Portugal’s gem: Costa Nova (and how to get there from Porto by train)

Ever wondered how would The Sims world look like in real life? Picture perfect, little town where the trees are greener, life feels better, people are happier? There is a place like this and it’s only an hour drive from Porto!

Costa Nova is one of the rarest towns where everything, literally everything seems just flawless. Between the beach and lagoon there’s this stretch of colorful, striped, quirky houses.

To get to Costa Nova by train, you’ll need to stop at this charming, located in the west of Portugal town called Aveiro, which is known for its canals and colorful painted gondola-type boats (mollifiers).

We didn’t stay there for a night but here are some options that I loved:

• Hotel Aveiro Palace
• Melia Ria Hotel & Spa
• Avenida 60 Premium Apartments
• Cais do Pescador

Aveiro seemed adorable however the main reason we came all this way from Porto was to see iconic Costa Nova. It was such a wonderful journey, all the views from the train got us speechless!

How to get to Aveiro from Porto by train?

Train is relatevely the cheapest and easiest option to get to Aveiro from Porto. There’s a direct train departing from Sao Bento or Porto-Campanha station that’ll take you to Aveiro in less than an hour.

Sao Bento is hands down the most amazing station I have ever seen, look at all the azulejos!

You can get your tickets online (here) or directly from the vending machines at the station, they cost between €3,55 and €15 (one way).

Try to get a window seat and enjoy the prettiest views!

To get to Costa Nova from Aveiro, you can either get a taxi (€12 – €15) or a bus (€2 – €3) departing from Aveiro – CTT and arriving at Costa Nova – Marina. Services depart every 30 minutes, and operate every day.

Glimpses of dazzling Casas de colores

What defines Costa Nova? Definitely the unique, beautiful set of colorful houses right on José Estêvão Avenue, the main promenade of Costa Nova.

Sea Dream…

You were wrong to think that Costa Nova ends just there, because this place has another, lavish highlight. The most captivating coastline, white sands and warm turquoise waters of Praia da Costa Nova are simply indescribable and you will most likely spend majority of your day right on this beach just enjoying the views!

Check out my Porto Guide here!