Porto: Aveiro With Cruise, Costa Nova, Capelha Do Senhor Da Pedra

Really, really enjoyed Aveiro. This tour is all day and our guides Enrique and Carlos were so great! So much information and knowledge about this area. I could have done without the trip to Costa Nova and spent more time in Aveiro! I also loved seeing the Chapel built on the rock!

The tour on places were good. However, it seems to cater more to Spanish audience; English-speaking tour guide provided minimal information on certain sites. Also, it would have been more pleasant trip if the Spanish tour guide did not jump to conclusions about why an elderly couple (non-Spanish speaking) changed their seats since a Spanish pair (women) took their seats. Due to this, the Spanish guide was totally at odds with the couple, and for the English-speaking tour guide not to come to their aid was very harsh & disrespectful. If possible, maybe install a CCTV for the whole bus instead of free wifi? Just so unpleasant. Thanks.

Variety of great experiences. Enjoyed the boat excursion. Very colorful cities. change to dip your toes in the Atlantic.

Simply Brilliant day trip out. Tour Guides exceptional. We saw more by doing this day trip than going to Averio by our own means

The guides were experienced and explained things. Zara especially has lots of knowledge and experience and views to share on things other than the tour too which was wonderful. I'm used to smaller, non mass touristy tours. Which is not at all what this felt like. Opted for this as I was short on time to really do my research to find a tour that is more to my values. In Aveiro I saw some groups being taken around the salt pans (not included in this tour) whereas after a brief description & walk once we arrived we were left on our own to explore Aveiro. Both before and after the boat trip - the guide on it was very entertaining. The sweets and port wine tasting was after the cruise. I felt that the 2nd stop to see the seaside town can easily be swapped with something more meaningful. The Atlantic coast with its big waves showed it's might. The chapel on the beach which was our last stop - was lovely and was easily the highlight for me. The meeting /pick up was easy. Not so much the drop off. We were dropped off at a completely different spot and had to walk a bit due to some issue which was not explained. Worked out well in the end cos I found a good view point.. If you want to see in depth and understand Aveiro through a tour this is perhaps not it. But if you are ok to be shown the very touristy things and left to your own to explore then go for it. My rating is for the what the tour covered and not for the fantastic guide Zara was.

Aveiro is beautiful ! Our tour guide ZARA and the bus driver were wonderful! The boat ride on the canals was so much fun!

A good tour as long as you know what you are signing up for. I had done my research on Averio and knew I didn’t want to take the train there independently. This tour was a great way to get to see Aveiro in a very easy fashion. In Porto you meet your group and hop on a coach line bus for the 1.5 hour journey to Aveiro. There was quite a bit of walking but plenty of time to grab lunch while in Averio, even more if you are not interested in the boat ride which is fine but a bit of a tourist trap. On the way back you stop in Costa Nova which was a highlight for me! Then a short stop at the Capela do Senhor da Pedra in Gaia just long enough to check out the church and have a short break. Our guide Slimmy while new clearly was passionate about Portugal and worked to ensure we had a good experience.

A really full day which overall was a very pleasant experience. Enjoyed all 3 stops, albeit the second and third stops were a bit tight time wise. Very professional trip and a special mention to our English speaking guide Uno who was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and aligned this with a great sense of humour.

Really nice extended day trip of around eight and a half hours to Aveiro and Costa Nova with a pop in to see Capelha do Senhor da Pedra on the way home. Suitable for all ages and abilities. Our overall group size was particularly large and completely filled a coach but was split into two for the day with one part taken in Spanish (lead by Maria) and our part taken in English and lead by the excellent and funny Nuno. There was no problem at all with it being set up like this and it actually resulted in some interesting cross-group conversations amongst the bi-lingual holiday makers. Most of the time was spent in Aveiro and, as the weather was a little gloomy, we stayed there for lunch rather than moving on to Costa Nova. In my opinion, the ability to be able to change the itinerary at short notice like this, if necessary, makes for a much better day out. Most people took the canal cruise add-on which was definitely worth the extra and saves you wondering what to do whilst everyone else disappears for about 45 minutes! Costa Nova is the second stop and gives the opportunity to see the stripey houses and visit the beach. As we delayed our arrival due to the gloomy weather the beach stop didn't really happen but there was still plenty of time to walk along the sea front and get a snack or drink. Finally, on the way back, you stop at the extremely busy beach at Capelha do Senhor da Pedra and, if the tide is out, can walk to the church. All very picturesque and breaks the jourey back to Porto which is nice. All-in-all a great day out with a knowledgable and funny guide. Thanks Nuno!

