Costa Nova — the village with the striped houses

The palheiros that became famous

The candy-striped wooden houses that define Costa Nova were not built for aesthetics. The palheiros — as the fishermen’s cottages are called — were painted in bright vertical stripes so that their owners could find them quickly on foggy mornings returning from the sea. The practical origin does not diminish the result: a row of a dozen or so brilliantly coloured striped houses fronting the Ria de Aveiro lagoon constitutes one of the most photographed scenes in Portugal, and the visual impact on arrival is genuinely startling even if you’ve seen the photographs.

Costa Nova is a small village at the western end of the Aveiro lagoon, on a narrow strip of land between the lagoon and the Atlantic. It is, in the most direct description, a beach village. There are no museums, no historic monuments, and in the off-season (November through March) the population drops to almost nothing. What it has is the famous houses, the lagoon on one side, the beach on the other, and a string of fish restaurants along the main promenade that do one thing very well.

As a day trip from Porto, Costa Nova is best treated as the second act of an Aveiro day — the lagoon town first, then the short transfer to Costa Nova for the palheiros and a beach lunch. Done this way, the combination makes one of the better coastal day trips available from Porto.

What to do in Costa Nova

The palheiro row and photography

The primary reason most people come to Costa Nova is Rua dos Palheiros — the row of brightly striped houses on the lagoon side of the village. The most photogenic stretch runs for about 200 metres, with green-and-white, red-and-white, and orange-and-white houses in close proximity. Arrive before 11:00 for the best combination of morning light on the east-facing façades and manageable crowd levels. From late morning to mid-afternoon in summer, the street fills with tour groups and the photographs become harder to manage.

The houses are mostly private residences and small shops on the ground floor. Some have been converted to selling local fish products, regional ceramics and the ubiquitous striped-house souvenir (inevitable but at least contextually appropriate). A few sell smoked sausages and the local speciality, raia (skate), dried and prepared.

The beach (Praia da Costa Nova)

On the Atlantic side of the narrow land strip, Praia da Costa Nova faces the full ocean. The beach is wide and long, with consistent surf and the same Atlantic cold-water character as the beaches further north. Lifeguards operate in summer from June through September; outside this period, the beach is wilder and less monitored.

The beach has a different character to the lagoon side — wilder, more exposed, with fewer visitors even in summer because most people come specifically for the striped houses on the lagoon promenade rather than the beach. If you want an uncrowded Atlantic beach and have visited the palheiros, this is worth 30–60 minutes.

Lagoon views and moliceiro boats

The Ria de Aveiro extends from Costa Nova’s lagoon edge toward Aveiro, and on clear days the view across the flat, glassy water toward the distant dunes is genuinely peaceful. Moliceiro boats (the traditional flat-bottomed vessels that once harvested seaweed from the lagoon and now run tourist cruises from Aveiro) occasionally pass through the wider channels. If you’re combining Costa Nova with Aveiro, the boat trip is better based from the Aveiro city canals — the Aveiro moliceiro experience covers this.

Fish lunch on the promenade

The restaurants along the Costa Nova promenade specialize in lagoon-fresh fish, particularly enguias (eels), solha (flounder) and the various species that the lagoon’s ecology produces. A lunch plate with house wine runs €12–18. The restaurant quality is broadly similar across the main strip — look for active grill smoke and a chalk-board menu rather than a laminated tourist menu. Lunchtime from 12:30 to 14:30 is when the village is at its most alive.

Getting to Costa Nova from Porto

Costa Nova is not served by direct train or metro from Porto — the practical options are a guided day trip that includes the transfer, renting a car, or reaching Aveiro first and continuing by local bus or taxi.

Organised day trip (recommended for most visitors): Several tour operators run half-day and full-day trips from Porto that combine Aveiro and Costa Nova with the moliceiro boat cruise included. The Aveiro and Costa Nova half-day tour is the most popular and includes transport, the boat ride and guided time in both locations (approximately €35–45 per person). For a full day that adds more time and optionally includes Coimbra, the Coimbra, Aveiro and Costa Nova full-day tour is a comprehensive coastal option.

