Coimbra

Travel Guide + Top 10 Things To Do in Coimbra, Portugal

Coimbra is Portugal’s former capital and home to one the oldest universities in Europe, as well as Fado music and a well-preserved medieval Old Town. Based on that description alone, it is enough to draw history buffs and romantics out from the major cities and into this small riverfront town.

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While Coimbra is not entirely off the tourism radar, it is much smaller and less crowded than the big cities. You won’t have to queue in long lines or struggle to find an open table at a cafe. Coimbra was our first stop on our road trip from Porto to Lisbon. We had nearly the entire day (and night) after an early morning pickup of our rental car and the 1.5 hour drive.

Above photos: Coimbra

With a well-research itinerary and pre-purchased tickets in-hand, we came, saw, and conquered the best that Coimbra has to offer. There isn’t anything I would change about our visit, so I’m passing along the details of exactly what we did. Pack your best walking shoes and be prepared for lots of hilly terrain, stairs, and cobblestone!

• Where we stayed in Coimbra
• Top 10 things to do in Coimbra
• Where we ate in Coimbra
• Ideas for a longer stay

Where we stayed in Coimbra

Coimbra is easily a day trip. If you come early and use the entire day, a meaningful visit covering the top sights is possible. We chose to stay overnight so we would enjoy an evening Fado performance and dinner.

We booked our stay at the Sapientia Boutique Hotel. On a map, it looks like the hotel is next to the Joanina Library. IRL, it is on the opposite side of the massive wall of the terrace courtyard of the University. But, it is just a 2-minute walk to the Iron Gate (about 450 meters). So, still close!

Our room at the Sapientia Boutique Hotel was more like an apartment. It had a large sitting area and kitchen, in addition to the bedroom and bathroom. Plenty of space to spread out and warm up our leftovers! The morning buffet breakfast was a really nice spread, not just your typical continental breakfast. The only drawback was the parking situation. Parking is limited and we had a little bit of a walk with our luggage to the reception desk. All-in-all, we had a great stay.

Top 10 things to do in Coimbra

Below is an outline of some of the best things to do whilst visiting Coimbra — and the order in which we did them. It is ideal to divide your day between the University of Coimbra and the Old Town. Most of the University buildings are located in the area known as the Palace of Schools. However, a few buildings, such as the Chemistry Lab are farther away, on the other side of the town center. If you have a longer stay, I’ve also notated a few additional points of interest at the end of this post.

• University of Coimbra Palace of Schools
  • Chapel of St. Michael
  • Royal Palace
  • Joanina Library
• Santa Cruz Church
• Fonte da Manga
• Barbican Gate
• Arco de Almedina
• Coimbra Old Cathedral
• New Cathedral
• University of Coimbra Science Buildings & Museums
  • Academic Museum
  • Cabinet of Curiosities
  • Chemistry Lab
• National Museum Machado de Castro
• Coimbra Fado

University of Coimbra Palace of Schools

3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal | Website

The University of Coimbra is one of the oldest universities in Europe. It was established in Lisbon in 1290, and settled into its permanent location within Coimbra’s former royal palace in 1537. Not only are the buildings and artifacts historic, but the student body still adheres to many of the centuries-old traditions.

To purchase tickets to visit the historical buildings of the University of Coimbra, click here.

The Palace of Schools includes the Royal Palace, the Royal Chapel of St. Michael and the Joanina Library. Visitors can enter the courtyard through the Iron Gate, Porta Férrea. From there, the main buildings and grounds can be visited in any order so long as you aren’t late for the timed-entry to the Joanina Library.

Above photos: Coimbra University Palace of Schools

The Royal Chapel of St. Michael, São Miguel in Portugese, was built in the 11th century after Coimbra was conquered from the Moors. The ornate decorations and tiles were gradually added, mostly during the 17th century. It is a small but beautiful chapel with a very impressive Iberian organ. We were told it has around two thousand pipes and is still played during special events.

Above photos: The Royal Chapel of St. Michael, São Miguel, Coimbra University

The Royal Palace is even older. It was built at the end of the 10th century as the citadel for Coimbra’s governor. Later, it became the royal residence of the first king of Portugal, King D. Afonso Henriques. In 1537, the University of Coimbra relocated from Lisbon to Coimbra, and was offered permanent use of the palace as its home.

