Boat Tour Of The Highlights Of The Ria

Gustavo was very knowledgeable and gave us a very interesting and insightful tour of the lagoon and the historical salt beds. We had a chance to see a lot of bird wildlife including flamingos and herons

An excellent boat trip through the river and canals around Aveiro. Not the tourist gondola in the city but through the old salt pan area. It was quiet and a bit eerie being so low beneath the man made walls. A bit like Heart of Darkness without the danger. Birdlife galore with flamingos, ospreys, egrets, oystercatchers and other waders. The defunct and rusted digging machinery was surreal. The industrial landscape in the background added to the other-worldlieness. Very interesting, very worthwhile.

Gustavo was excellent - lots of really good history of the lagoon and salt flats, and also the modern aspects of the increase in port business and activity. He tailored our trip according to the tide and the safety of the channels and also the fact that we were really interested in the wildlife. Flamingos, storks, herons, egrets, and birds of prey. An excellent trip at a great price.

We had a wonderful boat trip with Gustavo this afternoon. He's a very knowledgeable guide and his English is excellent. He realised we were interested in the wildlife and adapted the tour to show us the northern area. It was a highlight of our stay in Aveiro and great to get out of the tourist centre to see the extent of the lagoon and learn about its history. Highly recommended.

Excellent river expedition with Gustavo who was brilliant. Nothing was too much trouble giving detailed explanations of sights, history and wildlife encountered. Well worth doing and recommended.

The captain was very nice with us and offered a very personal tour with lots of loc information about the history of the lagoon. Please use his services. It is well worth the ride.

A really fascinating look at the history and wildlife of the canals and lagoon. Gustavo was extremely knowledgeable and explained things well. Much better than the painted canal boats that stay in town, we saw lots of birdlike and learned the history of the salt pans and the region more broadly. Highly recommend.

Gustavo is wonderful and has so much knowledge of the water channels and lagoons. We had a wonderful ride followed up with a unique local lunch experience in one of the islands. Will highly recommend this tour to everyone.

We had an excellent boat trip called "Expedições na Ria d'Aveiro". This starts outside the town of Aveiro's canal system and adjacent to the salt flats. There were only two of us booked, but the tour still ran. Gustavo is very knowledgeable about the history and contemorary uses of the lagoon area. He spoke excellent English and gave very clear explanations. He is a skilled boatman. I can recommend this tour for the experience of seeing the birdlife (shelducks, sand martins, flamingoes, black-winged stilts, egrets, black kites, sanderlings), the history, ecology, the changing uses and fortunes of the areas used originally as saltpans. It's also a good and safe boat trip away from the crowds in what feels like a wilderness but is partly also man-made. Worth every penny and a trip you won't forget.

Gustavo’s boat tour of the Aveiro lagoon was great value for money and so informative of the history, evolution and current activities on the massive lagoon. Gustavo is very knowledgeable and friendly and a tour of the lagoon (versus the canals) is a must to appreciate the heritage and environment of Aveiro. Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful, virtually private tour of this huge interesting lagoon in Aveiro. Gustavo speaks several languages . He is very knowledgeable about the history and nature of the lagoon and its salt pans. He shows where you are on his large hand drawn map frequently and answers all questions. We loved it. Very reasonably priced for this type of tour. www.praiasdaria.com

Really nice boattour! Gustavo knows a lot and gives some interesting information about the surroundings of Aveiro! We saw a lot of birds and went through the salt pans. So skip the canal boattour and book this one! Totally worth it!

Very enjoyable and relaxing boat tour of the Alveiro Ria area river and salt marshes. Gustavo was a very knowledgeable guide and told us many interesting facts about the history, industry and wildlife of the area throughout our trip. We can recommend this tour.

My husband and I went out with Gustavo for approximately 1 1/2 hours today, March 8, 2026. What a perfect way to spend time in beautiful Aveiro. We knew we didn’t want to do the typical tourist boat trip in the canals, preferring to get out of the tourist area and see nature and that’s exactly the experience we were given by Gustavo. Gustavo is an amazing man, a wealth of knowledge not only about the nature in the area, the flora and fauna, but also the area’s history, in particular of the once thriving salt mining industry, the fishing industry, the introduction of oysters to the waterways, and now new industry that’s growing in Aveiro with wind turbine production, chemical plants and bio diesel to name a few. It seemed as though he was able to answer every question we had. We learned so much today and our trip was so much more than we ever expected. Gustavo’s English is excellent. What a lovely time we had with this lovely man. This boat trip was a highlight of our time in Aveiro.

