Moliceiro Boat Cruise in Aveiro

Explore the picturesque canals of the so-called Portuguese Venice with 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 through Aveiro. You will learn about the differences between the two main boats that cruise the canals - the moliceiro vessel and the mercantile vessel - along with their origins and history.

During the journey in the moliceiro, we will pass iconic locations of Aveiro, including the Art Nouveau-style buildings, the Aveiro salt pan, the traditional fishermen's neighborhood, the Jerónimo P. Campos ceramics factory, and the Fish Market. At the end of the tour, enjoy a tasting of a typical product at a local store.

Our itinerary concludes by returning to the departure point. We will invite you to taste raivas, a local cookie.

Type of Boats

Depending on the availability, we will travel on a moliceiro and a mercantel. A moliceiro is a traditional boat of the Ria de Aveiro, similar to a Venetian gondola, used for transporting moliço, a type of seaweed. The mercantel was used to transport sand and mud for the salt pans, is larger than the moliceiro, and has simpler decoration.