Ilhavo is a Portuguese coastal city of about 17,000 permanent residents. The city has been famed in Portugal and abroad for centuries, with its proximity to the warm Atlantic Ocean, its characteristic straw houses, and its constant cheery bustle. The women of Ilhavo are claimed to be more beautiful than anywhere else on the Iberian peninsula or perhaps anywhere else in Europe. Supposedly, this is due to the Ilhavo residents' unique ancestry among the Phoenician or Greek settlers who founded the city.
Attractions in the area include the Maritime Museum of Ilhavo, newly restored and updated, as well as the Praia da Barra Beach, which boasts a famous lighthouse. Lovers of fine china might want to make a pilgrimage to the famous Vista Alegre china and porcelain factory, located in Ilhavo. To find hotels in the Ilhavo, use the Internet. Sites like EasyToBook.com make it easy to find and reserve Ilhavo hotels at all price levels, including cheap or discount hotels.