In the city of Aveiro, on the west coast of Portugal

 Aveiro has many hidden gems to discover, including great seafood.

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(in the Centro Region of Portugal) Situated on the edge of an extensive coastal lagoon system, Aveiro is a prosperous town with an attractive center and a youthful, energetic buzz. It is occasionally dubbed the Venice of Portugal due to its small network of beautiful canals. Nouveau architecture, and colorful gondolas (moliceiros). Located on the edge of the vast Ria de Aveiro lagoon, this authentic fishing district is home to many religious buildings. These include the Cathedral of Aveiro and the 15th-century Convento de Jesus. Yet, where the Italian city has gondolas, Aveiro has moliceiros -- colorful boats traditionally used for seaweed-harvesting (now used for canal cruises). Aveiro is part of an urban agglomeration that includes 120,000 inhabitants, making it one of the most important populated regions by density in the North Region; it is the and primary center of the Intermunicipal Community of Aveiro and Baixo Vouga.

+ The second most populous city in the Centro Region of Portugal. Aveiro has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate influenced by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The maritime influence causes a narrow temperature range resulting in summers averaging around 24 °C (75 °F) in daytime temperatures, considerably lower than inland areas on the same parallel on the Iberian Peninsula. As typical of mediterranean climates, summers are dry and winters are wet. A coastal feature is that frosts are rare and never severe.

+ The presence of human settlement in the territory of Aveiro extends to the period associated with the great dolmens of pre-history, which exist in most of the region. For a long period Aveiro was an important economic link in the production of salt and commercial shipping. It was a center of salt exploration by the Romans and a trade center through the Middle Ages, registered since 26 January 959. From the 11th century onwards, Aveiro became popular with Portuguese royalty.

+  In 1759, King José I elevated the town to the status of city, a few months after condemning the Duke of Aveiro (a title established in 1547 by João III), José Mascarenhas, to death. As a result, Aveiro became known as Nova Bragança (much later it returned to Aveiro). In 1774, by request of King José, Pope Clement XIV instituted the Diocese of Aveiro. In the 19th century, the Aveirense were active during the Liberal Wars, and it was José Estêvão Coelho de Magalhães, a parliamentary member who was instrumenal in resolving the problem of access along the Ria. He also helped with the development of transport, especially the railway line between Lisbon and Porto. It was the opening of the canals, completed in 1808, that allowed Aveiro to expand economically, marking the beginning in the town's growth. The municipality was elevated to the status of town, centered on its principal church, consecrated to the Archangel Michael, today the location of the Praça da República.