Page 194 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

EXPERIENCE The Beiras

Brightly coloured
moliceiros on the
Canal Central

1 2
AVEIRO Across the
Canal Central
South of the Canal Central and
! D3 £ Avenida Dr Lourenço Peixinho @ Avenida Dr
Lourenço Peixinho 4 Forte de Barra–São Jacinto: daily the bustling Praça General
n Rua João Mendonça 8; 234 420 760 Humberto Delgado are the
principal historic buildings of
This little city, once a great sea port, has a long history, Aveiro. The Misericórdia church
with its salt pans featuring in a will in AD 959. By the 16th in the Praça da República
century, Aveiro was a considerable town, rich from salt dates from the 16th century,
and the bacalhoeiros fishing for cod off Newfoundland. its façade of azulejos framing
When storms silted up the harbour in 1575 this wealth a splendid Mannerist portal. In
the same square stands the
vanished, and the town languished beside its lagoon, stately 18th­century Paços do
the ria. Only in the 19th century did Aveiro regain its Concelho, or town hall, with its
prosperity and it is now ringed with industry. distinctive Tuscan­style pillars.
Nearby is Aveiro’s modest
1 auctioned to local restaurants. 15th­century cathedral of São
Domingos. The figures of the
Although it was remodelled in
Old Quarter the early 21st century, there Three Graces over the door on
has been a bustling market the Baroque façade were
Tucked in between the Canal hall on this site since the late added in 1719. A short walk
das Pirâmides, which was 18th century, making it a
named after the salt pyramids historic part of local life.
that once lined this waterway, Skirting the Canal Central, INSIDER TIP
and the Canal de São Roque, along Rua João de Mendonça, Fish Food
the old quarter of the city are Art Nouveau mansions The upper floor of the
was once home to salt ware­ and some of the many Mercado do Peixe is now
houses. Although no longer pastelarias selling Aveiro’s a buzzing restaurant,
lined with industry, this area speciality: ovos moles. Literally populated by students
is still home to the neat, white­ “soft eggs”, these are a rich and locals. Of course,
washed houses of Aveiro’s confection of sweetened egg the menu uses fresh
fishermen. In the early yolk in candied casings fish from the market
morning, the focus of activity shaped like fish or barrels. As below. While you eat,
is the Mercado do Peixe at so often in Portugal, the look out of the huge
the end of the Canal das original recipe is credited to windows on to the
Pirâmides, where the fish nuns. Ovos moles are sold by Canal de São Roque.
from the night’s catch is weight or in little barrels.
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