Aveiro, the colorful city between the lagoon and the beach, is a must-visit for anyone traveling through central Portugal. Its location, already close to northern Portugal, also makes it especially easy to reach from Porto. You can get to Aveiro easily by train as well, and it’s well worth staying overnight for at least one night. Over the years, Aveiro has evolved from a sleepy fishing town on Portugal’s northwestern coast into a vibrant and fascinating city. We’ve gathered a selection of hotels in the best areas to stay in town, including options for travelers passing through on a road trip in northern or central Portugal.
Today, Aveiro is a major tourist destination. It’s a place for boat rides, bike rides, excellent seafood restaurants, and even a bit of shopping. It’s a truly distinctive city, still considered part of central Portugal yet very close to Porto. It’s worth giving the city two days, and even more in summer, when you can also enjoy the wonderful Costa Nova beach, backed by its famous colorful houses.
Click here for our full guide to Aveiro – the Venice of Portugal…
Hotels in Central Aveiro
1. TURIM Aveiro Palace Hotel
This hotel sits right in the middle of Aveiro on Humberto Delgado Square, an elevated square above the main canal. This 4-star hotel enjoys an excellent location, with quick access to the moliceiro boats, an easy walk to Fish Square in the old heart of Aveiro, and a short stroll south to the mall on the other side of the canal. The hotel occupies a large historic building that has been beautifully renovated inside. Its rooms are modern, bright-lined, clean, and functional. In the public spaces, parts of the original design have been preserved, just as they were when the hotel first opened in 1937, including an azulejo tile wall in the dining room.
It’s large by Aveiro standards, though not oversized, with around 50 rooms. The lobby feels more like a spacious living room, giving the hotel a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Two standout features here are its comfort—everything a traveler needs after a day of sightseeing—and its perfect, central location in Aveiro. The hotel works well for both couples and families, who can book a suite.
Click here to check room availability and rates at TURIM Aveiro Palace Hotel…
2. MS Collection Aveiro – Palacete Valdemouro
This five-star hotel is one of the very best in Aveiro, if not the best of them all. Set in an Art Nouveau building right in the city center, it has been fully renovated inside while retaining its old-world charm. Its excellent location, comfort, and attentive service make it a superb choice in Aveiro’s historic center. You get to stay close to everything while still indulging at the end of the day—or even during a midday break from sightseeing.
Although moliceiro boat rides are Aveiro’s signature attraction, cycling is also extremely popular, and the hotel staff can help you rent bikes for a ride to Costa Nova or simply around the city center. The hotel features a heated outdoor pool and jacuzzi, along with a spa center that includes an indoor pool and treatment options. Breakfast here is excellent, and there’s also a stylish, welcoming bar. The rooms are large and spacious, and every corner of the property genuinely feels like a five-star hotel.
Click here to check room availability and rates at MS Collection Aveiro – Palacete Valdemouro…
3. Hotel Moliceiro
The name of this hotel, housed in a beautiful tile-clad building, says a lot about its excellent location. It stands on João Mendonça Street, lined with Art Nouveau buildings above the moliceiro boat docks. These boats, one of Aveiro’s most recognizable symbols, are somewhat like the gondolas of Venice, only larger. They take visitors through the city’s canals to the lagoon and back. The hotel is also very close to the central Fish Square | Praça do Peixe Aveiro, surrounded by plenty of restaurants.
The hotel itself offers medium-sized rooms in a classic style. It’s especially well suited to couples, and its biggest advantage is undoubtedly the wonderful location. The staff are very service-minded and kind. The only drawback is that the décor feels a bit dated.
Click here to check room availability and rates at Hotel Moliceiro…
4. Melia Ria Hotel & Spa
This relatively large, modern hotel sits at the end of the canal—just a few hundred meters from the historic center, but still within central Aveiro. Part of the Spanish Melia chain, this 4-star hotel stands out from many others in the city thanks to its generous public spaces, especially its huge indoor pool and high-quality professional spa. Its greatest strength is the sense of space: it feels roomy and substantial. It’s also next to a parking lot, which is likely where you’ll park anyway if you arrive in Aveiro by car.
From the hotel, you can walk, bike, or take a moliceiro boat into the city center, which is just under a 15-minute walk away. Of course, you can also drive or take a taxi. The hotel’s large, modern dining room overlooks the lake at the end of the canal, and sometimes it’s nice to stay just outside the busiest part of town while still remaining close to it. The rooms are a good size, bright, functional, and clean. This hotel is especially well suited to travelers with a car—whether families or couples—stopping in Aveiro during a trip through central or northern Portugal.
Click here to check room availability and rates at Melia Ria Hotel & Spa…
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Hotels Near the Colorful Houses
In the beach area, there are more apartments than hotels. This area has become especially popular in summer with families and couples, who usually come for several days or even a few weeks. Days are spent at the beach, while evenings are for enjoying Aveiro’s nearby city center with its restaurants and bars. Others choose to stay in peaceful, laid-back Costa Nova and dine at one of the small seafood restaurants.