Fabulous tour. Jerome and Enriquez kept everyone entertained and all the places we visited were lovely and all very different. An excellent day out without too much walking

Tiago, Joao and Enrique were amazing. They gave us so much information and showed us all the best stops. It is a full day of events, and you have free time in each place and it is worth every penny. Thank you!

What a fabulous day! Our guides Maria and Andreá were fantastic. It was well organised, included some amazing places and I learnt so much without being overstimulated!! Highly recommended!!

After a few days exploring Lisbon and Porto, we decided to take an excursion to Costa Nova and Aveiro and I'm so glad we did. Our guide was friendly, welcoming and extremely knowledgable. He really set the tone for a wonderful day. Getting away in a small group allowed us to see as much as possible with the time we had. Everything was seamless and enjoyable from start to finish and we loved all the places we visited. The only sad part was when it ended.

I had a great time on this tour! The driver and guides were very friendly and professional. I liked the structure of the tour, there was plenty of free time to enjoy all of our stops. Daniel was very engaging and fun!

Maria and Hendrick were excellent guides, very knowledgeable and attentive to the clients. The trip overall was not great. Aviero is NOT like Venice! The boat trip was OK but didn’t really have any wow moments. The Oves Moles tasting was underwhelming. The visit to Costa Nova (an hour) started so far from the beach that it took 15 mins to walk to the water and thus 15 mins to return, leaving about 25 mins (5 mins for loo stop) to enjoy the beach. Similarly the visit to Capella do Senior da Pedro, because of where the coach has to stop, as soon as we had reached the chapel it was time to return the coach. No time to enjoy the chapel or the beach. Come on Buendia, there has to be a better way to organise this. Currently, I would not recommend this trip.

Frist class organisation, the guide and driver outstanding, getting us to all destinations safely and comfortably and providing interesting and enlightening information. The time at each destination was just right and everything exceeded expectations. A Great Tour and a Wonderful day out.

Nino was wonderful and very informative. Allowed much time to self explore and enjoy. Our driver Francesco was wonderful

A wonderful way to see a beautiful part of the world. The guides were informative and fun. A really great mix of activites during the day with pockets of free time to wander ourselves. I would highly recommend this trip

What a wonderful day. The weather was a perfect sunny day, not too hot and no wind. Our walk around the township of Aveiro was informative and not too long. The boat ride around the canals was pleasant and entertaining, free time to explore on our own was just enough. Costa Nova was a treat. A lovely seaside village whose colourful houses made for great photos and a walk on the beach was a taste of home for me. Calling on to visit the church built into a rock out on the ocean was fantastic. Our guides Maria and Bruno were excellent. Warm, friendly and very knowledgeable. They cared for us with clear instructions about times and where to meet up. Francisco, the bus driver, expertly drove us through narrow streets and on the freeway as well. Highly recommend this day trip.

I wasn’t sure about going on tours but I am so thankful we did. The experience is amazing and the tour guides are so knowledgeable and friendly. We have booked other tours. Oh and do the boat option

Fabulous trip and Pedro and Carlos were excellent and engaging, hugely knowledgeable including the best place to have lunch! If you go make sure you include the boat trip on the canal. Well worth it.

Not a great tour. The information wasn’t exciting and the guides were there but not there. Really didn’t like the fact that 1/2 the tour was in another language (I.e. I’m only getting 1/2 the information). If I book an English tour I expect all the guide conversations to be in English. On the bus, we tried a few times to get the guide’s attention but they were more interested in talking to themselves and the driver. Speaking of which, driver should be driving when in the bus. In my opinion no conversations with the guides and no conversations and texting on your personal phone. I would not recommend. Regret doing this “adventure “.

