Salt production in this region was established under the Romans, but it wasn’t until the lagoon started to form in the 15th century that locals found the changing landscape ideal for production in salt pans, rather than mining.

Photograph by Mark Perren Taylor

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Photo story: savouring the seafood of Aveiro, Portugal

On the Portuguese coast between Porto and Lisbon, the fishing town of Aveiro has always had a deep connection to the sea — from the lagoon on its doorstep to the cod-loaded North Atlantic. And though the tides of change have washed over it, its relationship with the water remains strong.

ByMark Parren Taylor

Photographs ByMark Parren Taylor

Published August 1, 2023

• 5 min read

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Of the all restaurants on the lagoon, A Peixaria (‘The Fishmonger’) is one of the finest. A modest spot located in Sao Jacinto village, it specialises in locally caught fish and seafood: plump lagoon cuttlefish, goose barnacles, razor clams, meaty turbot and red bream, all cooked on its courtyard grill by chef-owner Rui Teixeira.

Photograph by Mark Perren Taylor

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Left: Today, producing flor de sal is an artisanal activity, undertaken by the likes of Joao Silva, who makes salt during the summer months — finding other work the rest of the year.

Right: An added bonus is the samphire which grows along the walkways that run between the salt-crusted pans.

Photographs by Mark Perren Taylor

Costa Nova village, on the southern arm of Aveiro lagoon’s sandbar, has been home to fisherfolk for generations. Their distinctive cottages have become highly desirable homes and holiday lets. Facing the lagoon, they’re painted with vibrant colours and patterns that weren’t, as some stories suggest, a means of helping returning fishing boats find the shore. It was more likely due to families using up excess all-weather boat paint.

Photograph by Mark Perren Taylor

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Traditional moliceiro boats were once used to transport salt and harvest seagrass, but these days they ferry sightseeers around Aveiro’s canals. The lagoon they were designed for has an abundance of bream, lamprey and especially eel.

Photograph by Mark Perren Taylor

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Local chefs traditionally prepare eels by looping the tail through the head. At the town’s elegant fish market, the fishmonger uses this method. It’s tricky work, and handfuls of sand help her get a firm grip on the slippery fish.

Photograph by Mark Perren Taylor

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Left: On the other side of the sandbar, rock piers reach into the Atlantic, providing a place for locals to do some angling.

Right: Those unlucky with their catch can head to Bela Ria restaurant in nearby Gafanha de Aquém. It serves classic recipes such as baked salt-cod with potato and onion, a dish the restaurant calls bacalhau confraria (‘fraternity salt-cod’) after it was recognised as ‘excellent’ by the Confraria Gastronomica do Bacalhau, a ‘brotherhood’ of bacalhau devotees based in Ilhavo, a few miles south.

Photographs by Mark Perren Taylor

Award-winning Salpoente restaurant, set in a former salt warehouse, serves dishes using locally sourced ingredients, such as massada de peixe e camarao — fish and shrimp pasta stew.

Photograph by Mark Perren Taylor

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Salt and bacalhau contributed to Aveiro’s exceptional wealth in the early 20th century. Well-to-do Brazilian families arrived in the 1920s and many constructed exquisite and elaborate homes and business premises in art deco and art nouveau styles. The Museu de Arte Nova occupies a gloriously decorated building overlooking the town’s Central Canal.

Photograph by Mark Perren Taylor

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Published in Issue 20 (summer 2023) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).

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