1. Hotel Farol
This three-star hotel enjoys one of the most central locations in Costa Nova. Its name hints at exactly where it is: right across from the Aveiro lighthouse and the broad square in front of it. The hotel is relatively large, has a café facing the square, and is close to restaurants, shops, and of course the beach. Even though it’s in the upper part of Costa Nova, the colorful houses are not far away. Besides, like almost everyone who comes to Costa Nova, you’ll probably rent bikes, and then everything is easy to reach since the area is flat.
The rooms are spacious and of a good standard. Most visitors to Aveiro who choose to stay in Costa Nova do so in summer, and the same goes for this hotel. In the other seasons, its already reasonable rates are even lower. It’s a good fit for both couples and families who enjoy biking and exploring.
Click here to check room availability and rates at Hotel Farol…
2. Costa Nova Hotel
This three-star hotel is set in a classic colorful Costa Nova building. It’s located in the southern part of town, right in the heart of the sought-after residential area of striped colorful houses. A small hotel with very reasonable rates for most of the year, it’s a great way to stay in one of these iconic homes without renting an entire apartment. Naturally, it’s also close to the beach and the many bike paths in the area. Its setting in a quieter part of town gives it a real sense of escape, yet it’s still close enough to the large parking areas along the lagoon, the marina, and several small, intimate restaurants just nearby.
It’s especially well suited to a short, peaceful beach getaway. During your stay, you can also hop over to Aveiro by boat, bike, or car, and explore the lagoon and the quiet salt ponds, which are full of water birds, especially flamingos. This hotel is best for couples, though it also suits families who enjoy getting out and exploring by bike.
Click here to check room availability and rates at Costa Nova Hotel…
Hotels Outside Aveiro’s Main Tourist Areas
1. Montebelo Vista Alegre Ílhavo Hotel
This large, luxurious five-star hotel is set in a modern building about a 15-minute drive from central Aveiro. That makes it a great choice for travelers using Aveiro as a stop on a road trip through northern or central Portugal. It also works well for anyone who wants to enjoy the hotel’s excellent amenities, including the spa and pool, while staying within a reasonable distance of downtown Aveiro. The town of Ílhavo is just 15 minutes from central Aveiro and is essentially a quiet suburb. The rooms are very large, modern, and clean.
The hotel offers free parking, making it ideal for traveling families—especially because of the roomy accommodations—as well as couples touring by car who want maximum comfort. It stands next to the Vista Alegre Porcelain Museum. Recently renovated, the museum was created to preserve the heritage of Portugal’s ceramics and porcelain industry. The Maritime Museum, which children especially love, is also in Ílhavo just a few minutes’ drive from the hotel. Despite being new, luxurious, and rated five stars, the hotel is very reasonably priced for much of the year, since it sits a little outside Aveiro.
Click here to check room availability and rates at Montebelo Vista Alegre Ílhavo Hotel…
Our Tips for Choosing a Hotel in Aveiro
Hotel standard – In Aveiro, many hotels are older, but the newer and renovated ones are already at a very high level. Because of that, star ratings often aren’t especially meaningful in either direction. A hotel may be four stars but feel dated, while another may be three stars yet feel fresh and modern, simply because it doesn’t have enough facilities to qualify for a higher rating. In any case, the warm, friendly service from local staff is pleasant almost everywhere. Hotels also tend to be quite clean regardless of category.
Hotel location and transportation to and from it – If you’re traveling by car through northern Portugal or central Portugal on the way toward Porto, it’s very worthwhile to stop in Aveiro for at least one night. In that case, it can make sense to stay just outside the city center, in hotels with plenty of parking. From hotels closer to the center, it’s easy to get around on foot, by moliceiro boat, by taxi, or by bike. From places farther out, such as Costa Nova or Ílhavo, it’s simplest to drive to one of the parking areas around central Aveiro and continue on foot from there.
If you’re arriving by public transportation, it’s best to stay in the city center, which is about a 15-minute walk from the train station.
Supply and demand – Aveiro doesn’t have a huge number of hotels. The main season here is summer, in parallel with the season in Porto. That doesn’t mean you can’t visit in winter, but during the colder months the trip will focus more on Aveiro’s old center and less on bike rides or time at Costa Nova beach. Peak summer, especially July and August, is the most expensive time to visit, mainly because the excellent weather makes it ideal both for exploring the city and enjoying the beach.
Aveiro as a stop during a trip through northern or central Portugal – You could easily call it an essential stop. Whether for a few hours or for a day or two, Aveiro is not a city to skip if you’re setting out on a road trip through central Portugal or northern Portugal . Trips like these usually begin in the major cities of Lisbon or Porto. That makes Aveiro easy to plan as your first overnight stop when leaving Porto, or your final stop when heading up from Lisbon before arriving in Porto.
Click here to search for hotels throughout Aveiro and the surrounding area…
Click here for a list of attractions in the lagoon city of Aveiro…