I love full-day excursions to several locations including narrated transportation, guided walking tours, and free time to enjoy each place. But very often the descriptions don't match the experience. In this case, Buendia delivered on everything they promised. Despite turning into a cloudy, rainy day once we arrived in Aveiro, our tour guide Maria did not let the weather dampen her enthusiasm, which was infectious. The information she imparted along the way on the bus was fascinating and well-researched, and at each stop she moved at the pace of the group and didn't rush us. Best of all, we had ample free time to savor the ovos moles in Aveiro and enjoy a long, relaxing lunch at one of the town's outdoor restaurants, enjoy the moliceiro boat ride on the canals (with a charming and fun guide), and still walk around and experience this magical town. All that would have made for an excellent tour in itself but then it was on to the iconic striped houses of Costa Nova - with some beach time to boot. Finally we had plenty of time to explore the Capelha do Senhor da Pedra church on the beach. Again, it was just the right combination of guided tour from Maria with free time to experience what we were seeing at our own pace. By the time we returned to Porto there was no doubt this tour not only lived up to but surpassed my expectations. Shoutout to Buendia for running what is quite obviously a professional and caring operation, and our guide Maria Sanchez who made us feel like this was the only group she'd ever guided. It never felt like we were just customers. It felt more like family and friends. I absolutely recommend this and would do it again - and save room for more of those ovos moles!

We had a great time with Maria on this tour. We were picked up at a meeting point in Porto in a charter bus with about 20 or 25 people. We had mic packs so we could hear Maria better. The tour was in English and in Spanish. I am fluent in both so I was able to hear both of her explanations. She was very balanced in explaining things to both groups. Maria told us about the local history, culture, cork, and salt production of the area. Our first stop was in Aveiro which was thankfully, a flat city (a welcome break from the steep steep hills and stairs in Porto and Lisboa). Aveiro was very lovely and quiet. We had time to do some light exploring and try local ovo moles pastries. We then took a moliceiro boat tour which was lovely. At the end of boat tour, we stopped for wine tasting and more ovo moles pastries. Then we had time for lunch. We had leitaos which is similar to bifanas but somehow even better. We also had a little time to explore, take pictures, and leave ribbons on the friendship bridges. Next, we went to Costa Nova to see the striped houses and walk on the beach. Finally, we went to Capelha do Senhor da Pedra. The views here were stunning. I would definitely recommend this tour with Maria.

The tour was great, our tour guide was Nunu (not sure how to spell it), the driver was Carlos and we had Zara who was taking care of the Spanish part of the group. Nunu was very knowledgeable and funny the whole time. The drive to Aveiro was quick - like 50 mins. I did the boat tour which was great and then we had time to walk around and eat lunch. Then we continued to Costa Nova with the striped houses which was really cute. And finally the church on the rock. We had enough time at each spot and were not rushed. The bus was specious and clean. Also, the weather cooperated and the group was great. Def would recommend this tour.

I had a great day. The tour guides were so friendly and welcoming. They gave us great description of the areas. It was great overall 👍🏾

Although we enjoyed the day, our two tour guides Maria and Pedro were not the same. Maria was engaging, personable and engaging: Pedro was much less engaging.

All three tour guides were very good. They were informative, casual and were responsive to any needs of the people on the tour.

Lovely way to get out of Porto and visit some more local and relaxed towns/cities. The Art Deco buildings in Averio are beautiful! In your free time make sure you visit graveyard! As you have a couple of hours free time make sure you check opening times before selecting your day for trip as done were closed on Monday. Loved the little canal trip and costa nova was picturesque! Great guide I think Alain & driver Lourdes.

We had a great time on this tour. Our guides, Andrea and Martin were incredible. Great personalities which made for a great experience for all. Very attentive, fun and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend!

Alexander did a great job! We did think we were on an English tour but he was super fluent and went between Spanish and English easily so we got used to it pretty quickly. I thought he handled our group well as it poured during the entire tour and he still managed to make it fun and informative! Its well worth the extra road time to see the chapel on the beach at the end... its spectacular! So glad we had time for this tour during our trip and we were still back in time for dinner and some evening exploring!

Really liked the places we visited with ample time at each location. We had Lourdes the driver and I forget the guide’s name. Driver was very good so was the guide. The only complaint was that we asked to be put it an english group and it was mixed with many languages including portuguese, spanish and english. At times, I felt we missed out on information.

Few days ago we made a tour to Aveiro, Costa Nova y Cabo da roca. Daniel and Lourdes are ours guide and driver. We do the the Moliceiro Ride in the canals in a colorfuel traditional boats, similar to gondolas, We enjoyed the walking tour of the city and the tasting of Ovos Moles and the zone liquor. Costa Nova provides a stunning coastal views in the dunes and beach areas, and enjoyed the iconic candy-striped beach houses..We end the day trip at Cabo da Roca with a stunning sunset .Thanks Daniel for being so knowledgeable and for your attention all the time. Aveiro its a must do in your stay in Porto

We really enjoyed our tour of Aveiro and Costa Nova. Our tour guides María and Carlos were very knowledgeable. Capela do Senhor da Pedra was stunning! On the bus the tour was provided in both English and Spanish. To ensure all guests get the most out of the tour, I would recommend the tour guides ask guests to be respectful when they are providing the information in both languages as people were talking loudly during the English explanation making it hard to hear. Upon arrival in Aveiro, the groups were divided and had their own guide in their language. I would highly recommend this tour.

