Moliceiro Boat Cruise in Aveiro

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 Aveiro. Throughout the journey, we'll learn about the differences between the moliceiro vessel and the mercantile vessel, including their origins and history.

During the journey on the moliceiro, we'll pass iconic locations of Aveiro, such as the Art Nouveau style buildings, the Aveiro salt pan, the traditional fishermen's neighborhood, the Jerónimo P. Campos ceramics factory, and the Fish Market.

The itinerary concludes by returning to the starting point. The experience includes a tasting of raivas, a typical local cookie.

Type of Boats

Depending on the availability of boats, we'll travel on a moliceiro or a mercantel, both typical boats of the city.

A moliceiro is a traditional boat of the Ria de Aveiro, similar to a Venetian gondola, named for its use in transporting moliço, a type of seaweed used as fertilizer.

The mercantel ship was used to transport sand and mud for the salt pans. They are larger than moliceiros, and their decoration is simpler.