Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
www.oficinadodoce.com
;
Rua João Mendonça 23; tour €2; 10am-7pm Jun-Sep, 10am-5pm Oct-May, weekends
only Dec-Feb)
Part living museum, part cooking school, Oficina do Doce aims to introduce
visitors to Aveiro's proudest culinary tradition -
ovos moles:
eggy, sugary sweets origin-
ally developed by local nuns. You can watch as modern-day confectioners work their ma-
gic or, better yet, learn about the process first-hand by making your own. It's best to re-
serve your visit ahead in the Aveiro Welcome Center.
Beaches
The surfing venues of
Praia da Barra
and
Costa Nova
, 13km west of Aveiro, are good for a
day's outing. Prettier Costa Nova has a beachside street lined with cafes, kitsch gift shops
and picturesque candy-striped cottages. Buses go (€2.50/4 single/return, hourly) from
Aveiro's Rua Clube dos Galitos.
Wilder and more remote is
Praia de São Jacinto
, on the northern side of the lagoon. The
vast beach of dunes is a 1.5km walk from São Jacinto port, through a residential area at
the back of town. Take a bus from Aveiro to Forte da Barra (single/return €2.50/4), where
there is a ferry to São Jacinto (passenger/car return €3/5). Schedules for boats are at
www.moveaveiro.pt
;
bus schedules are at
www.transdev.pt
. Drivers can also circumnavig-
ate the lagoon and arrive from the north via Ovar, a much longer trip.
Tours
O Cicerone
( 234 094 074;
www.o-cicerone-tour.com
;
per person/additional person €7.50/5)
This dynamic young
company leads two-hour walking tours (English spoken) of downtown Aveiro; there are
various themed tours as well as a general one, depending on your interests. It also runs
cultural tours elsewhere in the region. Book by phone or at the Aveiro Welcome Centre.
WALKING TOUR
Ecoria
(
www.ecoria.pt
; adult/child €6/4; daily; )
Near the
turismo,
this is one of several canalside
operators offering 45-minute trips on traditional seaweed-collecting boats
(moliceiros)
around the Ria, with departures subject to passenger numbers. Longer trips to São Jacinto
also run in July and August.
BOAT TOUR
Viva a Ria
BOAT TOUR
