The 'Venice of Portugal' is a lesser-known gem that costs £23 to travel to

That fact will come as a relief to some travellers, after the popular Italian destination confirmed plans to double its entry fee for day trippers earlier this month.

This means that the current €5 (£4.20) fee will increase to €10 (£8.30) for travellers who book less than four days in advance.

It comes amid the city’s struggles with overtourism — Venice attracts roughly 30 million visitors per year and, on its busiest days, up to 120,000 million pass through the city.

It’s no surprise that travellers are looking for destination dupes that offer Venice’s charm without the crowds and the tourist fees.

If you can’t afford the trip to Vietnam’s Grand World, a Venice-like entertainment complex on the island of Phu Quoc, there’s somewhere much closer to home you can check out.

Enter Aveiro, also known as ‘the Venice of Portugal’.

Located on the west coast, just a short train ride from Porto, Aveiro boasts picturesque canals, gondola-esque boats and stunning Art Nouveau architecture.

The city’s moliceiro boats are one of the most widely recognised symbols of the region and have drawn comparisons to Venice’s gondolas, thanks to their colourful artwork and curled fronts.

During the 19th century, they were used to harvest moliço, a type of seaweed found in the Aveiro lagoon – hence the name. After being dried, the seaweed was used as a fertiliser.

Nowadays tourists can take a traditional boat tour for a unique view of the city. The journey around the main canals lasts around 45 minutes and adult tickets cost €15 (roughly £12).

Elsewhere, the city is famous for its ovos moles, which translates to ‘soft eggs’. These are traditional Portugese sweets made with egg yolks, sugar and water.

Created centuries ago by nuns in Aveiro, they can be found at Confeitaria Peixinho, the oldest bakery in the city, as well as other pastelarias all over Aveiro.

Other attractions in and around the city include the salinas, where visitors can walk around the salt pans and find out how the mineral is harvested. Alternatively, the intricate ceramic tile paintings (azulejos) at the old train station and the gold-leafed chapel and marble mosaic tomb at the Museu de Aveiro are popular spots.

A 10-minute drive outside Aveiro is Costa Nova, a beach famous for its colourfully painted fishing cottages and pristine sand dunes.

The Portuguese city has proved popular on social media for its comparisons to Venice, as well as its own enduring charm.

One user said: ‘I’m sorry what?!?! This place exists?!? Wish I knew before I went to Portugal last year!’

Another wrote: ‘Is this a movie set? Or a postcard maybe? Because whaaaat’, while one commenter added, ‘This little town looks like pure happiness. Love how vibrant and colourful it is too’.

Social media users who have already visited the city sang its praises, with one person saying: ‘Loooved Aveiro! Would go back any time!’