By train to Aveiro then bus/taxi: Take the Alfa Pendular or Intercidades from Porto Campanhã to Aveiro (approximately 45–60 minutes, €7–15 depending on train type). From Aveiro station, bus 31B runs to Costa Nova (approximately 30 minutes, under €2). Taxis from Aveiro to Costa Nova cost €10–15 one way. This independent option requires more time management but is significantly cheaper if done carefully.

By car: 65 km south via the A1/A17, approximately 70–80 minutes from central Porto. Parking in Costa Nova in summer requires patience — the village is small and the parking area fills by midday on weekends.

Private tour: For a more flexible itinerary, the private Aveiro and Costa Nova full-day tour covers both locations with a personal guide and allows you to set the pace.

Where to stay near Costa Nova

Costa Nova is not a destination for staying overnight unless you specifically want an isolated Atlantic beach experience.

Staying in Aveiro: The natural base for anyone visiting Costa Nova. Aveiro has proper hotel infrastructure, restaurants and things to do in the evening. The short transfer to Costa Nova (30 minutes by bus, 15 minutes by taxi) makes Aveiro the logical base for a day exploring both. Hotels in Aveiro run €60–110 per night at mid-range.

Staying in Porto: For a day trip, Porto is equally practical given the train to Aveiro and bus connection. No need to overnight unless you want to extend the coastal exploration.

Seasonal rentals at Costa Nova: Some palheiro houses are available as holiday rentals in summer — unusual accommodation, though the village is very quiet outside July and August.

Where to eat in Costa Nova

The promenade restaurants are the eating destination. Restaurante Labrego and Restaurante O Bairro are the most consistently recommended — both serve lagoon fish at honest prices and maintain quality through consistent volume of local customers. Order the enguias if available (eel, often lightly fried or grilled) — it is the most local preparation and rarely available elsewhere. A full lunch with wine runs €14–20 per person.

Avoid arriving after 13:30 on summer weekends — the restaurants fill with tour groups and service slows. A late lunch at 14:30 can be quieter once the first wave clears.

Best time to visit Costa Nova

April through October, with the caveat that July and August weekends turn the palheiro row into a bottleneck. The best visit is a weekday morning in May, June or September: light on the house façades, accessible streets, uncrowded restaurants at lunch.

November through March, Costa Nova is nearly closed — most restaurants shut or operate reduced hours, the beach is empty and windy, and the village has an end-of-season atmosphere that is either atmospheric or depressing depending on your tolerance for off-season coastal Portugal.

Frequently asked questions about Costa Nova

Is Costa Nova worth visiting or is it just one photograph?

It is worth about half a day, best combined with Aveiro. The palheiros deliver on the photographs, the lagoon is genuinely peaceful, and the fish lunch is good. As a standalone destination it would feel thin; paired with Aveiro it makes a satisfying coastal day.

Can I visit Costa Nova without going to Aveiro?

Technically yes, but the combination is strongly recommended. Aveiro adds the moliceiro boat experience, the Art Nouveau architecture, and the ovos moles (the local sweet made from egg yolk and sugar) — all things that Costa Nova cannot offer. The two together make a day trip. The Aveiro guide covers the canal town in detail.

How long should I spend in Costa Nova?

Two to three hours covers it: the palheiro row, the beach, a walk along the promenade, and lunch. More than three hours starts to feel like stretching. The village is small enough that you will have seen everything without rushing.

What are the striped houses actually used for today?

Most are privately owned and used as summer residences or holiday rentals. A few on the promenade operate as restaurants, fish shops or souvenir stores. The traditional function (fishermen’s seasonal residences during fishing season) has largely disappeared; the houses are now valuable as property precisely because of their visual notoriety.

Is it possible to combine Costa Nova and Espinho in a single day trip?

They are in roughly opposite coastal directions from Porto (Costa Nova/Aveiro to the south-southwest, Espinho directly south). Combining both in a single day requires a car and careful planning. As separate day trips, each is more satisfying — see the Espinho guide for comparison.