The Colorful Umbrella Street in Agueda, Portugal
I loved visiting this happy, cheerful town of Agueda, Portugal, and finding the wonderful colorful umbrellas filling all the streets during the Umbrella Sky Project. This umbrella street in Portugal is one of the most instagrammable and colorful places in the world. Not many people know it and the tourist scene isn’t yet exploding here which made it feel even more special. Agueda is a wonderful hidden gem in Portugal located 23 km east of Aveiro.
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Things to do in Agueda, Portugal
You only need a few hours to visit this charming town in this undiscovered part of Portugal. No agenda is needed as you wander the streets of joy that surround you everywhere. However, the main attraction and reason to visit Agueda is to see the sea of colorful umbrellas that float throughout the town.
The Umbrella Sky Project
The Umbrella Sky Project happens every summer between the months of July to September to shade the hot streets of the cute little town. It began in 2011 as part of the annual Ágitagueda Art Festival. This festival features urban art installations across the town and there is even live music to enjoy in the evenings.
The town really comes to life and brings happiness to all who visit as the streets pour with all colors of the rainbow.
There were pretty balloons (welcoming me on my birthday too!), umbrellas, street art, and pops of color everywhere. It was my dream and made me smile so much just to walk along these streets of happiness. The town truly explodes with creativity. Street art can be found on a countless number of narrow pathways, featuring painted murals, painted staircases, and a plethora of umbrella installations.
☂️ For the best umbrella streets around the world, check out this post too!
Have lunch at one of the best restaurants in Agueda
If you’re looking for a place to eat, I’d recommend going to O Típico, a MICHELIN restaurant with authentic typical Portuguese cuisine. Be sure to try the cod gratin with mashed potatoes!
Visit Aveiro, the Venice of Portugal
Once you’ve finished exploring Agueda, which I believe is possibly one of the most colorful places in the world, visit Aveiro. You may want to even stay there as you visit Agueda for the day since it is a slightly larger town. Aveiro is known as the Venice of Portugal. It features a lagoon called Ria de Aveiro and is recognized by its colorful boats. You can also visit the Costa Nova beach and find the brightly colored striped beach houses like in the picture above!
How to get to the Umbrella Street in Agueda, Portugal
Renting a car in Portugal
The umbrella street in Agueda is located 66km from Porto, the closest airport. I would recommend renting a car and driving here as it can be hard to get to the smaller towns like this otherwise. You can find the cheapest rates through Discover Cars by clicking here. It’s relatively easy to drive in Portugal. I drove on my own as I traveled here solo and I felt completely fine doing so. From Lisbon, it is also possible to reach Agueda but it takes 2 hours so it’s a bit further away.
Lisbon’s Umbrella Street
If you are visiting Agueda and coming through Lisbon, you can visit the umbrella street here too. It’s located on what is called the Pink Street! The official name of the street is Rua Nova do Carvalho and it is located here on google maps.
How to get to Agueda without a car
If driving is not your thing, it is definitely possible to visit Agueda without a car. You can get there by taking the bus from Porto to Aveiro, which will take 1 hour. From Aveiro, you can take a train or a taxi to Agueda which will take another 30 minutes. The total journey will take just under 2 hours from Porto.
Where to stay for when visiting Agueda, Portugal
If you want to stay right in the midst of all the umbrellas then stay the night in Agueda! The best place is XPT as it’s super centrally located and you can see the umbrellas right out the door of the place. The rooms are nice as well.
Aveiro is a slightly bigger town than Agueda so you may opt to stay here instead as it can be a good base for other places to visit in Portugal during your trip. This apartment is in a great location and is also very trendy yet affordable.
I hope you loved learning more about this colorful cheerful town in Portugal!
For more reading, you may also like:
☂️ Best Umbrella Streets Around the World
☔ Guide to the Istanbul Umbrella Streets
🤫Travel Secrets & Tips
💎Best Hidden Gems in Europe
📸Most Beautiful Cities in Europe
♥ Jackie
