Attractions

Aveiro is quite congested, and many readers have expressed disappointment with the incessant whine of Vespas and the foul-smelling canal water. Others, however, find it worth the journey.

The lagoons and many secret pools that dot the landscape around Aveiro make for a fine boat excursion. Inquire at the tourist office .

Convento de Jesús, Avenida Santa Joana Princesa (tel. 23/442-32-97), is hailed as the finest example of the baroque style in Portugal. The Infanta Santa Joana, sister of João II and daughter of Afonso V, took the veil here in 1472. Her tomb, an inlaid rectangle of marble quarried in Italy, attracts many pilgrims. Its delicate pale pinks and roses lend it the air of a cherub-topped confection.

The convent, owned by the state and now called the Museu de Aveiro, displays a lock of the saint's hair, her belt and rosary, and a complete pictorial study of her life. The portrait of her here is exceptional; painted in the late 15th century, it is attributed to Nuno Gonçalves. What's most noteworthy about the convent, though, is its carved gilt work, still lustrous despite the dust.

An assortment of 15th-century paintings, royal portraits of Carlos I and Manuel II (the last two Bragança kings), 16th-, 17th-, and 18th-century sculpture, and antique ceramics makes up the bulk of the collection here. There are also some well-preserved 18th- and 19th-century coaches and carriages. After viewing all this, you can walk through the cloisters, which have Doric columns. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5:30pm. Admission is 2€ ($2.60) for adults and free for children under 15.

On Rua Santa Joana Princesa is the 15th-century Igreja de São Domingo, with blue-and-gold altarpieces and egg-shape windows flanking the upper nave. The facade, in Gothic-Manueline style, is decorated with four flame finials. To the right (facing) is a bell tower.

After a meal of stewed eels and a bottle of hearty Bairrada wine, you might want to explore some of the settlements along the lagoon. In Ilhavo, about 5km (3 miles) south of Aveiro on the IC1, you can stop at the Museu Maritimo, Avenida Dr. Roca Madahil (tel. 23/432-96-08). The unpretentious gallery offers an insight into the lives of people who live with the sea. It displays seascape paintings, fishing equipment, ship models, and other exhibits. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday 9:30am to 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday 2:30 to 5pm from September to June; and Tuesday to Friday 10am to 7pm, and Saturday and Sunday 2:30 to 7pm in July and August. Admission is 2.50€ ($3.25) for adults and 1.25€ ($1.65) for seniors and children 6 to 17.

From Ilhavo, you can drive less than 2km (1 1/4 miles) south to Vista Alegre, the famed village of the porcelain works. Britain's Elizabeth II and Spain's Juan Carlos have commissioned pieces of Vista Alegre porcelain. On a branch of the Aveiro estuary, the village is the site of an open market held on the 13th of every month, a tradition dating from the late 1600s.

Vista Alegre Museum, Fábrica Vista Alegre (tel. 23/432-07-55), records the history of porcelain, starting in 1824 when the factory was founded here. It's open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 6pm; Saturday and Sunday 9am to 12:30pm and 2:30 to 5pm. Admission is 1.50€ ($1.95) and free for children under 12.