This Candy-Striped Beach Scene Is Worth a Day Trip from Porto, Portugal

Visit Costa Nova do Prado

Take a trip outside the hustle and bustle of Porto and venture to the tranquil seaside town of Costa Nova do Prado. Lining it's beautiful sandy coastline are brightly vertical striped houses with vibrant colors that contrast the pastel beach colors of the area.

These houses are called palheiros houses and were once used by fishermen to store their equipment. Today, they are used as proper houses and add a unique ambience to this small yet serene Portuguese village (Source).

How to get to Costa Nova

From Porto

If you starting from Porto, you can visit Costa Nova via car, rideshare, or train.

By Car

Costa Nova is about 40 - 50 minutes from Porto via A1 and A25 (Google Maps).

By Train

There's no direct route from Porto to Costa Nova by train, however, you can take the train from Porto to Aveiro and take the bus or rideshare from there.

Take the route from Campanha (Porto) to Aveiro Station.

When I was staying in Salreu, I took this route myself, starting from Salreu and going in the same direction to Aveiro. You can buy you ticket at Campanha or if you're starting from the countryside like me, you can buy your ticket on the train.

From Aveiro

Aveiro is the closest city to Costa Nova and is also worthy of a day trip from Porto, or better yet, a few days visit. Using Aveiro as your base, you can visit Costa Nova in a short drive by car or a scenic ride on the bus.

By Car

Use A25 to Av. José Estevão/N109-7 towards Costa Nova and continue to Av. da Bela Vista (Google Maps).

By Bus

Take a 45 min bus ride from Aveiro to Costa Nova using line 36 from Terminal Rodoviário (BusWay).

Things to do in Costa Nova

I visited Costa Nova on a short trip in the middle of the day by train to Salreu. I didn't do much (and didn't care to), mostly walked around, grabbed some food, enjoyed the scenery, then headed back home.

If you'd like to have a more structured day, here a list of top recommendations, then head over to Aveiro to explore some more.

• Try a Costa Nova waffle and eat it on the boardwalk
• Check out the lighthouse, Farol da Barra
• Visit the beach Praia da Barra
• Grab some seafood at a nearby restaurant