Instagram friendly spots in Aveiro

Usually I describe Aveiro in two words: windy and photogenic. If you are not into hot summers you will definitely appreciate the fact that there's always this breeze, difficult to detect where is it blowing. The second characteristic of this city of unique beauty is that it's truly photogenic! Maybe this is not fair to say, because Aveiro does not look stunning only on the photographs, but also in reality, but the truth is that here you can take some great photos specifically for your Instagram account. I will share some of the best Instagram friendly spots in Aveiro that you should not miss if you come to visit.

 Art Nouveau buildings in João Mendonça Street

Unlike most of the cities in Portugal, Aveiro is quite young. It doesn't have any old wall, or 12th century cathedral which would be something quite usual in Portugal. This is because the city was, in the beginning of the 17th century, almost completely abandoned due to the problems with severe diseases provoked by stagnations of its waters. The Port closed and people moved away. Later, an engineering solutions were found to deal with the waters and canals of Ria de Aveiro lagoon and the city grew gloriously. Therefore, the most historical architecture that it has got are its art nouveau buildings concentrated in João Mendonça Street, right in the city center. How important these building are says the fact that Aveiro is a member of the "Réseau Art Nouveau Network", along with Barcelona, Brussels, Budapest, Glasgow, Helsinki and Havana. Your Instagram will love it.

Canals of Aveiro

While preparing to visit this city and reading about it online, you will find numerous articles referring to it as "Venice of Portugal". People who wrote it either have never been to Venice, or have never been to Aveiro! Yes, there are a few canals in Aveiro, but that's it. It has nothing to do with Venice, which does not make it less worth visiting. On the contrary, there are plenty of great Instagram photo opportunities all the way along the canals of Aveiro. Take an hour or two to walk around or go on a moliceiro boat ride, and you will easily discover them all. 

Canal de S. Roque

Antigo Cais de S. Roque, 3800 Aveiro, Portugal

Nearby beaches: Barra & Costa Nova

Costa Nova and Barra beach are the two closest to the city. Only 10 kilometres away, both are lovely spots to chill out by the end of the day, wait for the sunset with a bottle of Portuguese wine, and score some likes for your Instagram account. These two beaches are covered in the finest, light coloured sand and surround by the sand dunes. They are both huge, so you can always find a place to be alone, enjoy the sound and the smell of the sea and make amazing photos. Costa Nova is famous for its houses with stripes while Barra is the home of the tallest lighthouse in the Iberian peninsula. It's difficult to decide which one is more interesting, both deserve to be featured on your Instagram.

Barra Beach (Ilhavo, Aveiro)

Av. João Corte Real 258, 3830 Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal

Costa Nova, Aveiro

Praça n. s. Sáude nº F Cost nova Movel 0034626249796, 3830 Gafanha da Encarnação, Portugal

Reserva Natural das Dunas de São Jacinto

Natural Reserve of São Jacinto Dunes, São Jacinto, Portugal

Fonte Nova: the old Factory & I Love Aveiro stairs

No visit to Aveiro is complete without taking a photo with the most famous staircase in the region! There's a big red heart on the stairs and if you step away you will see there's "I love Aveiro" written. The neighbourhood around the staircase known as Fonte Nova, is worth visiting, featuring a breathtaking building of an old ceramics factory which is now the Congress Center of Aveiro. The rest of the buildings in Fonte Nova are new, so the Factory stands out even more.  

Aveiro Congress Center (Centro de Congressos de Aveiro)

Cais da Fonte Nova 5, 3810-200 Aveiro, Portugal