Explore the picturesque canals of the so-called Portuguese Venice when you take our traditional moliceiro or mercantel boat trip along the Aveiro.
Moliceiro or Mercantel Boat Trip
Meet us at the Jardim do Rossio Pier for our traditional boat trip along through Aveiro. Throughout the journey, we'll learn about the differences between the two main boats that cruise the canals - the moliceiro vessel and the mercantile vessel - and their origins and history.
During the journey in the moliceiro we'll pass some of the most iconic locations of Aveiro, such as the Art Nouveau style buildings that line the banks of the canal, the Averio salt pan, the traditional fishermen's neighborhood, the Jerónimo P. Campos ceramics factory, and the Fish Market.
Our itinerary concludes returning to the same point from where we departed. But the experience doesn't end here, as we'll invite you to taste raivas, a typical local cookie.
Type of boats
Depending on the availability of boats, we'll travel on a moliceiro and a mercantel. Both are very typical boats of the city.
A moliceiro is a traditional boat of the Ria de Aveiro, very similar to a Venetian gondola. The boat got its name because it was used to transport and collect moliço, a type of seaweed abundant in the region that was used as fertiliser.
The mercantel ship, on the other hand, was used to transport sand and mud for the salt pans. They are larger than the moliceiros and their decoration is simpler.
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