Aveiro is about a 1 hour drive south of Porto, Portugal, making it the perfect place to take your kids for a day trip.
We stopped in Aveiro on the drive between Lisbon and Porto on a two week road trip through Portugal with two kids under five years of age. The historic city of Aveiro was a great place for us to stop and stretch our legs because of the walkable activities, beautiful scenery, and boat tours.
Here are some of the local activities in Aveiro that you just can’t miss:
5 Tips for Visiting Aveiro with Your Family
1. Cruise the canal in a historic boat
Take a 45 minute boat tour through the Ria de Aveiro on a traditional moliceiro boat and learn why they call this city the “Portuguese Venice.”
We loved the calm ride along the canal, exploring the architecture of different buildings and learning about Aveiro’s history. The kids loved picking out their favorite house and waving to people on the bridges as we passed by.
You can purchase tickets in advance here or purchase your ticket directly at the boat operating kiosks along Rua João Mendonça. Tickets are free for kids ages 0-4, 6,00€ for children ages 5-12 and 13,00€ for adults.
2. Play at the Parque Infantil Fórum Aveiro
The pirate ship themed playground at the Parque Infantil Fórum Aveiro was too fun to pass up on our walk towards the boat cruise. Our kids beelined straight to the playground without even looking back.
The updated playground is enclosed by a short fence, free to access, and located right next to a small cafe.
3. Walk around the historic city center
Wander through the historic city alleyways and bridges, along the canals and bustling storefronts.
It was raining on the day we arrived in Aveiro, so majority of our wandering included umbrellas, rainboots, and puddle jumping – all of which our kids thoroughly enjoyed.
4. See the striped houses of the Bairro dos Pescadores in Costa Nova
Just outside of Aveiro is the small town of Costa Nova that is home to the most beautiful red, white, and blue striped homes lining the Aveiro Lagoon.
The homes were once fishermen huts, used to house fishing gear and nets. Now, these adorably striped huts are vacation homes and iconic to the region. Bring your camera for the perfect photo!
5. Try the local dessert - Ovos Moles
Ovos moles means “soft eggs” and are an Aveiro-based dessert made from egg yolks and sugar.
Ovos moles have a creamy yellow center, covered in a white sugary casing then molded into many different shapes and sizes.
We tried a few types of ovos moles from Confeitaria Peixinho, founded in 1856. The ovos moles we tried were shaped like fish and seashells. Our kids loved picking out their perfect ovos moles and gobbled them up immediately after!
6. Enjoy a meal outdoors
Pracado Peixe Aveiro
Pracado Peixe Aveiro is an amazing food hall located in a large square near an entrance to the canal.
There were so many food options to try on our visit! Our kids loved the caldo verde soup at Leitao de Levira, while I loved the caipirinha at Boteco Praca.
Aveiro was a beautiful place to stop on our two week Portugal road trip because of its kid-friendly activities, unique desserts, and fun architecture.
Even though it rained during our visit, we still found ways to have fun! Our kids splashed in puddles, played on a wet playground, and ran over bridges with their umbrellas in-hand.
The boat ride was my favorite activity of the trip. Even though it sprinkled on us during the tour, our little family loved cruising the canal in the colorful boats. My kids were all smiles as we passed under bridges and waved to other boats. My three-year-old even brought the knitted princess dolls we purchased in Óbidos along for the ride.
Have you ever experienced unexpected weather that made your trip more fun? Share in the comments below.
This post is part of a series of posts about visiting Portugal with kids. Continue the adventure with us here:
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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