When planning a trip to Portugal, the capital Lisbon and well-known city Porto are usually front of mind, along with the dreamy Algarve coast. One hidden gem which is often overlooked is Coimbra (pronounced “Ko-imm-bruh”). Whilst Portuguese people are very familiar with the city and its rich history, it still remains under the radar for most tourists.

I’d never actually heard of Coimbra until my husband and I started researching where we could visit on the train line between Porto and Lisbon. In this post, I’m going to give you a brief history of Coimbra, share some of its highlights and let you know why it would be a fantastic addition to your Portugal itinerary.

Coimbra is a really old city, dating all the way back to the Roman era. It was once the capital of Portugal between 1131 and 1255, and is home to the historic University of Coimbra. Established in 1290, the University is not only the oldest university in Portugal, but one of the oldest in the world!

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How to Get to Coimbra

Coimbra is ideally located on the train line between Porto and Lisbon. Buy your train ticket at comboios de portugal or through international platforms like Trainline or Omio, two of my go-to websites for train travel, where you can search for timetables and routes through the website, pay via your credit/debit card, and receive an electronic ticket to show the ticket inspector. You should get a ticket to “Coimbra B” station; there’s a second station in Coimbra, two minutes’ ride away from Coimbra B (the second station is called ‘Coimbra’). Why have two stations just minutes apart? Who knows! Luckily trains regularly shuffle between the two Coimbra stops. 

What to See and Do in Coimbra

Coimbra’s Old Town is a treasure trove of elegant churches and quaint narrow streets, where you stumble upon little gems at every twist and turn. Take some time to wander through this historic district starting with the Arco de Almedina, a 12th-century gateway to enter this part of the city.

The main highlights of the Old Town are the twin cathedrals – the 12th-century Sé Velha (Old Cathedral) and Sé Nova (New Cathedral). The Old Cathedral is a striking, sandy yellow building, which resembles a fortress and blends Romanesque architectural elements with Moorish and Gothic influences (Entrance: €2.50). The New Cathedral isn’t actually that new; it was built back in the 17th century. It is a stunning example of Early Baroque design, with carved wooden detail, and gold gilding.

Another must-see is Igreja de Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Church). It dates back to 1131 and is adorned with exquisite, blue tile murals. Igreja de Santa Cruz houses the tombs of the first two Portuguese kings, along with carvings of Portuguese ships, an homage to the country’s history of exploration. If you need to rest your feet, head to the church’s cafe which is a beautiful place to relax, with a high-vaulted Manueline ceiling and stained-glass windows. The church is free to enter, but you can buy a ticket to explore the monastery, cloisters, frescoes and picturesque courtyard (Entrance: €3).

Make sure to set aside time to explore Coimbra University, the city’s crowning jewel. Start in Paço das Escolas, the historic main square outlined by university buildings. This neighbourhood has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 2013. Several parts of the university are accessible to visitors, such as the Royal Palace and Chapel of São Miguel (Entrance: €13.50, all open areas of the university included).

If you’re a library nerd like me, don’t skip the dazzling Joanina Library.  Adorned with intricate woodwork and gold leaf, it’s home to a vast collection of 300,000 books, along with reading rooms and secret passages (like something out of Hogwarts!). You can explore this area by yourself, or join an organised tour like this one or this.

After you’ve finished exploring the university quarter, head down towards the city’s commercial centre Baixa, where you can find inviting pastry shops, cafes and restaurants, along with an array of stylish boutiques leading you to Praça do Comércio  (Comercio Square). You can find some well-rated museums here, such as Machado de Castro National Museum, with a diverse collection of paintings, ceramics, artefacts and 14th- and 16th-century sculptures. Don’t miss the Criptoportico de Aeminium, an underground labyrinth of Roman passages, displaying an array of Roman sculptures and artefacts.

After all that sightseeing, take some time to relax. I really recommend visiting the botanical garden Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Coimbra. This sprawling park is a delight to wander through for a couple of hours. It is full of exotic plants, rare and remarkable flowers, greenhouses, winding pathways and elegant fountains. There’s even a bamboo forest! (Free admission).

