Surrounded by lagoons and saltpans, Ovar is conveniently located between the northern cities of Oporto and Aveiro.
It is an unusual town where some of the women still wear black pork-pie hats and walk around the streets barefoot. Many of the local inhabitants are descendants of Phoenician sailors who settled around these shores because they were attracted by the purity of the sky and the excellent fishing to be had. What to see. Situated on top of a hill, the large 17th century parish church sports impressive twin towers and spectacular views.
In the centre, the pilgrimage chapel of Calvario is notable for its strange life-size 18th century sculptures.
Also worth seeing are the town’s two impressive old fountains and nearby house museum which commemorates the life of Júlio Dinis, a popular Portuguese novelist who lived there in the 19th century. Nearby. Set against a background of tall trees, the castle of Santa Maria da Feira a few kilometres northwest of Ovar is one of the best-preserved and most romantic fortresses in Portugal.