Above photos: The Royal Palace, Coimbra University

There are several rooms inside the palace that can be seen including the Weapons Room, Private Inspection Room, and The Hall of Great Acts. The Hall of Great Acts was formerly the Throne Room where many important events took place. Today, it is used for University ceremonies.

Above photos: The Royal Palace, Coimbra University

The Joanina Library is named after King John V, who commissioned its building. It is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. The visit includes a walk through the Academic Prison on the ground level, an intermediate floor used as a book depository, and the library on the Noble Floor. The library contains around 60,000 volumes, dating from the 16th to 18th centuries, all nestled and stacked on exquisitely carved and decorated shelves.

A few things to note. First, do not be late. If you are even a minute late for your timed-entry, you won’t get in and you won’t be able to join the next tour. They are extremely strict about this. Best to arrive and queue early. Second, there is no photography permitted in the library, which is why I only have photos of the intermediate floor. Again, they are very strict about this.

Above photos: Joanina Library, Coimbra University

Santa Cruz Church

Praça 8 de Maio, 3001-300 Coimbra, Portugal | Website

It is a short, 20-ish minute walk from the Palace of Schools to the Santa Cruz Church, also known as The Monastery of the Holy Cross. The church opens to Praça 8 de Maio, a public square with a fountain in the center of Old Town.

Above photo: Santa Cruz Church, Praça 8 de Maio

The Santa Cruz Church is National Monument and the pantheon of the country’s first two kings. It is also the reason the University was re-located to Coimbra, since the monastery was the school of St. Anthony (think of it as the Ivy League of its day).

Above photos: Santa Cruz Church

Most of the Manueline-style ornamentation, choir stalls, and tile dates to the 15th & 16th centuries. The most outstanding feature is the massive red pipe organ hanging overhead. There are only a handful of individuals who have the ability to play it, but the important thing is, it still works.

Above photos: Santa Cruz Church

Fonte da Manga

Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes 182, 3000-122 Coimbra, Portugal

The Fonte da Manga is a two-tied fountain surrounded by a very pretty garden, located behind the Santa Cruz Church. It was formerly part of the cloister of the church and monastery. The name manga is Portguese for sleeve, as it is said that King Joao III sketched its design on his sleeve.

Above photo: The Fonte da Manga

Barbican Gate

3000-180 Coimbra, Portugal

After visiting the church, we walked down the pedestrianized shopping streets Rua Visconde Da Luz and Rua Ferreira Borges until we reached the Barbican Gate (about 240 meters/0.1 mile on the left hand size). The Barbican Gate, Porta de Barbacã, was a fortified gate and added a layer of protection for the old city. In theory, invaders would have to take the Barbican Gate before reaching the main gate, the Arco de Almedina. While they are no longer needed, the double-layer defensive walls serve as the entrance to the traditional route to the Old Cathedral and Coimbra University.

Above photos: Pedestrianized street Rua Visconde Da Luz (left); Barbican Gate, Porta de Barbacã (right)

Arco de Almedina

Rua do Arco Almedina 45, 3000-116 Coimbra, Portugal

As mentioned above, the Arco de Almedina was the main gate to the old city. It was built in the 12th century to protect the city from attacks by the Moors. The Barbican Gate wasn’t added until several hundred years later. Above the tunnel archway is the Torre de Anto, a tower that once functioned as part of Coimbra’s defensive wall system but now houses a history museum and interactive display.

Above photos: Arco de Almedina

Once you pass through the Arco de Almedina, there is an open plaza where several old city streets intersect, including the famous Rua Quebra Costas. This street is characterized by a steep incline and steps that the locals nicknamed Back Breaker Street. It really didn’t seem like a street at all because there is no way a car could get through the narrow sections or up the stairs. It is one of the best streets in Coimbra to make you feel thrown back in time. The street ends in front of the Old Cathedral, Sé Velha.

