They don’t teach magic in Coimbra – at least not officially. But a British student with a vivid imagination could easily picture students in robes walking these corridors and writing Harry Potter. Today, you too can get a glimpse into this world: just turn on the audio guide and take a walk – the city is easy to discover when you listen carefully. And if you want more structure, stories, and guidance, a group tour from Porto is a convenient option for a day trip. The program also includes Aveiro with a river cruise, so it’s a busy day. And then follow our itinerary, which starts from here.
How to get to Coimbra
Travelling to Coimbra can be organised in many different ways – it all depends on whether comfort, speed, or freedom of route is more important to you.
- Train from Porto or Lisbon is the fastest and most reliable option (1.5-2.5 hours)
- Car – suitable for those who want to stop at small towns along the way or pause at the coastline
Easiest – with a tour: a tour from Lisbon with Aveiro and moliceiro boats.
Coimbra Attractions
Coimbra may seem small, but there’s plenty to see and do. The most logical place to start is the one that draws students from all over the country to the city.
» READ MORE – Obidos is a city where it’s easy to get lost and not regret it
University of Coimbra
First, it was a royal palace. Then, it became an educational institution that began to raise not heirs, but scholars. So, the building on top of the hill became the main symbol of the city, not just in the architectural sense.
The spacious courtyard is always lively: tourists, graduates in black robes, and someone taking photos against the background of the tower. But if you step inside, the noise stays outside the door. In the San Miguel Chapel, coloured tiles are juxtaposed with frescoes, and above it all stands a carved organ – so beautiful you might want to sit and just watch.
If you want more than just a look inside the halls and wish to understand how everything works here, you should take a tour with a local guide. For example, a university graduate knows exactly where students take exams and where they hide from them.
The itinerary includes the former royal palace, the Joanine Library, the chapel, and the ancient classrooms. Sometimes, you can also visit the cathedral if you’re lucky with the schedule. On the way, you’ll see the Monastery of the Holy Cross, the Market Square, and be told which bridge is best for viewing the city from the other side of the Mondego.
Some halls require a separate ticket – the guide will warn you about this in advance.
University Science Museum
In this museum, science isn’t just displayed – entire halls are dedicated to it. Ancient showcases feature minerals, stuffed animals, and devices as if just turned off by a professor of the 18th century. Above, a sea giant’s skeleton with an intimidating jaw hangs. Who exactly it belongs to – let it remain a mystery. Step in and check your guess.
Some exhibits are interactive: you can switch them on, spin them, and watch them. It’s a great way to feel like a scientist – especially if you’re visiting with children. Though, adults are rarely eager to leave.
Miniatures Theme Park
Want to see all of Portugal at once – and even what used to be Portugal? Welcome to Coimbra’s Miniatures Park!
Entrance ticket to the miniature parkIt gathers the country’s famous buildings, palaces, and castles under one roof – but, of course, on a smaller scale. The park is divided into three parts:
- Ships and routes of the great Portuguese navigators
- Wardrobes from different eras, as if from a catwalk, but instead of models, there are full-length mannequins
- The history of Portugal told through armchairs, chests, and chests of drawers.
You won’t be bored – even if you’re not a fan of antique furniture
Santa Cruz Monastery
From the outside, it’s a typical stone structure. Inside, it’s a quiet, almost museum-like space. Stone carvings, an organ, semi-darkness – the place doesn’t shout its importance but remains in your memory. Afonso Henriques and Sancho I, the first monarchs of the country, rest here. Their sarcophagi stand in a semi-dark nave, between carved columns, and an organ whose sound echoes beneath the stone vault.
Private tour – historical center of CoimbraMachado de Castro National Museum
This museum is like a time machine: go down into the underground, and you’ll find the ancient Roman forum with its cryptoporticos awaiting you. Climb back up and you’re among medieval sculptures, religious paintings, jewellery displays, and Portuguese azulejos.
It’s all in the National Museum of Machado de Castro, a former 16th-century bishop’s palace that looks like an exhibit itself. The place is named after a local sculptor, and the collection is quite fitting: church sculptures are everywhere, of impressive size and in excellent preservation. So, the museum is worth visiting even if just to experience everything from Ancient Rome to Baroque in one visit.
