Private Tour Aveiro Little Venice and River Tour Moliceiro

Enjoy visits Aveiro, know as the Little Venice of Portugal 250 km north of Lisbon and affords a rewarding 11 hours Private Tour experience. Aveiro is crossed by canals and along these waterways colorful and traditional fishing boats sail. Take an idyllic cruise on the Moliceiro River, you’ll admire art-nouveau architecture and visit Costa Nova’s beaches, famed for their exotic bird species. Visit Aveiro Cathedral, also known as a São Domingos Church, located in an old Dominican convent and Costa Nova beach. Enjoy the excellent regional cooking – high-quality from Seafood stew, the grilled cuttlefish and desert “sweet eggs”. After lunch, proceed to Costa Nova, home to gorgeous sandy stretches inhabited by exotic bird species. Capture photographs of the lighthouse and the colorful houses that line the beachfront before returning to Lisbon. Private tour also includes a free and flexible pick-up (7:30AM) /drop-off (6:30PM) from your located accommodations, driver/guide.

Visit Aveiro – On the shore of a lagoon, Aveiro is a maritime city with water in its soul. The cityscape is crisscrossed by canals that you can navigate on painted gondola-style boats known as moliceiros. And on the quaysides in the older part of the city are charming Art Nouveau houses in pastel shades.

The big attraction is the Mosteiro de Jesus, a monastery with a royal connection and replete with religious art in its museum. But the Atlantic is also on your doorstep and you’re minutes from ocean-swept sandy beaches and the adorable little resort of Costa Nova.

Convent of Jesus – Aveiro’s prized monument is this convent built between the 15th and 17th centuries.

Its fame comes from one of its residents, Joanna Princess of Portugal, and daughter of Afonso V. Because she was in the royal line she was never able to take her solemn vows, and instead lived out a modest life at the convent and bequeathed her estates to it when she died in 1490. She was beatified in the 17th century, and her stunning tomb in the lower chancel blends marble and ceramics.

Also fantastic is the nave and apse of the church, with amazing floor tiles and every surface covered with gilded woodcarving.

Have a Boat Tour – included in the Tour price – These colourfully painted boats are a constant in Aveiro, and you can board one for a 45-minute tour of the city by water.

The moliceiros were originally made to harvest seaweed in the lagoon.

This was used as a fertiliser in the local sandy soils.

The trade died out when modern fertilisers were introduced but the old boat building techniques were revived to craft a fleet of tourist vessels.

The paintings on the bow and stern depict traditional scenes around Aveiro, and on the journey you’ll get a good summary of the city along its canals and by the salt farms that border the lagoon.

The canals, fed by Aveiro’s lagoon, are what give Aveiro its character and deserve a couple of hours of your time.

There are several branches to stroll by, through both historic and newer city quarters.

Along the quays in the Rossio area there’s some wonderful Art Nouveau architecture, which we’ll come to later.

The Jardim do Rossio is a canal-front park with lawns and palm trees, and a very pretty spot to bring a book.

The pastel-coloured houses are the icing on the cake, and there’s no lack of tuk-tuks to carry you off on a quick tour.

Visit Aveiro city center – At the start of the 20th century emigrants who had made their fortunes in Brazil returned to Aveiro and built themselves stylish houses in the Art Nouveau style.

Some elegant properties to look out for are the Casa do Major Pessoa, now the Art Nouveau Museum and with lovely wrought iron gates and balconies.
See also the Casa dos Ovos Moles by the water on Rua João Mendonça 24 and 25, with its little ornamental balconies and a gable with a curved window at the top.
On the same street the Cooperativa Agrícola building at 5, 6 and 7 has fabulous tile work with foloral patterns.

Visit the Carmelite Church, this opulent building was part of a major convent that was almost completely destroyed when Aveiro’s urban plan was reworked at the start of the 20th century.

The church dates to the start of the 1700s and was heavily embellished in the decades that followed.

This was a period of extreme wealth, when many churches around Portugal were decorated with dazzling gilded woodwork.

And once you pass the stern facade, this church is no different, with gilding framing paintings on the walls and ceiling.

The lower half of the walls in the nave is decorated with glorious blue and white azulejos.

Aveiro’s prized monument is this convent built between the 15th and 17th centuries.

Its fame comes from one of its residents, Joanna Princess of Portugal, and daughter of Afonso V. Because she was in the royal line she was never able to take her solemn vows, and instead lived out a modest life at the convent and bequeathed her estates to it when she died in 1490. She was beatified in the 17th century, and her stunning tomb in the lower chancel blends marble and ceramics.

Also fantastic is the nave and apse of the church, with amazing floor tiles and every surface covered with gilded woodcarving.

Visit the Carmelite Church, a opulent building that was part of a major convent that was almost completely destroyed when Aveiro’s urban plan was reworked at the start of the 20th century.

The church dates to the start of the 1700s and was heavily embellished in the decades that followed.

This was a period of extreme wealth, when many churches around Portugal were decorated with dazzling gilded woodwork.

And once you pass the stern facade, this church is no different, with gilding framing paintings on the walls and ceiling.
The lower half of the walls in the nave is decorated with glorious blue and white azulejos.

These colourfully painted boats are a constant in Aveiro, and you can board one for a 45-minute tour of the city by water.

The moliceiros were originally made to harvest seaweed in the lagoon.

This was used as a fertiliser in the local sandy soils.

The trade died out when modern fertilisers were introduced but the old boat building techniques were revived to craft a fleet of tourist vessels.

The paintings on the bow and stern depict traditional scenes around Aveiro, and on the journey you’ll get a good summary of the city along its canals and by the salt farms that border the lagoon.

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Coronavirus Safety Measures – The safety and well-being of everyone who uses our services are always our priority. We are actively monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and are taking steps to help keep our customers safe.
• We’re certified by the Official Tourism entity ‘Turismo de Portugal’ with the hygiene certification stamp ‘Clean & Safe’.
• For our safety, we operate only private tour and pick-up/drop-off all passengers. We clean and disinfect our vehicles every tour and we provide hand sanitizer and masks to our customers.
• Our guides are experienced professionals, courteous and drive defensive and safety with only one objective to ensure your safety and satisfaction.

• Private Tour Aveiro Little Venice and River Tour Moliceiro
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  Pickup included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Professional guide
• All taxes, fees and handling charges
• Driver/guide
• Private Tour
• River Tour Moliceiro
• Transport by air-conditioned minivan

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Please be advised..

• This Tour is Provided by Knight Riders Tourism.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at Europe/Lisbon.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
• This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 1 valid reviews on TRIPADVISOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 15 Travelers is accepted for booking.