Aveiro to Costa Nova | Bus, striped houses, things to do

Aveiro’s Atlantic coastline is spectacular, with Costa Nova and Barra beaches in the municipality of Ílhavo standing out in particular. Next to these beaches there are fabulous wooden walkways for an excellent walk by the sea: these are the Costa Nova Walkways, and I’m going to introduce them to you in this article, and several other attractions.

My suggestion is that you really combine the useful with the pleasant by spending a whole day there, walking along the trail and taking a dip in the sea. Ideally, you’ll also visit the typical striped and colorful Palheiros (haystacks) of Costa Nova, and climb up to the Lighthouse of Barra de Aveiro for one of the best panoramas in the region.

But first, how to get from Aveiro to Costa Nova by bus? If that’s all you are looking for, then the answer is after the table of contents of this article.

FULL GUIDE TO VISIT AVEIRO

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How to get from Aveiro to Costa Nova by bus?

I know that many people decide to visit Aveiro as a day trip from Porto, and Costa Nova appears to many as a half-day trip from Aveiro. 😀 That’s ok, but I’m portuguese, and I love my country, and therefore I think both places deserve more time. Why don’t you rent a car to visit the whole central Portugal in a more comfortable way, and at your own pace?

Anyway, the bus that connects Aveiro to Costa Nova is from Transdev, and you can pick it up at the big avenue right next to the train station. That avenue is the same one you usually walk to get to the center of Aveiro, more precisely to where you may start trips on moliceiro boats.

Departure Station – Aveiro CTT
Arrival Station – Costa Nova (Larg A Anca)
There are buses almost every hour, so don’t worry. The prices are less than 3€ per ticket.

When to visit Costa Nova and Barra beach?

I recommend that you visit Costa Nova in the summer, so you can better enjoy the beaches in Aveiro. Don’t forget your sunscreen, sun hat, bathing suit and towel. 😉

Tip: Ideally, you should do the route on a Wednesday afternoon, as Barra lighthouse is only open for climbing to the top on that day of the week.

Striped Houses of Costa Nova + Walkways

Let me now introduce you to the Costa Nova walkways, which connect Costa Nova beach to Barra beach, in Aveiro. Below you’ll find all the tips on how to do them, which route to take and what tourist attractions you’ll find along the way.

1. Departure Point of the Costa Nova Walkways

As far as the starting point to the Costa Nova Walkways in Aveiro is concerned, I don’t have an exact indication to give you, as everything will depend on where you park your car, if you visit the region by car. 😉 For example, I parked it somewhere near the Mother Church of Costa Nova, and that was my starting point. Ideally, however, you should start near the Barra beach lighthouse, or at the striped colorful houses of Costa Nova.

2. Map of the Walkways from Costa Nova to Barra beach, passing on the striped houses

Below is a wikiloc map with a route identical to the one I took. It’s a circular route that includes the Costa Nova walkways by the sea, as well as the loop along the avenue where the striped houses of Costa Nova are located, on Ria de Aveiro side.

3. Trail Characteristics

Type: Circular trail.
Length: 11km if you do the circular trail I recommend. 4km for the linear route on the Costa Nova Walkways (8km round trip).
Difficulty: This is an easy trail that you can do with your family and children, or even on your own.
Time: Consider about 3 hours for the entire circular trail. Of course, the ideal is to do it in a whole day, with several stops for a dip in the sea. 😉

4. Description of the Circular Trail

To describe this route, I’m going to consider the starting point to be the Barra Beach lighthouse, which has already been mentioned. But you may start anywhere else, for example, at the striped houses of Costa Nova.

This lighthouse was inaugurated in 1893 and is over 60 meters high, making it the sixth largest in the world at the time of its construction. It is possible to climb its almost 300 steps to a breathtaking viewpoint of the Aveiro coast every Wednesday afternoon. As a curiosity, its light is visible up to 40km away.

After the lighthouse, you’ll head towards the mouth of Ria de Aveiro, walking along Avenue Infante Dom Henrique and passing the Barra beach sundial and its obelisk.

You’ll admire the viewpoint of Ria de Aveiro from the palafitic pier in Barra de Aveiro, and then continue on to the Barra Beach Bridge, crossing over to the cycle path that stretches along the banks of the estuary to Costa Nova.

The next attraction will be the Marina of Costa Nova, with capacity for around 130 boats up to a maximum of 10 to 12 meters in length.

Next you’ll pass the typical houses of Costa Nova, which are actually called palheiros, in portuguese. These are houses with colored stripes on a white background, associated with the fishermen from Ílhavo who settled there in the 19th century and started building them out of wood. They served as shelter, housing or even as warehouses for salting or drying fish.

Another marina (for fishing) awaits you on the banks of Ria de Aveiro, and then you’ll finally return to the sea, visiting the Mother Church of Costa Nova and starting the walkways that lead from there to Barra, always close to the beaches. Take the opportunity to relax for a while on Costa Nova beach and then on Barra beach, where you’ll finish the route.

1. Barra Beach Lighthouse

2. Barra Beach Sundial and Obelisk

3. Ria de Aveiro on Costa Nova

4. Marinas and boats on Costa Nova

5. Striped Houses of Aveiro in Costa Nova

6. Mother Church of Costa Nova

7. Costa Nova Walkways

8. Costa Nova Beach

9. Barra beach Walkways

10. Barra beach

More tips and advice to walk this trail in Costa Nova

You can do the Costa Nova Walkways on your own, as they are very easy to do and not at all dangerous.
Take comfortable shoes that are ideal for walking. Sandals and flip-flops may be useful for the beaches, but they should go in your backpack during the walk.
Take plenty of water and enough food.
Take a bathing suit and towel. Take a hat and sunscreen.
Don’t leave litter on the beaches or along the suggested route.
Practice silence.

Accommodation tips to visit Aveiro and Costa Nova

Accommodation	Score	Location
Melia Ria Hotel & Spa	8.3	Center of Aveiro
Aveiro2Stay	9.1	Center of Aveiro
Hotel Aveiro Palace	8.4	Center of Aveiro
Casa do Cais	9.3	Center of Aveiro
Aveiro 5 Estrelas	9.6	Center of Aveiro
Estrela Palace	9.5	Center of Aveiro
Hotel Aveiro Center	8.6	Center of Aveiro
Art Home Apartments	8.6	Center of Aveiro
Maraveiro House	9.2	Center of Aveiro
Hotel Moliceiro	8.7	Center of Aveiro
Hostel Cidade de Aveiro	9.0	Center of Aveiro
Dock Apartments	9.3	Center of Aveiro
Hotel das Salinas	8.9	Center of Aveiro
Avenida 60 Apartments	8.8	Center of Aveiro
Aveiro Rossio	8.8	Center of Aveiro
Welcome In	8.7	Center of Aveiro
Terrazzos do Prado	9.3	Costa Nova
Cestaria Costa Nova	9.6	Costa Nova
M Costa Nova	9.6	Costa Nova
Family Hostel Costa Nova	8.8	Costa Nova
Casas de Praia	9.0	Barra Beach
House Barra Beach	8.9	Barra Beach
Hotel Farol	8.5	Barra Beach

Extra: Ria de Aveiro walkways in Esgueira

Ria de Aveiro walkways start near the Esgueira pier and are excellent for a family stroll, on foot or by bicycle, allowing direct contact with the fauna and flora of the estuary. The atmosphere there is relatively calm and peaceful, and the scenery is some of the best you’ll find when visiting the region. Not to be missed!