Traditionally known as the "Portuguese Venice", Aveiro is a medium-sized city with a rich seafaring culture connected to old fishermen who, for ages, have known how to navigate in the Atlantic for the finest fish.

Once in Aveiro, you cannot miss these 10 highlights of what to do in this picturesque town.

 1 – Moliceiro Boat Tour

Moliceiros (old seaweed gathering boats) decorate the old town with their boat tours along the canals. With more than 15 meters, they are fully ornamented with daily routine themes that characterize Aveiro and Portugal itself.

2 – Try the Ovos Moles

The Ovos Moles (Soft Eggs) is the typical and traditional pastry from this town, egg yolk with a layer of sugar that will spice up your appetite after a stroll around the old town. Like the Pastel de Nata, this pastry was conceived by Franciscan and Dominican nuns that lived until the 19th century, and instead of disposing of it, created the Ovos Moles. You cannot leave Aveiro without indulging your palate with this sweet pastry.

3 – Visit the Salt Marshes

The water canals stretch throughout the whole city to the very outskirts, where the salt marshes are located. Still, we can find a few of these salt industries in business, even though it`s more for recreational and tourism purposes.

4 – Explore the Aveiro Walkways

If you already know the Paiva Walkways, it’s time to venture into the Aveiro Walkways. More than 5 km, and following the main stream, you can always find locals enjoying the outdoor exercises as well as taking some pictures of the breathtaking marsh landscape. A variety of fauna can also be discovered, especially flamingoes and different breeds of eagles. The walkways extend from Esgueira to Vilarinho, a bit outside of Aveiro’s downtown.

5 – The Museum of Aveiro

That’s right; the city has a museum, settled in an old Dominican convent. After the extinction of the religious orders in Portugal, many convents and monasteries were either abandoned, demolished, or turned into different cultural institutions. Inside, you will admire a private collection of paintings, statuary, mosaics, textile, and tapestry from the 15^th and 16^th centuries. On a rainy day, this museum is an option to learn more about the local art history.

6 – Photograph the Costa Nova

Definitely one of the most picturesque and traditional postcards of Aveiro is the colorful houses. Their colors relate to ancient fishermen, to know that they are arriving at the coastline of Aveiro, from the Atlantic; they decided to paint their houses with bright colors to be seen from afar. Nowadays, a few turned to be local restaurants, while others remained houses or even Airbnb. If you are an aficionado (a) of social media, you wouldn’t want to miss these Instagram-picture houses.

7 – Taste the Local Fish

Since Aveiro it’s quite close to the sea, its main gastronomy concerns essentially fish. While strolling through Aveiro, many restaurants list their menu outside, where you will see sardines, seafood, sea bass, eel, and much more. Restaurants such as O Telheiro or Adega Evaristo are two of many recommendations you can taste and enjoy really good fish.

8 – The Art Nouveau Tour

Aside from the colorful fishermen`s houses, Aveiro is popularly known for its Art Nouveau, alongside having a museum dedicated to this artistic style – The Art Nouveau Museum. The colorful tiles are, undoubtedly, a tour de force connected to the Art Nouveau, used before as an insulation process, currently decorating the façades of buildings.

9 – Relax on the Beach

Why not take a break from a cultural walking tour in Aveiro and head to the beach? Not far from downtown, you can go to Barra Beach, famous for its iconic lighthouse, one of the tallest in Portugal. Surf and bodyboard practitioners are almost here every day, as well as on the Beach of Costa Nova, trying out the waves and enjoying the good weather.

10 – Shopping in Aveiro

Before leaving the “Venice of Portugal”, you must take some souvenirs with you. In the city center, the main shopping mall has a lot of national and international products to buy. However, if you are looking for those local and traditional souvenirs, the small street markets and shops, throughout the canals, are open from Monday to Saturday. Tiles, soft eggs, a piece of embroidery, or even a Moliceiro magnet are good souvenirs to buy and take back home to remember this unforgettable city.