2 Best Sights in Ovar, Coimbra and Central Portugal

Ovar is a veritable open-air art gallery of azulejo tiles, and the city's Rua do Azulejo (literally, "Street of Tiles") is a guided route by the Atelier for the Conservation and Restoration of Tiles (ACRA), leading to some of the city's most notable examples of the distinctive style. The tourist office can provide information about start times, locations, and themed events, such as tile painting.

The fairy-tale Castelo de Santa Maria da Feira sits 8 km (5 miles) northeast of Ovar. Its four square towers are crowned with a series of conical turrets in a display of Gothic architecture more common in Germany or Austria than in Portugal. Although the original walls date to the 11th century, the present structure is the result of modifications made 400 years later. From atop the towers you can make out the sprawling outlines of the Ria de Aveiro.