We decided to take a little road trip from Porto and spend the day exploring somewhere new. Our destination was Aveiro, but as usual, we couldn’t resist making a little detour along the way. We stopped in the town of Santa Maria da Feira.

We took a walk along a trail that was leading up to the Castle on the top of the hill. Along the way we could see a unique cave system in the distance, so we decided to check it out.

We made our way and found the path leading into the caves. When we got to the entrance we could see that it was a small artificial cave, carefully molded into the landscape and blended with natural rock.

Inside, real caves and man-made sections come together, creating a unique little underground space that feels both natural and mysterious.

After exploring the cave we headed up to the impressive Santa Maria da Feira Castle.

The castle dates back to medieval times and is one of Portugal’s best-preserved examples of medieval military architecture.

We wandered around the castle and explored some of the old stone walls.  What we found was that this castle has a very long history.

This castle served as an important military and administrative centre during the Christian Reconquest and played a role in the political events that eventually led to the formation and independence of Portugal.

After exploring the castle we headed off toward Aveiro which is often called the “Venice of Portugal”. There are canals through the city and are part of the Ria de Aveiro, a coastal lagoon.

Once we arrived, we parked the car and set off on foot.

We spent the rest of the day simply wandering through the streets and along the canals.

There was plenty to see, from the colourful buildings and tiled facades to the little bridges and boats moving through the waterways.

And, of course, exploring Aveiro wouldn’t be complete without trying some of the local food and drinks.

The best part of travelling through Portugal wasn’t the castles, the canals, the food or even the beautiful scenery. It was being able to share it all with Janice and Scott. Having them along for the adventure made every stop, every meal and every little discovery that much more special.

The places we visit may become memories, but the moments we share with family are the ones we carry with us long after the journey is over.

“Onde quer que vás, torna-se parte de ti de alguma forma.” – Anita Desai