Aveiro

The seaside town of Aveiro, less than an hour's drive south of Porto, was an important producer of salt for centuries, and there are several artifacts around town that pay homage to this history.

Seagrass was also harvested here and used as fertilizer before chemical alternatives were developed. The boats used to transport the seagrass now carry tourists along the town's network of canals and resemble Venetian gondolas. Indeed, Aveiro is nicknamed "The Venice of Portugal," although this does a disservice to the Italian city.

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The nearest beaches, Praia da Barra and Praia da Costa Nova, are separated from the town by a tidal lagoon. The lighthouse (farol) at Barra is the tallest in Portugal and second tallest on the Iberian peninsula. Costa Nova is famous for its striped houses and stores that line the seashore.

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The region is also know for its ceramics, dating back to the Romans. We visited the beautiful Alegre Vista factory and its lovely campus, including the chapel, enjoyed a tour of the museum, and even saw artisans at work painting the ceramics (no photos allowed!). Of course, we couldn't leave without buying a memento,... or three.

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