Coimbra travel guide

Home Europe Tours Portugal Tours Coimbra Tours

Coimbra is the third largest portuguese city with 150.000 inhabitants and it is the biggest city in the central area of Portugal. Coimbra, the first capital of Portugal, is home of Coimbra University, one of the oldest in Europe, founded in Lisbon in 1290 by king Dinis and then transferred to Coimbra in 1537 by King João III. The old University buildings are situated on the top of a hill, which overlooks the city and the river. It is well worth a visit. You enter the old part of the University through an Iron Gate with stone works from the XVII century in manierist style. Inside the gate is the enormous University Patio, with a large statute of João III. Beside the gate, to the left when entering, you will see the long low palace wing with several rooms that worth a visit.


The town of Coimbra is second only to Oporto and Lisbon. Its ancient buildings cling to the side of the hill that rises above the curves of the river Mondego, the ornate buildings of the famous University of Coimbra are its crowning glory.

Indeed the university is still the lifeblood of the town and the change in atmosphere is notable when the summer holidays come and the thousands of students head back to their hometowns. Coimbra, which was the capital of Portugal from 1139 to about 1260, has a large archeological site with extensive ruins dating from the time it was a Roman city called Aeminium. Coimbra called the old town ("cidade alta" or "upper town") are fine old churches and narrow streets standing up on a hill overlooking the Modego River.

nother highlight in Coimbra is the Baixa, on the way there you will visit the old cathedral from the XII century, in tipical portuguese romanesque style. The Baixa is the part of the city down by the river with most traditional shopping. It is full of narrow streets and crowded shops, banks, churches, cafés, hotels and walks to stroll along the Mondego rivers' banks. Around Coimbra within an hour drive there are several places that worth a visit: Buçaco, Lousa, Luso, Curia, Figueira da Foz, Condeixa, Conimbriga, Montemor-o-Velho... You can settle in Coimbra for four or five days and visit all this area

Temperatures in Coimbra range from 7.2 to 27.95 (Celcius).

oacal buses seem to be everywhere. Their main depot is opposite the turismo near the river - but tickets and passes can be bought at most book hsops and the Turismo itself is usually a better bet for information.

Tickets for multiple trips give considerable saving and also cover the lift and funicular that go from just above the main market to near the university.

University of Coimbra
Botanical Garden
Machado de Castro National Museum
Igreja de Santa Cruz (church in Baixa)
Medieval Downtown (Sao Tiago;Sao Bartolomeu)
Jardim da Sereia - "Mermaid's Garden" aka Jardim de Santa Cruz
Penedo da Saudade (a beautiful garden)
Sister Lucia of Jesus Memorial
Parque Manuel Braga and Parque Verde do Mondego- City parks by the Mondego River
Mondego River
Portugal dos Pequenitos - "Portugal of the little ones"

By Plane ---
The most convenient airports for Coimbra are (in order of distance): Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport, Porto Portela Airport

By Train ---
All of the trains connecting Porto and Lisbon stop at Coimbra- B; about 1h00 from Porto and about 1h 45m from Lisbon. Long distance services only serve Coimbra B station (away from city center) but all tickets include a 5 min train ride to Coimbra A (center of Coimbra)"Baixa de Coimbra"{downtown}. Fast train only stop at Coimbra-B station, while Coimbra, or Coimbra-A is right in the city center.

By Bus ---
It has destinations for all of Portugal (with changes for some far away destinations), it´s faster and fares are - normally - cheaper than the train. Coimbra is hard city to drive as it was built around the medieval structures. The best option for visiting Coimbra is to find an hotel with parking or to park near the city center and then walk around.

319.4 km²

137,212

Centro