KipperTree On Tour

KipperTree’s latest feature is to visit the cities of Portugal and give you firsthand experience of just what we find. We aim to visit at least one new city per month, other commitments allowing.

Our first city is Aveiro, also known as the Venice of Portugal, due to its man-made canal network. It sits on the coast an hour and a half north of our base in Tomar, just north of the city of Coimbra.

We set off utilizing the A13 and A1 motorways exited at junction 15 of the A1 and arrived in Aveiro on the N235. The journey was straightforward without delay. We were staying in the Meliã Hotel which is situated in what is supposed to be the nicest part of the city and overlooks one of the canals. Here, from our room on the 5th floor, we have a perfect view of the Antiga Fábrica Jerónimo Pereira Campos. An old brick and ceramics factory dating back to 1896. Now home to the Cultural and Congress Center (CCCA).

We left the hotel after unpacking and walked the length of the canal passing bars and cafes and the Forum Aveiro. The Forum is a modern shopping centre, situated in an old building with a garden containing Olive trees on the roof, a lovely space. The shops here are very high-end and a sign that Aveiro is indeed an affluent city. We arrived at a junction in the canal and turned left, this is known as the Ria de Aveiro and is a short narrow canal that needs nowhere. So why were we there? Well, there is a little blue and yellow restaurant there that apparently does great Tapas, and Tapas was just what we needed. We are warmly greeted by the owner of Cais da Tosca, the lovely Vanessa.

The food was just as good as the reviews online had suggested. We opted for the steak and oven-roasted Camembert accompanied by potato wedges and corn.

Vanessa and her staff were most helpful in explaining where we should go to experience a real Friday night in Aveiro. This kind gesture was perfect, as this is exactly what we needed to know. We left the restaurant around nine and followed the directions given to us to cross over the canal past the Aveiro Palace hotel. As we walked down the narrow, cobbled streets the noise increased and suddenly the street exploded into life with hundreds of people eating, drinking and socialising. Everywhere was lit and the atmosphere was nothing short of electric. This vibe continued way into the night until the point where we realised we would have to turn in for the evening. We walked back along the canal and back to the hotel.

As Saturday began, we are woken by the trains on the track behind the ceramics factory. Take note property buyers! If you are looking to move to Aveiro and to live in what is arguably known as the nicest part of town you will encounter the noise of the trains. We made our way to breakfast in the restaurant that overlooks the Canal and viewed the strange-looking monuments on the other side of the water. Monumento aos Ovos Mole de Aveiro. These unusual pieces of art are a tribute to the famous "Soft eggs from Aveiro", and I must say at this point that these are an acquired taste. The hotel provided some as a welcome gift in the room, they are a local pastry made of egg yolks and sugar, and sometimes chocolate. This mixture is then put inside small rice paper casings or wheat flour casings. We’ll leave you to decide if you like them.

The weather was cloudy with a layer of what could only be described as sea mist. It was warm, but the sky was a drab grey colour and the city looked nothing like it did the previous evening. We contemplated our rating for the city on what we had seen so far, as we meandered down the canal heading back towards the old town, wondering what the place will look like in the cold light of day. We decided that due to what felt like imminent rain we should head for the museum opposite the cathedral. The museum is set in an old convent created in 1458 and is a must-see.

After a fascinating hour of architecture we finished with the museum and to our delight found that the gloom had lifted and bright clear blue skies were overhead. We decided that a ride in a gondola-type flat-bottomed boat would be fitting and a great way to learn about the city. The boats are called moliceiros and used to be typical fishing boats with sails, but now are adorned with brightly painted prows. They were also used to collect seaweed for fertilizer during the 19th century.

We headed back into the old town towards the fish Market, as Vanessa had said that you could pick up a boat there. This we did at a cost of 13 euros each for a 45-minute trip. The boat was full as we set off down the canal listening intently to the guide as he explained all about Aveiro, the canals and the city's history. 

Aveiro’s Canals are filled with seawater that is held in place by lock-type gates at the end of the main canal. The water looks a disgusting green colour, however, the guide explained as he dipped his hand over the side of the boat filling a glass, that it is actually crystal clear and it is the presence of seaweed that causes it to look green. The Canals are drained every two weeks during the night at low tide and are refilled at high tide the following morning. We also passed the salt flats where salt is still produced to this day, although this is now much in decline, and it is here on the opposite side of the São Roque canal you will find the Michelin stared Restaurant Salpoente, situated in a building once used as a salt warehouse. 

The boat trip was excellent, well worth the small investment we'd made and we recommend that you do this if visiting Aveiro, having said that, we'd had a better idea of how to explore the city and that was by bicycle. Aveiro is flat, so cycling is an excellent option, and the city is one of the few in Portugal to have free bikes called Buga. You pick the bikes up from the Loja Buga and have two hours of free use. More than enough time to explore the parks and streets of Aveiro. You need to go to the BUGA shop in Manuel Firmino Market and take one of the 300 bikes they have. You will need your ID to get your BUGA. 

Tired of cycling in the midday heat we finished up back in the main square and had lunch in a restaurant called Adega São Gonçalinho Taberna Urbano, just a short walk from the fish market. We tried the Aveiro-style Codfish and were not disappointed. A huge piece of Bacalhau topped with mussels, seafood sauce and potato chips. A crisp Vinho Verde washed it down and we headed home mildly excited about Aveiro.

Aveiro...

A medium-sized coastal city with over 80,000 inhabitants spread over 410/km2. The city is great because its centre is flat and easy to navigate, with the benefit of a vibrant nightlife. It boasts old-style culture and architecture mixed with modern living, with high-end shops and plenty of restaurants at reasonable prices. The city has an abundance of new build apartments, but expect to pay from 190,000 for a one-bedroom upwards to 600,000 for a three-bedroom near Cais da Fonte Nova, the nicest part of the city. Overall we would recommend considering living here, as although there is not a lot going on in the city it is certainly worth serious consideration due to its location being close to both Coimbra and Porto.

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KipperTree City Rating for Aveiro 2022.

7.5 out of 10.

Article by Darren and Juliet Keohane - Owners and Founders of KipperTree.