THROUGH PORTUGAL'S SOUL

NESTLED BETWEEN PORTO AND LISBON, THE UNSPOILT HEART OF PORTUGAL OFFERS AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES AWAY FROM THE TOURIST CROWDS

- SHIKHA SHAH

ON A COOL, CRISP MORNING MY FELLOW travellers and I left Porto, Portugal's second-largest city, for the short drive to our first stop— Cidade de Aveiro on the west coast.

I was exploring Central Portugal's lesser-known towns and villages—well off the tourist trail—with a group of like-minded people. Cidade de Aveiro is defined by a network of canals where colourful, hand-painted moliceiros gently bob on the water. Our guide noted that these eye-catching, gondola-like boats were originally used to harvest algae, fish, and seaweed from the lagoon. Today, they carry tourists. Often dubbed the “Portuguese Venice,” Aveiro has a distinct character all its own.

We skipped the boat ride and opted for a walking tour of the city’s charming streets lined with stunning Art Nouveau buildings. I paused to admire the elegant, pastel-toned façades adorned with intricate embellishments and wrought-iron balconies. Inside the Art Nouveau Museum, I found walls decorated with original azulejos— mainly floral motifs and rustic scenes. For lovers of architecture, Aveiro is a veritable open-air museum.

We took a break at Confeitaria Peixinho, a pastry shop established in 1856, to enjoy coffee and a taste of the iconic Ovos Moles (Aveiro's signature sweet). Shaped like seashells, Ovos Moles (soft eggs), originated as a “best-out-of-waste” creation by nuns. They used leftover egg yolks, after the whites were reserved for cleaning and starching, mixed them with sugar and encased the mixture in a delicate, edible wafer.

Next, we drove past Aveiro’s famed salt pans, Salinas de Aveiro, on our way to Costa Nova, a breezy beachside strip known for its