Fantastic time. Highly recommend. Capitan Gustav was very nice and informative. It's a more expensive trip than the in town boat rides but so worth it. The trip gives you a much better experience.

Fantastic boattrip. Gustavo is an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable about the area. A good experience even though it was very foggy. Highly recommend.

We had a lovely time with Gustavo on his boat. Learned a lot about the historical salt pans, how these have changed over time, and appreciation for the coastal economy of Aveiro. It was also just wonderful to be out alone on the water without crowds. Strongly recommend!

Had a fantastic and very informative trip around the lagoon and old salt pans with Gustavo. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the history and environment of Alviero. We highly recommend taking a trip with him, you won't regret it.

We have had a wonderful trip with Gustavo. A great day with lots of beautiful moments. Gutavo has told a lot of remarkable stories about history and about present, thanks to Gustavo we have had a great stay in Aveiro!

What a brilliant tour this was! Beautiful Averio is known for its canals and boat tours around the town. However to experience the real beauty of this place you need to go out on the lagoon, located beyond the town locks. The trip with Praia’s da Ria was the best two hours of our stay. Gustavo was so welcoming, engaging and knowledgeable and during the whole trip explained how the sea and tides impact on the environment and the history of Averio. Absolutely fascinating. The way the lagoon showed us its beauty was captivating and Gustavos’s control of the boat took us down narrow channels at low tide to see everything. Will never forget this trip and would very highly recommend it to everybody. Very reasonably priced and one of the best trips we have done anywhere during our many travels in Portugal Thanks again Gustavo Hopefully see you again sometime David and Maralyn from UK

The tour guide knew 97% of the participants in the boat spoke English but she spoke Portuguese and French most of the time. We only speak English so we got nothing out of the tour. We were very disappointed. When I booked the trip I specifically asked for English.

Gustavo knows a lot about the lagoon. It was very informative with pictures and maps. He took us to the best places depending on the tide. Good comfy boat. Very good day out

Excellent 2 hour trip round the Lagoon exploring the changes over the last 100 years. Gustavo was a great guide, very knowledgeable, and informative. A must-do excursion.

We had a fabulous trip with Gustavo. There was just me and my wife on the boat with Gustavo. Luckily the tide was rising when we set off so we were able to travel down some channels that are not usually accessible. Gustavo is very knowledgeable and imparts this knowledge with obvious enthusiasm. His explanations of the history of the salt flats and surrounding wildlife was really good. I would recommend thus trip to anyone visiting Aveiro

I am a person who likes nature more than the city, so this was the perfect tour . Gustavo was very knowledgeable, spoke English very well and answered all of our questions. Definitely recommend this trip.

We are so happy we chose this private river tour instead of one of the big Moliceiro boats. Our captain, Gustavo, was a terrific guide and offered truly interesting stories along the way. We learned a lot about the Port of Aveiro, its history and the area’s salt and fishing businesses. He took us through small, more obscure lagoon canals and we saw flamingos, storks, swallows, ospreys, a kingfisher and more. A thoroughly enjoyable time. Highly recommend!

Different from the usual canal tours at Aveiro. Very knowledgeable English speaking local guide. Really interesting contrast of the old and newer industries. Highly recommend.

This is a fabulous exploratory tour of the wetlands outside the canals. The tour guide is extremely knowledgeable about the history and diverse changes the area has experienced.

Gustavo was a guide who wasn't just nice, but a real expert of the area. He didn't stick to the standard programme but answered all our questions and even tried to approach some flamingos, just because we were asking for them. We can definitely recommend the tour!

A lovely trip, away from the crowds. Really interesting both from a history of the salt pans, local industry to wildlife in the lagoon. A very balanced and ecologically aware commentary by our guide made it a standout activity in our visit to Aviero.

Had a great tour with Gustavo today! We were lucky enough to have high tide and got to explore the canals. Gustavo was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. Would definitely recommend this tour if you're in Aveira!