Another relaxing spot in Coimbra is the riverside promenade beside Mondego River. Cross Ponte de Santa Clara or Pedro e Inés Bridge for some great views of Coimbra. In the summer months, there are river boat tours from a jetty beside the Santa Clara Bridge on the north bank.

If you’re on this south side of the river, consider visiting the old Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Velha (Santa Cruz Monastery). It’s an archaeological site of a mediaeval monastery, founded in 1286 and abandoned centuries ago due to flooding (Entrance: €4). There’s an on-site museum and you can also view the tomb of Queen Santa Isabel. 

Where to Stay in Coimbra

Like many Portuguese cities, Coimbra is cut in half by the Mondego river. I suggest staying on the east side, where you can find the train stations and the majority of the city’s tourist attractions, hotels and amenities. We stayed in the very pleasant Coimbra Monumentais B&B, which was well-located as we could reach everywhere within 20 minutes’ walk or less. 

If that B&B isn’t available during your visit to Coimbra, here are three well-rated alternatives for different budgets:

• JR Studios & Suites I Rius I – A stylish guesthouse with modern, clean rooms that feature soundproofing, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. Its location is excellent: only a few minutes’ walk to the key sights and not far from Coimbra-A train station.
• NJOY Coimbra — A well-rated mid-range hotel that balances comfort and value, located conveniently for exploring the city.
• Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas – Small Luxury Hotels — A historic 5-star property set in a grand palace, with an on-site spa, golf driving range and two on-site restaurants.

What to Eat and Drink in Coimbra

Coimbra is a great place to sample traditional Portuguese cuisine at a lower price than in Lisbon or Porto. One of the perks of visiting a university city! If you’re a fan of meat or fish, I recommend Bacalhau à Brás/Lagareiro (codfish dish) or Francesinha (a hearty sandwich of layers of meat, smothered in cheese), Arroz de Pato (duck and rice), Chanfana (marinated goat or lamb slow cooked in wine) and Caldeirada (fish stew). For something more unusual, look out for Sarrabulho; this pork and rice dish is usually cooked with blood which gives it a distinctive flavour and colour. 

For something sweet, treat yourself to one or two Pasteis de Tentúgal. These delicious pastries are made from thin layers of dough filled with a sweet egg-based custard. They are a specialty of the Tentúgal region near Coimbra.

In the evening, head to one of the many bars – such as Cafe Santa Cruz – which have nightly Fado performances. Fado is an emotional and melancholic style of music popular across Portugal. Coimbra’s Fado, unlike Lisbon’s Fado, is traditionally sung by male students. You can watch a live fado show at Fado ao Centro, a cultural centre run by experts who are more than happy to delve into this soulful music with you. 

Getting Around Coimbra

Coimbra is best explored on foot, though it can get very steep in the Old Town. There are also plenty of buses to take to different parts of the city (although they don’t run through the Old Town), as well as taxis and Ubers.

Best Time to Visit Coimbra

The best time to visit is during the “Burning of the Ribbons” festivities in May, when the university graduates ceremoniously burn their gowns and ribbons to mark the end of the academic year. This is also a great time to listen to Coimbra Fado, sung by male university students. However, anytime from spring to late September will be a good time to visit. The wet and rainy season is from October through to February.

If you need reliable internet during your holiday and don’t want to rely on temperamental public Wi-FI, I suggest checking out Airalo. This company offers E-SIM cards which can be used in 200 countries. My husband and I have personally used Airalo and found the E-SIMs very easy to set up and use. We had no issues surfing the net, using Google Maps and making online reservations. They’re good for the wallet AND the environment; no more high roaming costs or physical SIM cards which often get thrown away after a trip. Airalo offers E-SIM cards for 7, 15 or 30 days, with a variety of data packages, making them perfect for long and short trips!

I hope this blog post has given you lots of ideas about what to see and do in Coimbra, and why you should consider adding it to your Portugal itinerary. If you have any other questions, please add them to the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them!

Ciao for now

Izzie, the Curious Sparrow