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Aveiro district |
Eat and sleep
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Useful ideas
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Personal notes
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Other opinions
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Known as Portuguese Venice, because of the canals that cross the city, and the lagoon, Aveiro dominates the district, in the middle of a few beaches from Furadouro, in Ovar, to Praia de Mira. In Costa Nova, near the city, one of its ocean beaches, wooden houses in color stripes that are another ex-libris of the city. In the northern area of the district deserve attention Espinho, a very lively beach, Santa Maria da Feira, with a beautiful castle, Castelo de Paiva by the Douro River, and the gem of popular art in Válega. |
Inland, Arouca has a monastery with more than thousand years, and south, the capital of roasted suckling pig - Mealhada, gives access to the mandatory Bussaco, or its neighboring thermal city of Luso. "Out of the beaten path" we have some industrial cities, including the capital of shoemakers S. João da Madeira.
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How did I go to Arouca? Don't remember! Arouca keeps out of my frequent ways and I went there because... I did. I knew by name its convent, and being close, I went to see it. But it was all. |
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The convent
The ex-libris of Arouca is the convent, more than one thousand years old, and with a story of a princess who became a nun, and whose body was found incorrupt 300 years after her death. If you want to know the story, you better stop there. It's a nice small town, in the center of Portugal, a good stop if you decide to wander in search of the old and traditional Portugal. Website: http://viajar.clix.pt/com/geo.php?c=73&lg=es |
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Portuguese Venezia
Did you think that Portugal was the only country without a so called Venice or Venezia or Veneza? Wrong! We have water so we have also our Venice. What do they have in common? 1 - Water and canals 2 - The smell 3 - A similar typical boat (Moliceiro versus Gondola) |
What are the differences?
1 - The palaces
2 - The prices
3 - 15 000 000 tourists each year
4 - "Ovos moles
"Those are the big notes. But there are many small ones, that you'd better check for yourself
1 - The palaces
2 - The prices
3 - 15 000 000 tourists each year
4 - "Ovos moles
"Those are the big notes. But there are many small ones, that you'd better check for yourself
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Canals
It's exaggerated the comparison to Venice, but Aveiro is, really very tight to water. A few canals cross the city, and in the neighborhoods, most of their life is connected to the sea and lagoon. Aveiro is mainly a growing industrial city, with the sea present everywhere. |
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Moliceiros The top icon of Aveiro is the traditional boat used to pick algae from the lagoon, called Moliceiro. Now a fading activity, it keeps being the "official" image against the reality of a growing industrial area, but it is not much than a touristy relic nowadays, possible to book for a short trip. |
Bussaco
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Espinho
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Espinho is a cosmopolitan city in the north of Portugal, attracting people of the area to the beach and the well known casino.
To be honest neither the cold and rough sea in that part of the coast nor the emotions of gambling mean anything to me, so after passing a couple of times in the area, I only dedicate some time to visit it, in a few free hours during a dancing competition. Well, maybe in a very hot day and sea of summer... |
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Luso
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Luso is THE water. The most famous brand of table water comes from a new spring in this city, freeing the old one, where the water pours at 28º Celsius, for thermal purposes that come from the 18th century. Tourism in the area is oriented to senior people, the most interested in the thermal treatments, with a reasonable offering of accommodation and restaurants (with the famous Mealhada nearby, available to the best stomachs. |
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S. João da Madeira
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I didn't have much time to São João da Madeira - a professional meeting in a technical school supporting shoe making (the biggest activity in the area), a good lunch offered by locals, and just a glimpse of a city that showed not much. Industry, work and what else in S. João da Madeira ? At least a nice church... |
Válega
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