Portugal Please: Charming and Cheeky Aveirotikichris

Know as the “Venice of Portugal,” Aveiro is an attractive little coastal canal-crossed town in the Centro region of Portugal. I spent a couple of days in this part of the country, marvelling at how awesome the region was yet how largely undiscovered by tourists it seemed to be. Pretty, walkable and full of lovely shops, bars and restaurants, Aveiro was a particularly fine place for my introduction to the area.

Picking up my hired car at the airport in Porto, I drove down to Aveiro to commence ‘phase two’ of my Portugal Please adventure. The drive took about an hour (and that included a patch of rush hour traffic through Porto). Once checked in at my hotel, I roamed round town, grabbed an especially delicious bite to eat and called it a night. The next day I took a morning stroll (admiring Aveiro’s more than fair share of Art Nouveau architecture) before heading off for more explorations in the region.

Centro is the latest addition to the itineraries offered by bespoke tour provider Sunvil, and my visit there was an invited opportunity to try out Sunvil’s suggestions. I loved everything I experienced while there. After Aveiro, I hit Mealhada – the suckling pig capital of the world – for a lunch of epic proportions and got to see the historic university town of Coimbra. I did not get enough of this region and would be keen to return. If Centro sounds like the place for you, I recommend looking up Sunvil for expert assistance in planning your trip.

STAY

In Aveiro, I stayed at four star Hotel Moliceiro. With a huge balcony over one of Aveiro’s main canals, I really enjoyed my evening in the hotel’s “Oriental Suite.” I also got my first taste of the local sparkling wine and the city’s ovos moles delicacies while here. For sightseeing around town and taking in the local nightlife, you can’t beat Moliceiro’s location.

EAT AND DRINK

I had a fantastic meal at O Bairro, a cheeky and characterful little bistro just round the corner from my hotel. Next to the city’s famous fish market, it was an excellent place for a taste of the local seafood specialities such as an exceedingly moreish caldeirada fish stew along with ace local wines and a super yummy and custardy double decker cheesecake with orange sorbet.