Is Aveiro Worth Visiting and How to Get There from Porto

Bell | 28 October 23

Aveiro is the perfect day trip from Porto. Only about an hour away by train, you will find picturesque canals, Art Nouveau Style buildings and unique, local treats. Often referred to as the “Venice of Portugal”, Aveiro makes for an absolute must-visit destination.

Aveiro stole my heart from the minute I laid eyes on the gorgeous blue-tiled train station. From delicious food, picturesque canals and idyllic, sandy beaches, the city has all the ingredients for a perfect day.

Read on if you want to learn more about why Aveiro is worth visiting and how to get there from Porto and click here to read about the top things to do in Aveiro.

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Is Aveiro Worth Visiting?

Aveiro is 100% worth visiting, especially if you are staying in Porto for longer than 1-2 days.

The name “Aveiro” is said to stem from the Celtic word for river mouth, “Aber”, based on the fact that Aveiro is embraced by the Ria de Aveiro. The lagoon spans Aveiro and it’s surrounding neighbourhoods and created the well-known canals that carry the brightly coloured and stunningly decorated moliceiros.

The city also features countless buildings in the Art Nouveau style. Art Nouveau is a very energetic style, featuring many geographic shapes, asymmetrical compositions, and a bold synthesis of structure and decoration. You can imagine the stunning display this makes when applied to architecture and city design, especially in combination with the traditional colourful porcelain tiles that cover many buildings.

Aveiro also has several local dishes that are specially from this area and super delicious. The rare, local Tripa de Aveiro is similar to a Crepe and filled with a sweet or savoury filling. Aveiro is also famous for their Ovos Moles: a wafer dumpling filled with sweet, vibrant yolk. This is one of the special dishes that has Protected Geographical Indication by the European Union (the first Portuguese sweet to do so), meaning it can only be made in Aveiro.

Art Nouveau Buildings Aveiro - traveloffscript

A short 10 minute drive from Aveiro, you can find the Costa Nova neighbourhood. Famous for its striped beach houses, also referred to as “Palheiros“, the neighbourhood is a true gem. The houses give a doll-like, almost too perfect appearance and make for amazing photo spots.

I would also highly recommend visiting the beautiful Costa Nova beach and strolling along the idyllic boardwalks. Stop for a glass of Sangria to go with the sunset and you have the perfect day in Aveiro.

Sangria on Costa Nova Beach, Aveiro - traveloffscript

How do I get to Aveiro from Porto?

I have not included the bus or Uber/Taxi here as they both more expensive than other options and just not worth the hassle.

1. By Urban Train

I would highly recommend taking the Urban train to get to Aveiro and back from Porto. It is quick(~70 mins) , cheap (3,55€ single) and pretty reliable.

You can check exact departure times here, look for the train marked U.

Your ticket will be your reusable Siga card which you can buy at any bigger train station together with your first journey. There will be ticket machines to reload the card and you need to tap it at the yellow machines before getting on the train to validate the ticket. Some smaller train stations don’t have this facility, so you can also pay on the train in cash. This is allowed only on the U trains.

2. By Express Train

The Alfa Pendular and Intercidades are high-speed trains covering much of Portugal. They are often much nicer, with plugs and sometimes even Wi-Fi. They also only take around 45 minutes.

Would I recommend this train over the U train? Probably not. The benefits are minimal and tickets are much more expensive (~13-15€). They can be prebooked online though, which may be nice in peak season when trains can get very busy.

You can check exact departure times here, look for the train marked AP/IC.

3. Rideshare

BlaBlaCar offers trips from Porto to Aveiro and vice versa pretty much every day, though times are not as frequent as the train. You could also check out the local rideshare website boleia.net for people making the journey. Rides cost around 5€.

4. Drive

The drive from Porto to Aveiro is around 50 minutes to an hour. Car rental prices in Porto start at less than 10€ per day, so it is very affordable. It is often extra cheap if you are able to drive manual.

I’d recommend getting a car if you have a few additional days and are interested in really exploring the area. You could head to some hidden gems such as the Cascata da Cabreia (a waterfall and park) on your way to Aveiro and make a whole day of it.