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 the traditional boat trip through Aveiro. Throughout the journey, learn about the differences between the two main boats that cruise the canals - the moliceiro vessel and the mercantile vessel - as well as 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.

Our itinerary concludes by returning to the same departure point. However, the experience continues with an invitation to taste raivas, a typical local cookie.

Type of Boats

Depending on boat availability, we will travel on a moliceiro and a mercantel, both typical boats of the city.

A moliceiro is a traditional boat of the Ria de Aveiro, resembling a Venetian gondola and used to transport moliço, a type of seaweed used as fertilizer.

The mercantel ship was utilized to transport sand and mud for the salt pans; it is larger than the moliceiros and features simpler decoration.