Moliceiro Boat

This tour takes you to Aveiro considered by many as the "Venice of Portugal" which is famous for its large network of canals running through the city. In this Tour you will also take a cruise on a "moliceiro" boat (a traditional boat from this city) which will take you along the channels as you admire the city’s unique tile facades. You will also have the opportunity to see the colorful houses in Costa Nova. Aveiro has a rich and varied gastronomy, and the “soft eggs” – a very sweet desert are also one the main representations of Aveiro.

We provide unique moments and unforgettable experiences for visitors to the city of Aveiro. Our extremely friendly and experienced crew will show you the charms and secrets of the Ria. The boats that were once used in the lagoon´s hard lands, allow today a wonderful walk full of light, color and brightness through the seductive Ria of the city. From sunrise to sunset, at any time of the year, the Ria will always be a seduction and a source of pride.

Moliceiro boat cruise, with a visit to the Canals of the City of Aveiro. The Moliceiro Cruise in Aveiro is a Unique Experience

Begin the trip to Aveiro, a city on the waterfront is considered the small Venice of Portugal. It is an important urban center, port, rail, university and tourist. The second city to visit is Coimbra, a Portuguese city located in central Portugal and the country's old capital, houses a preserved medieval old town and the historic University of Coimbra. This itinerary may change. We can start in Coimbra, depending what the group wants.

Discover Portugal’s answer to Venice – the pretty coastal town of Aveiro – on a half-day trip from Porto! Choose from a morning or afternoon tour, and then set out to explore the town with an expert guide. Soak up the charms of Aveiro’s town center on a walking tour, and then see the sights surrounding its canals from a traditional ‘moliceiro’ boat. Before returning to Porto, visit the sandy white beach of Costa Nova and admire the colorful architecture of the area’s charming old fishing houses.

The Moliceiro cruise in Aveiro is the best way to visit the city! From a unique perspective, a water road, you can learn the stories, heritage and traditions of this beautiful city of the canals.

An 9 hour tour to Aveiro, the portuguese "Venice" and Coimbra, one of the oldest capitals of Portugal. Starting in Aveiro, a museum city of Art Noveau, birds and salt pans, you will find some of the most beautiful buildings of the country. A tradicional "moliceiro" boat ride along the channels is part of the tour. After tasting the typical regional sweets, have a walk in the centre where we will visit the Cathedral, St Joana museum, and the fish market. You will then have some free time for lunch. After, we will take you to Coimbra, a city known for being the students city with an astonishing University. Filled with monuments and historical treasures, this city is ready to be discovered by you. Starting with the Cathedral of Coimbra, St.Cruz Church and the Historical City Center. Followed by the University of Coimbra where you can go inside for an optional visit. You will then be driven to your accommodation back in Oporto.

Differentiating experience in the heart of the Ria de Aveiro! Moliceiro boat trip with a stop on one of the islands in the lagoon to feel and discover one of the region's main activities, bibalves catching.

After picking up the participants in Coimbra, we will head to Aveiro, less than an hour away. We'll start aboard one of the traditional Moliceiros boats, which were formerly used to catch "moliço" and to transport seaweed and salt. After boarding, we will make a 45-minute journey through the urban channels that characterize and divide the city known as the “Portuguese Venice“. Then, we will go to Praia da Barra where we get to know the mouth of the Vouga river and the Aveiro estuary, barred by strong walls which gave rise to a beautiful beach without waves much sought after by families. We can also appreciate the lighthouse of Aveiro. After visiting, we continue to Costa Nova, one of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal and also with the most original neighborhood due to the houses painted with different colored stripes that border the Ria. After enjoying all that Costa Nova has to offer, we will return to Coimbra and finish the tour.

Under the immense water roof of the Ria de Aveiro there is another world where life unfolds in wonderful stories with still much to tell. Incredible trip aboard the traditional Moliceiro boat with guided tour and bird watching. Not to be missed with the Earth of water!

Lose yourself through the narrow cobbled streets, Art Nouveau buildings, and tile panels in the typical Beira-mar neighborhood with an experienced guide. Find out why Aveiro is the Portuguese capital of Art Nouveau and what the famous "marnoto" does. Taste the typical sweets in a place with more than a hundred years of experience making the most genuine and famous “ovos moles”. Here you can also see the beautiful Mercy Church, the City Hall, and the statue of an important “Aveirense” – José Estevão. Before enjoying the long-awaited moliceiro ride, we will give you a colored ribbon to put on the famous "Friendship Bridge" . You will leave your mark forever in Aveiro! 🙂 In the end, enjoy a beautiful shared moliceiro boat tour. To come to Aveiro and not to go on a “moliceiro”, is like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope.