This was a lovely way to see the lagoon, to get a better idea of local history and industry, and to get some glimpses of local wildlife. The captain spoke great English and was friendly, really interesting and knowledgeable.

We had the best experience with Gustavo! He is just the perfect guide, if you want to see peaceful water places, experience the harbour, the canals, the salins and the city while learning a lot about the area. He knows a lot and is super kind. We enjoyed this trip so much and I would definetly do the trip again. If you think about a boot tour, I would highly recommend doing it with Gustavo instead of doing the short canel tour that you can see all day in the city. He will take you to so many more places and beautiful areas!

If you looking to understand where Aveiro has evolved in the last 50 years this is very interesting. Away from the canal cruises normal tourist activites and beyond the locks it’s a different world.

Gustavo was great. He knows the estuary and the history of the Aveiro area. I learned so much and took a lot of great photos. Well worth the money to spend two hours on a boat and explore the water that defines Aveiro. Just wonderful!

Amazing trip through the Ria - Gustavo really knew the history and ecology of the area so well and brought the are area to life - but he also listened to what we were interested in and adapted the tour for us to take in more of the natural side of the Lagoon. His love and experience with the lagoon made us feel entirely safe in his hands and he helped my 80 year old mother board and disembark easily and safely. A very very enjoyable way to explore an area where otherwise there would be very little access to, and to experience the heart of a fantastic natural area

We had a great morning exploring the Ria d’Aveiro with Gustavo. It was a unique and fascinating experience and a highlight of our holiday in Aveiro. Gustavo’s friendly approach, wide knowledge and enthusiasm for the Ria meant that the 2 hours exploring the lagoon passed too quickly. He answered all our questions and used an excellent large scale map so we could fully appreciate the journey. From the moment we floated through the lock into the shallow waters beyond, we felt in a different world, exploring hidden channels which changed with every tide and seeing migratory birds, herons and ospreys perching almost close enough to touch.

My husband and I really enjoyed the Praias da Ria boat tour with Gustavo. We went late afternoon, the weather was beautiful and Gustavo provided our tour in English. We love nature , ecology and culture so his informative tour was perfect for us. Plus, it was a very relaxing experience which was refreshing after being busy all day in Averio.

Very interesting tour through the wild area of the Ria, admiration of the birds and salt marshes with a spectacular guide, Gustavo

Very interesting tour through the wild area of the Ria canals, admiration of the birds and salt marshes with a spectacular guide, Gustavo

On October 11, 2026, we took a beautiful boat trip through the lagoons of Aveiro. With only four passengers on board, the trip was particularly comfortable and relaxed. Our captain and guide Gustavo was very pleasant and gave extensive and interesting explanations in English. His explanation made the experience extra fascinating. A real recommendation!

A fantastic trip through the Ria with Gustavo, in a word fantastic. We were lucky that we had a very high tide, so Gustavo adapted his tour and gave us an extensive tour. Gustavo is friendly and knows a lot about the Ria and can explain it in good English.

Great discovery, nice walk with lots of explanations. Thank you

By chance I met Gustavo who invited us to take a different tour from the usual 45min tour of the city's canals. It was a very good experience that led us to know the street and the region of Aveiro!

A unique and very interesting experience, made us really know the ria and the region of Aveiro. The guide Gustavo was spectacular

I was walking in the rossio and saw this unique opportunity to know the riva de aveiro!

Very interesting tour.Many curiosities told by a super guide.

Superb time spent with Gustavo. The 5 of us were thrilled and the kids loved the fact that we were alone and Gustavo spoke French and gave them lots of information! Thanks again it is a nice way to discover Aveiro otherwise.

Gustavo is a passionate lover of the Ria de Aveiro and its deep acquaintance, and leads us to know the lagoon, or the true Ria, outside the touristic circuit of the city's canals, on a journey that takes us through Cales, canals, stoves and seas, islands and stoves, while telling us about its history, stories and traditions. There in the middle of the river we see the Gafanha and the coders, the Farol da Barra, the village of São Jacinto, and all that green spot to the Torreira. We would like to go to Rio Novo do Príncipe, to Bico or Bestida. We contemplate Aveiro, see mountains and mountains, smells of maresia and clear waters of white sand. I highly recommend. Very worth it. Thank you! Miguel Leite