» READ MORE – Tower of Belém: from sea power to mysterious rhinoceros head
Jardim Botânico Botanical Garden
If the museums are starting to feel a bit tiresome, it’s time to head outdoors to the Jardim Botânico botanical garden.
It’s not huge, but it’s pleasant to stroll here: there’s a bridge, a lawn, and even bamboo that grows as if from an Asian film. Along the way, you’ll encounter a pond with lilies, fruit trees, and even fountains, as if left here two centuries ago.
Take something to eat with you – not because you have to, but because it tastes better in the shade. It’s also free to enter, which is always a treat.
Pedro e Inês Bridge
Coimbra’s representative of modern architecture was built in 2007 and is for pedestrians only. Two parallel paths run along the bridge, which combine to form a viewing platform. The fences of the art object are made of multi-coloured glass, which looks vibrant in sunny weather. Bonus – the bridge offers views of the city and the famous university, allowing tourists to take beautiful photos.
Conímbriga Ruins
Just fifteen minutes from Coimbra, you can enter a real Roman backdrop – and that’s not a metaphor. The remains of an ancient Roman fortress city with a 1.5-kilometre wall have survived in pretty good condition. Particularly impressive is the so-called House of Fountains, the luxurious dwelling of Roman nobility, where you can see the remains of the fountain system and surprisingly fine mosaics. In the center, there’s an archaeological area with artifacts found here: shards, statuettes, and everyday objects.
Discover the ancient Roman ruins of ConimbrigaAnd all this is not behind glass – it’s right in the middle of the excavations. A walk through Conímbriga is like touring an ancient city, with no turnstiles and no glass between you and history.
Where to eat in Coimbra?
Experiencing Portuguese national cuisine is an important part of visiting Coimbra. The city is famous for its lavishly decorated fruit cakes and pastries.
Traditional dishes worth trying
The best way to sample the national cuisine is at traditional establishments that use classic recipes.
- Chanfana is goat stewed in red wine. This dish isn’t for vegetarians, but the meat turns out soft like pâté
- Bacalhau is salted cod. It’s prepared in many variations, but in Coimbra, Bacalhau à Brás (with potatoes and eggs) and Bacalhau com Nata (in milk sauce, soft and creamy) are particularly popular
Be sure to check out the Santa Cruz coffee shop – it’s been in business for almost 100 years and is located right in the building of the cathedral of the same name. Here, they serve Crúzios, a local sweet with egg cream and almond flour. It looks like a pastry on the outside but is like crème brûlée on the inside.
Where to find It all?
- Ze Manel dos Ossos is the oldest establishment serving traditional Portuguese cuisine. Meat, potatoes, wine – everything is authentic and from recipes that have been tried and tested for decades
- Arcada is a more modern spot where classics meet light fusion. Here, you can try sardines roasted to a golden crust, bruschetta with salmon, and even oysters with mustard – for the brave
- Need a bite to eat but don’t want to go all fancy? Mercado D. Pedro V market – fresh vegetables, fruit, seafood, baked goods, and mini stalls where they cook on the spot. Prices are much more reasonable than in cafes
Souvenirs from Coimbra
How can you leave a city without a souvenir? Especially from a place where even the tiles are a work of art.
The main streets for gift hunting:
- Rua Ferreira Borges
- Rua do Quebra Costa
From typical souvenir shops to art boutiques, there are shops to suit every taste.
What you can find:
- Coimbra ceramics – hand-painted, as if an artist had just put down a brush
- Azulejo – the same Portuguese tiles, but with a unique pattern, not like the others
- Magnets, postcards, and tinned fish – classic but tasty
- Spicy sauces – bring back «spicy memories»
- Handmade jewellery and trinkets – surprisingly original designs
- Love vintage with history? Check out the antique shops. In Vintage is a store with real treasures from different eras. Vintage jewellery, film cameras, children’s toys, crockery, and even clothes find new homes here. All with character and charm
If you’ve already walked the promenades of Porto, climbed to the palace in Sintra, and got lost in the alleys of Obidos, Coimbra will offer you a new facet of Portugal. Calm, scholarly, a little theatrical – and very human.
From there, you can head to the Atlantic – search for the Benagil Caves, listen to the waves in Madeira, or simply stop in the Douro Valley, where even time seems to slow down.
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Ramiro-- / Pixabay
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