Aveiro and Costa Nova

Aveiro is the most charming small city on the Atlantic coast of central Portugal, and it makes an easy half-day trip from Coimbra. It sits on a lagoon, the Ria de Aveiro, where canals thread through the old centre and bring in the sea air, and its tourist symbol is the moliceiro, a long, high-prowed boat once used to gather seaweed for fertiliser and now painted with bright, humorous scenes. A ride on a moliceiro takes you under little bridges, past Art Nouveau houses and salt marshes, with a guide explaining the story of the lagoon and its people. Back on land, Aveiro rewards a wander. The Art Nouveau buildings around the main canal, with their tiled and curved facades, speak of the city's wealth in the early twentieth century, and a small museum of Art Nouveau is housed in one. The local sweet, ovos moles, is a delicate egg-yolk filling in a thin wafer shell, shaped like shells or barrels, and a must-try souvenir.

The second half of the trip usually takes you to Costa Nova, a beach settlement on the sand spit between the lagoon and the ocean. Its trademark is rows of palheiros, wooden houses painted in bold stripes of red, blue, green and yellow, which were once fishermen's stores and are now holiday homes and shops. The effect against the pale sand and blue sky is wonderfully photogenic. You can walk along the lagoon edge or the beach, stop for grilled fish or a coffee and see the fishing boats and salt pans nearby.

Planning is simple. Aveiro is about forty-five minutes north of Coimbra by train or car, and many half-day tours include transport, the boat ride and a guided walk. Self-guided visitors can take the train, walk to the canal area and book a moliceiro ride on the spot, though in summer it is wise to reserve ahead. Costa Nova is a short drive or bus ride from Aveiro.

Why go? Because Aveiro gives a light, colourful contrast to the heavier history of Coimbra, and the combination of canals, Art Nouveau and Atlantic coast is unique in Portugal. It suits families, couples and anyone who enjoys a gentle day out, and it ends comfortably with dinner back in Coimbra. If you want to extend the trip, the salt pans and nearby beaches offer more to explore. If you can stay a little longer, there are other treats close by.

The salt pans of Aveiro, where white pyramids of salt rise beside pink and silver evaporation pools, make a striking photograph at sunset, and the Museu de Aveiro in the former convent of Jesus, which holds the tomb of Princess Joana, rewards a short visit. For beach lovers, the long strip of sand at Costa Nova and the neighbouring Barra beach offers space for a walk, though the Atlantic water is cool even in summer. Keep an eye on the tide and the wind if you plan to swim.