Photo: Chris · CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Coimbra
A hilltop university town with a gilded baroque library and student fado.
Portugal's old university town, stacked on a hill above the Mondego river: a baroque library of gilded books at the top, Romanesque churches and steep lanes below, and student life everywhere in term time.
Places to see
- University of Coimbra and the Joanina LibrarySight · The old university's courtyard on the hilltop, with a clock tower and a terrace over the…≈ A$25
Old Cathedral (Sé Velha)Church · A squat, castle-like Romanesque cathedral of honey-coloured stone on a sloping square…≈ A$5
Machado de Castro National MuseumMuseum · Sculpture and religious art in the old bishop's palace, with a rooftop view over the…≈ A$11
Almedina Gate and the old lanes
When to go
- Jan14° / 4°Often wetQuiet
- Feb16° / 5°Often wetQuiet
- Mar19° / 7°Some rainQuiet
- Apr20° / 8°Some rainBusy
- May23° / 11°Some rainVery busy
- Jun27° / 14°Mostly dryBusy
- Jul30° / 15°Mostly dryBusy
- Aug30° / 15°Mostly dryBusy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Baixa, the lower town. The flat shopping streets by the river and Santa Cruz: cafés, the cheapest meals and most guesthouses.
Alta, the university hill. The old town climbing to the university, with the cathedral, student bars, gardens and Praça da República on the far side.
Flying in
Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro (OPO): Metro to Porto Campanhã, then the train to Coimbra-B, about 2 h, ≈ A$35. Intercidades fares are cheaper than the Alfa Pendular; book ahead (check).
Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS): Metro to Lisboa Oriente, then the train to Coimbra-B, about 2 h 20 min, ≈ A$44. Long-distance buses are often cheaper (check).
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Coimbra; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
You can walk everywhere. A single ticket is ≈ A$3. The town is small but very steep. Fast trains stop at Coimbra-B, about 2 km north of the centre: take a local train or bus into town, or walk about 30 minutes (check).
Tourist tax
Coimbra has been bringing in a tourist tax of about €1–2 a person a night for the first few nights; check at booking whether it applies yet.
