Avanca is a civil parish in the municipality of Estarreja, in the central subregion of Baixo Vouga.

[2] During the mid 18th century Avanca was divided in three separate municipalities: Estarreja, Feira and Bemposta, all part of the province of Beira Baixa and the comarca of Esgueira.

[3] The parish of Avanca is situated in the municipality of Estarreja, in the historic district of Aveiro.

One of the seven parishes of this municipality, it occupied a territory of 2300 hectares, an area almost rectangular in shape.

The territory is bisected by the Linha Norte railway, whose segment (the Aveiro-Porto link) was inaugurated on 7 July 1865.