Coimbra
Discover Coimbra
Coimbra is the traditional capital city of Central Portugal's historic Beira Litoral region. With over 140,000 inhabitants (2021), it is the largest municipality there and one of Portugal's four largest metropolises. An important urban and administrative centre since the birth of the Portuguese nation, the city has amassed vast cultural and architectural heritage and is the seat of one of world's oldest universities, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The principal motorway serving Coimbra is the A1 (Autoestrada do Norte), with several exits that will be put you about 10 min away from the city centre. Driving from Porto takes about 1 hr, and Lisbon is about 2 hr away.
What to Experience in Coimbra
Taste of Coimbra...
Having a meal is not really a problem in Coimbra, since the city has a lot of restaurants, some featuring regional cuisine, in the old city (Baixa). Rua de Azeiteiras, a street in Baixa, has lots of nice traditional restaurants. Three reasonably big shopping centres serve the standard fast food meals you can find everywhere. They are located in key places in the city, but not necessarily close to the tourist attractions of the city. The bars in the Parque Verde do Mondego are a good place to go for a drink during spring and summer. The bars around the Praça da República are full of the spirit of the students of the University, mainly during weekdays in autumn, winter and spring. A warning: the students in this town seem to prefer Tuesday or Thursday night to go out. On weekends, this city is sleepy as many students go home to their families. There are several cheap hostels around the city centre.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe most convenient airports for Coimbra are (in order of distance): The principal motorway serving Coimbra is the A1 (Autoestrada do Norte), with several exits that will be put you about 10 min away from the city centre. Driving from Porto takes about 1 hr, and Lisbon is about 2 hr away. The A13 motorway (Autoestrada do Pinhal Interior) provides a link from Entroncamento and Tomar. The A14 motorway (Autoestrada do Baixo Mondego) provides access from the coastal city of Figueira da Foz. Some buses (e.g. Flixbus) don't use the bus station, but leave from a parking lot further up the same road, underneath the flyover, opposite the Audi car showroom by the roundabout. Halfway between the bus station and Coimbra-B railway station. No ticket office. No benches. There is a bar just across the road and a 24 hour hamburger place 2 minutes away towards the town centre. There are a few companies providing door-to-door shared shuttle service to Coimbra from either Lisbon or Porto....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Most of the things to see and do in Coimbra and most of the places to eat, drink, and sleep are within reasonable walking distance of each other and of the rail station in Baixa. There are several hotels, restaurants, cafés, pastry shops, and nightclubs. Most monuments are in Baixa and Santa Clara (across the Mondego river). Smaller shops, restaurants, and hotels are mostly in Baixa and Santa Clara. Major shopping malls are in Alta, by Solum, and near the municipal stadium/pool. The SMTUC (Serviços Municipalizados de Transportes Urbanos de Coimbra) operates several bus routes in and around Coimbra. The "Pantufinhas" or Linha Azul (Blue Line) provides transport in the historical city centre, and a link between the lower and upper town. There's an elevator (Elevador do Mercado) that connects Rua Padre António Vieira with Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes (next to Mercado Municipal D Pedro V). A valid SMTUC ticket is necessary to gain access.
Where to Stay
There are several cheap hostels around the city centre.
Money & Budget
The mediaeval centre of Coimbra is unusual in retaining a number of independent bookshops, boutiques, toy shops, galleries, antique and food shops. There are several bookstores, cafes, restaurants, esplanadas. If you are even just a bit into pottery, the traditional pottery is a must. Having a meal is not really a problem in Coimbra, since the city has a lot of restaurants, some featuring regional cuisine, in the old city (Baixa). Rua de Azeiteiras, a street in Baixa, has lots of nice traditional restaurants. Three reasonably big shopping centres serve the standard fast food meals you can find everywhere. They are located in key places in the city, but not necessarily close to the tourist attractions of the city.
Safety Information
Glimpses of Coimbra
La luz de Coimbra
a view of a city from across the water
a body of water with a city in the background
vehicles on bridge
white and gray houses
white bridge near houses
a body of water with a city in the background
city buildings near body of water under blue sky during daytime
The old town of Coimbra with portuguese flag on the bridge over the river Mondego
a large white building with a clock tower
La luz de Coimbra
a view of a city from across the water
a body of water with a city in the background