Aveiro, which is considered “our small Venice” is a destination in the centre of Portugal that you should not miss. This region is rich in old traditions, from the typical boats “moliceiros” along the channels of the town to the famous regional sweets of “ovos-moles” and the “Salinas” where you can see how salt is exploited. All these make this visit memorable and unique. Our aim is to show you the striking beauty of the place and the traditions of its inhabitants. After visiting the centre we will head to the coast to visit the picturesque fishing village of Costa Nova with its lovely stripe painted houses. In full contact with the Atlantic Ocean we will be surprised by the famous “Farol da Barra” (Lighthouse) which is the highest in Portugal and one of the highest in Europe.

This is our most popular and original tour, the easy and family-friendly Aveiro Classic City Tour, a relaxing bike ride through the best sights in Aveiro. Through the water channels, the city's green gardens, the ecological lagoon route, history, art nouveau, moliceiro boats and hidden charms. An unforgettable tour!

Situated next to the sea and the estuary, Aveiro is crossed by a network of channels through which the traditional moliceiros stroll. These boats that used to be used to collect algae, are now used for sightseeing. Along the canal we can admire several buildings in Art Nouveau style, and along the ria we find Ílhavo, a city by the sea where the famous Vista Alegre porcelain factory is located. Situated along the Mondego River, Coimbra is the city of students and has been named a World Heritage Site. Here 6 kings of Portugal were born as well as the country's first University and one of the oldest in Europe.

This 4-hour private tour offers you the chance to explore the charming towns of Aveiro and Costa Nova. Often referred to as the "Venice of Portugal," Aveiro boasts picturesque canals, while Costa Nova is famous for its colorful striped houses. The tour includes a 45-minute boat ride on a traditional Moliceiro boat. Throughout the tour, your professional driver/guide will provide insightful commentary, highlighting important landmarks and sharing interesting details about this quaint northern Portuguese city. You'll also have the opportunity to taste the local delicacies, "Ovos Moles" and "Tripa de Aveiro," which are must-try traditional pastries. Discover the hidden gems of Aveiro and Costa Nova with the expertise of your knowledgeable guide on this half-day private tour. There's so much more to learn and experience in these beautiful towns!

Let yourself be taken to Coimbra, Portugal's first capital and the oldest university city in the country. Coimbra is a tradition with its students in black capes and with fado, a love story. To visit Coimbra is to discover Alta with the university, the Chapel of São Miguel and the Joanina Library of the century. XVIII, is to go down its alleys and reach Baixa with the Cathedral, the Church of Santa Cruz erected by Afonso Henriques – first king of Portugal – and where his tomb is; is to discover the Mondego River and get lost in a labyrinth of small streets. Portugal is land and water and Aveiro called the Venice of Portugal is an example of this. Flat land surrounded by channels where moliceiro boats are still a constant.

Discover the wonderful scenery on the banks of the Paiva River! From the steep slopes to the river rapids accentuated by the granite formation, this is the ideal setting for a unique walk. On this visit you will be able to follow the valley, gorge and openings of the river, calmly on an extension of wooden walkway for approximately 2,5 miles. After, you will have the opportunity to walk on one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. Bridge 516 crosses the Paiva River at 574 feet suspension, and is implemented over a length of approximately half a mile. A must! On the next part of the day, we will visit Aveiro – The portuguese Venice! And like the italian one, the best way to visit it, is by boat – the Moliceiros. So, we provide an small boat cruise of 1h for you to discover the charms of the city and it´s channels.

When we visit the city of Aveiro it becomes mandatory navigate on typical boat “Moliceiro” among its numerous water channels, reminding us of the mythical Italian city, Venice. Its enormous natural and architectural beauty, perfectly aligned with its people, give a lively idea of a cheerful town where water and sea have the leading role. Discover the charm of this delicate and seductive art period of the 20th century by taking a walking tour with a guide through the Art Nouveau route, a track created to help identifying all buildings and monuments. We will also visit the beach of Costa Nova and its peculiar colored stripes houses, forming an unique design in fishing houses architecture in that area.

Private Transfer between Porto and Lisbon where customers can choose two cities to visit on the route (among the 6 suggested).

If you stay in Lisbon you must explore the amazing cities with rivers running through them as Aveiro (Little Venice – Ria de Aveiro) and Porto (North Capital and Douro River). There is no better way to explore the cities by the river than on the streets full of people cars and confusion. In the morning get to know Aveiro and the Ria de Aveiro aboard the typical Moliceiro boats. Visit the most famous Porto Cellars and taste Porto wine before Lunch (included) in Porto. After lunch, embark on the 6 Bridges Douro River Cruise and discover the riverbanks and see the most exciting building of Porto. Before returning to Lisbon have time to see the most important and notable monuments of Porto (Clerigos Tower, Porto Downtown, Porto Cathedral …).