Aveiro and Costa Nova tour from Porto: Moliceiro boat cruise

A traditional boat where seagrass collectors once worked, now gliding through Portugal's Venice

This half-day tour from Porto takes you to Aveiro, a canal-laced city on Portugal's northern coast, and the striped-house beach village of Costa Nova. You ride a traditional moliceiro boat through Aveiro's waterways, walk the city's tile-faced streets, taste the local pastry called Ovos Moles, and see the wooden beach huts painted in bright stripes. A live guide speaks your choice of English, Spanish, Portuguese or French, and the group stays small: up to 8 in a minivan or 27 in a minibus. The boat cruise is subject to weather and navigation conditions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tour Aveiro and Costa Nova from Porto

• Meet guide at meeting point
• Drive to Aveiro with guide commentary
• Explore Aveiro and taste Ovos Moles
• Cruise canals on traditional Moliceiro boat
• Visit colorful houses at Costa Nova

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from Porto and a drive to Aveiro, where your guide shares Portuguese history and cultural details along the way. Aveiro sits where the Vouga River meets a vast lagoon called the Ria, and the city's defining feature is its network of canals: genuine streets of water lined with brightly colored boats. Once founded under Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the city is now one of the most interesting on the Portuguese coast, and you'll walk through it to see the unique tile facades and taste Ovos Moles, the traditional soft-egg pastry Aveiro is known for.

The moliceiro boat is the centerpiece. These wooden vessels, painted in bold colors, were originally used to collect seagrass from the lagoon. You'll relax on one as it glides through the canals, letting you see the city from the water without arranging anything yourself. The boat operates subject to weather and navigation conditions set by the cruise operator.

The final stop is Costa Nova do Prado beach, a fishing village famous for its coast road lined with wooden huts painted in bright stripes alternating with white. Built by fishermen as shelters and equipment stores, these huts are now holiday homes and the most picturesque aspect of the village. The whole experience runs about four hours from Porto and back.

What’s included

• Round-trip transportation from Porto in a minivan or minibus.
• a live guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese or French.
• a cruise on a traditional moliceiro boat through Aveiro's canals.
• time to walk the city and taste Ovos Moles pastry.
• a visit to Costa Nova's striped beach houses. Also included: a free Porto walking tour available daily at 9:30 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. in English or Spanish, departing from the Living Tours agency on Rua Mouzinho da Silveira.

Options for this experience

8 options

Spanish Without MoliceiroUp to 27 people · 08:15 and 14:00Without the Moliceiro boat

Portuguese Without MoliceiroUp to 25 people · 08:15 and 14:00Without the Moliceiro boat

French Without MoliceiroUp to 27 people · 08:15 and 14:00Without the Moliceiro boat

See 5 more options

English Without MoliceiroUp to 27 people · 08:15 and 14:00Without the Moliceiro boat

English With MoliceiroUp to 15 people · 08:15 and 14:00

Spanish With MoliceiroUp to 15 people · 08:15 and 14:00

French With MoliceiroUp to 15 people · 08:15 and 14:00

Portuguese With MoliceiroUp to 15 people · 08:15 and 14:00

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:15 and 14:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 27

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Living Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guide driving you between Aveiro's canals and Costa Nova's beach houses, plus a moliceiro boat ride, both hard to arrange independently, with commentary in your chosen language.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is a moliceiro boat and why is it special to Aveiro?

A moliceiro is a traditional wooden boat originally used to collect seagrass from the Ria lagoon. These brightly colored boats are unique to Aveiro and are now used for cruises through the city's canals, letting you see the waterfront architecture and tile facades from the water.

What are Ovos Moles and will I get to try them?

Ovos Moles are a traditional Aveiro pastry made with egg and sugar, and they're one of the city's main culinary representations. You'll have the opportunity to taste them during the tour.

What makes Costa Nova different from Aveiro?

Costa Nova is a beach village known for its distinctive wooden huts painted in bright stripes alternating with white, built along the coast road. While Aveiro is famous for its canals and tile facades, Costa Nova offers a completely different landscape: a seaside setting with colorful beach architecture.

Is the boat ride guaranteed to happen?

The moliceiro cruise operates subject to weather and navigation conditions set by the cruise operator. If conditions prevent the boat from running, the operator will determine what happens, so it's worth checking the terms when you book.

How many people go on this tour?

It's a small group tour. You'll travel in either a minivan with up to 8 participants or a minibus with up to 27 participants, depending on the group size on your date.