Aveiro walkways – what to expect and how to go?

Last Updated on 2025-08-07 by Jorge Bastos

Aveiro walkways, also known as Ria de Aveiro walkways or Esmoriz walkways, offer a pleasant way to explore the beautiful Ria de Aveiro.

The walkways in Aveiro are part of a larger project, the “Via Ecológica Ciclável”(cyclable ecological way), which has two routes totaling 48 km:

• Between Estarreja – Albergaria-a-Velha – Aveiro, with 23 km (where the walkways are located)
• Between Vagos and Mira with 25 km (we had also talked about part of this route when we did the PR5 -Mira ;

In total, the path that is usually called Aveiro’s walkways is just over 7km, and connects Aveiro (Cais de São Roque) to Rio Novo do Príncipe in Vilarinho, Cacia. However, we have to divide this route into two completely different parts. The first, with 2 km between Aveiro and Cais da Esgueira, is mainly urban, and in our opinion, it should not even be part of the “Aveiro walkways,” as there are no walkways there. Besides that, it is not particularly beautiful and much less interesting.

The second part is where the real walkways are, starting at Esgueira Pier and ending at the fallen Bridge in Vilarinho, and this is the route we will talk about here. It is about 5km (10km round trip) where you can enjoy the estuary, the old and new boats, the surrounding forests, and birds, among other things.

Aveiro walkways – General info

Our experience on the Aveiro Walkways

The Aveiro walkways route we recommend is the one that goes from Esgueira Pier (Cais de Esgueira) to the fallen bridge on the Vouga River, or vice versa. So, that’s what we are going to describe. As we have mentioned, it is possible to start in Aveiro, next to São Roque Wharf, but this location is another 2km away, situated next to roads and under motorways, with little or nothing added. On foot, it is especially unpleasant; on a bicycle, I would say it is a little better.

Both at Esgueira Pier and on the fallen bridge, there are plenty of parking spaces. Starting at Esgueira Pier, the trail starts right on footbridges, with the Ria always on the left. Right next to the pier, there is a birdwatching post, but as usual, it is pretty dirty and unfortunately, it is used for… other activities.

Usually, in this section of our trails and walkways articles, we give a brief description of the route, but the truth is that in this case, it is not necessary, as it is straightforward. You have to follow the walkways, and in the very few situations in which you will have to choose the direction, it is well designated, and it is always quite obvious, as you will always have to walk along the ria. In the direction of the Esgueira-fallen bridge, you will have the Ria de Aveiro on your left, and in the opposite direction, you will have it on your right.

When you reach the fallen bridge, it is also quite clear that you arrived there because you will have the Vouga River in front of you, and there is no way to cross it. You will see a small pier and the ruins of a bridge. If you still want to continue walking, the path continues marked along the Vouga River towards Cacia, but now without any walkways. As we said above, these walkways in the Aveiro estuary are a small section of a larger route that goes all the way to Estarreja.

During this route, you will walk between walkways and forest paths, where you can observe the beauty of the Ria de Aveiro (Aveiro Estuary) and its entire ecosystem, and the biodiversity that inhabits it. Some of the animals you can try to identify are long-legged birds, herons, flamingos, terns, and even the bald eagle. In addition to the estuary itself, you can also enjoy the beauty of the woods, marshes, and pine forests.

Although quite beautiful and undoubtedly a unique place in Portugal, the landscape is always very similar, which for some people can become monotonous. On the other hand, the rise and drop of the waters of the Ria de Aveiro make the experience quite different depending on the tides. It never happened to us, but we have read reports that sometimes the waters flood the walkways.

Aveiro footbridges by bicycle

As it is entirely flat, cycling, and with very homogenous landscapes, we think this is an ideal route for cycling, especially if you want to do more than the 5km (10 round trip) that we recommend. For those who like to ride a bike but don’t like to climb (I feel you), this is, in fact, the perfect route!

Just don’t forget that the trail is shared with pedestrians, so you need to be careful when crossing pedestrians, especially larger groups. An accident is entirely unnecessary for everyone.

Best time to do the trail

If it doesn’t rain, any time of the year is good to explore the Aveiro walkways. However, on hot summer days, there are long stretches without shade, which will make the experience much less pleasant. So, if you do it on a scorching day, do it at the end of the day. The end of the day will also allow you to enjoy stunning sunsets.

Who can hike the Aveiro walkways?

The route is entirely flat, making it perfectly possible for children of any age, the elderly, and even those using wheelchairs or children’s chairs. You need to pay some attention, as the walkways are shared with bicycles.

This is a hike for the whole family, and in our opinion, this is one of its most outstanding qualities. Although doing the 10km can be hard for some people, the fact that it is a linear route means you can go back whenever you want.

What to take?

Given the absence of any technical difficulty, any inclination, and even being easy to control physical effort, you do not need to take anything in particular to walk the walkways of Aveiro. Nevertheless, we always take:

• Water is especially important if it’s a hot day;
• Light snacks;
• Comfortable shoes and clothes;
• Sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen in the summer;
• Camera and mobile phone, as there are many opportunities to take beautiful pictures.
• Small backpack to carry all of this.

As always, please don’t trash. Bring everything you take with you.

How to get to the trail?

You can start the walk along the Aveiro walkways in the three places mentioned above: Cais de S. Roque in Aveiro, Cais de Esgueira, and the fallen bridge in Vilarinho, Cacia. Note that Cais de S. Roque is less than 1 km from the train station, so if you want to use public transportation, this is the ideal place to start.

We recommend starting the trail at Esgueira Pier, which offers easy parking and is straightforward to reach. If you mark it on Google Maps, it will take you there straight from the highway.

Where to stay when doing the Ria de Aveiro Walkways

The ideal accommodation solution near the walkways is staying in Aveiro, as there is a wide variety of options. It allows you to enjoy both the other tourist attractions in the city as well as its beautiful restaurants, bars, and pastry shops. We are not aware of any accommodation along or near the walkways.

See below the map with the best places to stay in Aveiro:

If you like hiking, check some of our other suggestions:

• Esmoriz walkways, Ovar;
• Rota das dunas trail, Mira;
• Sistelo walkways, Arcos de Valdevez;
• Drave, the magic village trail, Arouca;
• Port WPinine Trail, Lamego;

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