day itinerary

Central Portugal posts

• How to spend one day in Coimbra Portugal

Algarve posts

• Algarve solo travel guide: 13 best places
• 20 best things to do in Albufeira for solo travellers
• Loule itinerary: best things to do in one day
• Vilamoura and Quarteira: 1-day itinerary

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queenie mak

Hi, my name is Queenie, and I’ve been a solo traveller for 20+ years and currently based in Hong Kong. Follow me on my adventures through Instagram and my blog!