Aveiro is known as 'Portuguese Venice'. There are canals, bridges, and boats called moliceiros, however, in my opinion, it is slightly overstated :S
Nevertheless, it is a pretty little city to wander around. There are lovely beaches on its coast, São Jacinto, Barra and Costa Nova, which unfortunately I did not go to, as time and weather were not on my side.
I arrived early in Aveiro to some rather heavy rain. The first place I went to is Cha & Bolachas for breakfast. The cafe is located downtown, in the Mercado Manuel Firmino.
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| Coffee Loveeeeee |
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| English Breakfast (in Portugal) :S |
The cafe is a small, cosy restaurant which is famous for its cakes. The cafe owner is a warm lady who literally embraced me when I walked in (she probably thought "Poor girl walking in the rain with her bag in tow"..lol). She graciously offered to keep my bag in her kitchen while I roamed around the city.
*You may be wondering why the cafe has the word 'Cha' (tea) in it. Tea is prominent everywhere around Portugal. Again, brought back from the maritime expedition in the 15th/16th century in Asia. The Brits owe it to a Portuguese, Catarina de Bragança (Catherine of Braganza), who introduced tea to the kingdom.*
What I really liked about Aveiro is that the shopping mall, Forum Aveiro, is built along the canal - an example of modern-day construction whilst still preserving the natural landscape. Love that!
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| Forum Aveiro along the canal |
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| Inside roads - away from the canal |
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Also, when in Aveiro, be sure to try the Ovos Moles de Aveiro (which literally means, Soft Eggs from Aveiro). This was made a Protected Geographical Indication (please click here for more information), in 2006. It is a local delicacy of Aveiro made from egg yolks and sugar.
I tried one in Confeitaria Peixinho - not too sweet, but so egg-y. I love eggs, but this is taking it to a whole new level.
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| Ovos Moles |
*Another fact: The Portuguese love eggs - think Pastel de Nata, Ovos Moles, and many other pastries have an egg-based filling.*
I also had the almond cookie, Almendrados, at Confeitaria Peixinho. That I love! In fact, I love anything almond: almond milk, almond cookies, almond ice cream, the list goes on....
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| Almendrados |
Fully satiated, I resumed my journey to Coimbra!
I AM IN LOVE WITH COIMBRA! It is one of the most charming medieval cities I have ever been to!
Located in central Portugal, it is the former capital of Portugal (in the 1100s - 1200s). Around the end of the Middle Ages, it declined as the political centre of Portugal and began to evolve into a major cultural centre. This was largely due to the establishment the Universidade de Coimbra (University of Coimbra) in the late 1200s. The university is the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world - Cool huh! Interestingly, many of the buildings from when Coimbra was the capital still remain.
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| Outside the city walls |
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| Into the medieval city |
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| Guitarra Portuguesa (Portuguese guitar) |
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| Sé Velha (Old Cathedral) - Romanesque facade |
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| Gothic cloister in the cathedral |
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| Peek-a-boo |
It is outstandingly stunning beyond words! (You will thank me for it :D)
I just love libraries and imagine having one like that in your home! :)
Closely linked to the university traditions is the Fado Coimbra - a type of musical genre.
*Fado comes from the Latin word fatum, from which the English word 'fate' also originates.*
There are 2 types of Fado in Portugal - Fado Coimbra and Fado Lisboa. Both have different motivations, beginnings, and use slightly different instruments, amongst other things. The Fado Coimbra is played using the Guitarra Portuguesa and viola. It is said that there is a slight sitar influence in making the Guitarra Portuguesa.
As stated above, the Fado Coimbra is closely linked to the academic traditions of the University of Coimbra and it is mainly sung by men. The university students would sing of their homesickness, longing for their families, leaving youth, or towards the end of their education, leaving Coimbra.
They would also serenade their beloved with Fado, sitting underneath their beloved's window. The men would pour out their sorrows, asking, begging, and pleading for their beloved to become one with them and make these troubles disappear. The girl indicates her 'interest' by switching on and off her lights three times. The students in Coimbra would usually sing in a group, dressed entirely in black.
The beginnings of Fado Coimbra are difficult to be determined, but it is said to have emerged from the minstrels and jesters who provided entertainment to the courts during the Middle Ages. Some say it has Brazilian influence - brought back from Brazil and adapted to the Portuguese culture.
Today, performances of Fado Coimbra have become somewhat of a cultural tradition. Groups of male students will wear the traditional capes while they serenade and honour the faculty at the end of the academic cycle. This tradition has spread to many of the Portuguese universities but remains in its truest form in Coimbra.
You can listen to the Fado Coimbra at the Fado Centre or at some restaurants/ bars in Coimbra. The performance at the Fado Centre is performed by current and former university students. You will need to book seats as it is usually packed.
*Fado comes from the Latin word fatum, from which the English word 'fate' also originates.*
There are 2 types of Fado in Portugal - Fado Coimbra and Fado Lisboa. Both have different motivations, beginnings, and use slightly different instruments, amongst other things. The Fado Coimbra is played using the Guitarra Portuguesa and viola. It is said that there is a slight sitar influence in making the Guitarra Portuguesa.
As stated above, the Fado Coimbra is closely linked to the academic traditions of the University of Coimbra and it is mainly sung by men. The university students would sing of their homesickness, longing for their families, leaving youth, or towards the end of their education, leaving Coimbra.
They would also serenade their beloved with Fado, sitting underneath their beloved's window. The men would pour out their sorrows, asking, begging, and pleading for their beloved to become one with them and make these troubles disappear. The girl indicates her 'interest' by switching on and off her lights three times. The students in Coimbra would usually sing in a group, dressed entirely in black.
The beginnings of Fado Coimbra are difficult to be determined, but it is said to have emerged from the minstrels and jesters who provided entertainment to the courts during the Middle Ages. Some say it has Brazilian influence - brought back from Brazil and adapted to the Portuguese culture.
Today, performances of Fado Coimbra have become somewhat of a cultural tradition. Groups of male students will wear the traditional capes while they serenade and honour the faculty at the end of the academic cycle. This tradition has spread to many of the Portuguese universities but remains in its truest form in Coimbra.
You can listen to the Fado Coimbra at the Fado Centre or at some restaurants/ bars in Coimbra. The performance at the Fado Centre is performed by current and former university students. You will need to book seats as it is usually packed.
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| Statue outside the Fado Centre - love this |
After the Fado performance, I went to the very close-by Fangas Mercearia Bar for dinner. There are some vegetarian options to choose from - Hallelujah!
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| Bacalhau with spinach |
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| Bean stew with mushrooms |
The food was delish. Definitely a good place to have a pleasant dinner.
If you do have a chance, do try the sparkling red wine from the nearby wine region. I still prefer my still red wine, though. There are other wines to select from as well - Rosé, White and Red (in still or sparkling form).
That's a wrap of Coimbra. I will now end this post with.......
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