I highly recommend this tour. Daniel, the other guide, and the driver were all fantastic! They were incredibly knowledgeable and communicated everything in both English and Spanish with ease. Thanks, Daniel!

It was very educational. Diego and Carlos did a very good job providing good knowledge about the history and the schedule.

Good if you have time to kill and want to be driven to the place.. you could also take the train and walk around and take the gondola for 15 euro

This was unique from the rest of Portugal that we have seen. We had lots of free time to explore. Our guide was very informative. I would recommend this tour as you learn alot about the history of Portugal.

Thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The boat cruise was a bonus addition and enjoyable. Very accommdating guides

Great tour! We had Carlos as our guide (English speaking group) and Tania for the Spanish speaking group). They were both pleasant, knowledgeable and patient. We left Porto on time to visit Aveiro, Costa Nova and Capela do Senhor da Pedra. We had a smooth bus ride all the way. I researched on a lot of tour providers and this company (Buendia Tours) offered the most value So I decided to book with them. I’m happy with the sights and experience we had.

The tour to Aveiro with Gonzalo was very interesting. It was a billingual tour. Gonzalo spoke both languages fluently and he gave also some nice recomandations where and what to eat. The boat ride was interesting

The guide, Tiago, was very funny and knowledgeable. He was able to keep the excursion very well organized and interesting. Highly recommend it to everyone visiting Porto and Portugal.

It was October 29 in English and Spanish overall it was an excellent trip informative and organized. I really enjoyed Aveiro cosa nova. I wish we had more time in both of the towns. I did not enjoy the last stop. It was cool to see a chapel on the beach, but it was a run down town and it was quite a drive to go there. I would’ve preferred an option to just stay at aviero or at Cosa nova. Both the tour guide and the driver were very good.

Great day out visiting beautiful Aveira with its canals and art deco houses. Also enjoyed the visit to Costa Nova do Prado to see the colourful buildings and the beautiful white sandy beach. Finally visit to the Chapel in the rocks with some great photos to take. Thank you to Maria for making it so interesting.

Interesting places to see and well worth the visit. Maria, our guide was very nice and good. This tour again was in two languages (which was not indicated on the booking page) and I had booked the English language tour. It’s very hard to follow when the guide speaks in two different languages and switches back and forth. Also the group size was way too big. It should be half of that if not smaller.

Overall, a good tour and worth considering if you have a free day in your itinerary. Aveiro is charming, but it did feel a bit like a Disney-themed village — picturesque, but slightly staged. The real highlight for me was the Costa Nova area, with its stunning beaches and the iconic striped beach houses — definitely worth a visit. We booked the trip in English, but upon arrival, we were informed it was actually a bilingual tour (Spanish/English). This meant several hours of non-stop commentary over the bus microphone in both languages. Just something to keep in mind when booking your trip—be prepared for a lot of talking during the ride. If you're looking to plan a romantic and more authentic day trip, I’d recommend visiting Capela do Senhor da Pedra and the surrounding beach. It’s easily accessible via metro or train and would make for a beautiful oceanfront afternoon. Top it off with a romantic seaside dinner, and it could be one of the most memorable evenings of your trip.

We thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Monica our guide was fantastic. A lot was packed in and the day was busy. The canal trip was great and the visit to the little church at the end was the icing on the cake

Experience is exactly as stated and guide was very friendly and professional. He had great knowledge and was very approachable.

We loved all destinations but did not receive the Tour Guide in Aveiro and Cosa de Gaia Beach . The other Spanish Guide/gave his Spanish guests lots of information on the Bus but our English Guide -did not translate to us nothing? In Aveiro he showed us the Bakery and W.C. then we had Free 30mins whilst the Spanish Guide took his Team up and down on same Street and gave more Information. -At Costa de Gaia/The Lady of Rock on Coach mentioned in 1 line but as we visited Chapel on Beach no other information given? On Departure didn’t say farewell think he was consumed by his phone? Shame but was a funny guy just expected more.