Above photos: Rua Quebra Costas, Back Break Steps (left)

A couple other things worth stopping for before rushing off to the Old Cathedral — First, there is a little cafe pushing Ginja shots from a take-away window (we couldn’t help ourselves from stopping). Also, there is a really cute street entrance on Rua de Fernandes Tomás with colorful decorations strung between the houses. Fado ao Centro is also located nearby — but more on that later.

Above photos: Rua de Fernandes Tomás (left); Ginja Bar on Rua Quebra Costas (right)

Coimbra Old Cathedral

Largo da Sé Velha, 3000-383 Coimbra, Portugal | Website

Old Cathedral of Saint Mary of Coimbra, Sé Velha de Coimbra, is a is a Romanesque Roman Catholic church that dates from 1117, during the reign of Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques. It is called “old” to differentiate it from the “new” cathedral built in the 18th century.

It isn’t much to look at from the outside. Its plain walls and box-like shape look more like a military fort than a house of worship. However, the interior makes up for it with grandeur, Gothic altarpieces, baroque paintings, and really beautiful ceramic tiles. There are several notable tombs here too, including that of D. Vataça (or Betaça) Lascaris, a Byzantine princess from the 14th century. Adjacent to the cathedral are the Gothic cloisters and Biblical garden.

Above photos: Old Cathedral of Saint Mary of Coimbra, Sé Velha de Coimbra

Above photos: José Carlos Bernardes Tomás

New Cathedral

Largo Feira dos Estudantes, 3000-214 Coimbra, Portugal | Website

The New Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus, Sé nova do Santíssimo Nome de Jesus, is usually simply referred to as the New Cathedral because it was built in the 18th century, roughly 600 years after Coimbra’s Old Cathedral. In fact, the cathedral isn’t new at all.

Above photo: New Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus, Sé nova do Santíssimo Nome de Jesus

Itinerary note: Before we visited the New Cathedral, we made a pit stop back at our hotel to drop off my shopping bags of pottery (noted above) and rest our feet. The distance between the Old Cathedral and the New Cathedral is otherwise just a 7-minute walk (about 400 meters) with the National Museum Machado de Castro in between. If you are non-stop, it would make sense to change up the order of your visit from ours, going from the Old Cathedral to the National Museum, and then on to the New Cathedral.

The New Cathedral was originally the church of the Jesuit’s until the order was banned. In 1772, the bishopric seat was transferred from the Old Cathedral of the city to the newer Jesuit church, along with some of the choir stalls and baptismal font. I loved the barrel vaulted ceiling!

Above photos: New Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus, Sé nova do Santíssimo Nome de Jesus

University of Coimbra Science Buildings & Museums

3000-315 Coimbra, Portugal | Website

The University of Coimbra’s science buildings and museums are not as popular as the Palace of Schools. Even though they are less than a 10-minute walk away, they feel quite separate. And, of course, they are not as glamorous as the former palace. We loved them though!

The Academic Museum is an exhibition of academic classrooms, student life, and learning materials from the University of Coimbra.  It is an eye-opening discovery of education and the advancement of knowledge.

Above photos: The Academic Museum, Coimbra University

The Cabinet of Curiosities is akin to a natural history museum on a very small scale. Behind glass cabinets, specimens of animals, insects, gems and minerals, plants, and historical finds can be observed much the same way they were once used to study and understand the natural world. This place is the very definition of “old school” before we had the internet and AI to answer everything for us.

Above photos: Cabinet of Curiosities, Coimbra University

The Chemistry Lab is located across the street in a beautiful neoclassical building. It was built in the 18th century to teach Experimental Chemistry. All the sinks, scales, burners, glassware, and titration tubes from over the years are exhibited, along with interactive displays. Its very cool!

Above photos: The Chemistry Lab, Coimbra University

National Museum Machado de Castro

Largo Dr. José Rodrigues, 3000-236 Coimbra, Portugal | Website

As we were backtracking our way to Old Town, we decided to make an unplanned stop at the National Museum Machado de Casto. By the time we arrived, opening hours were over. But, we were able to walk around the grounds, including the 11th-century cloisters and viewpoint. If you have more time, or just a slightly different itinerary, this art museum would be wonderful to see. It includes paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and archaeological pieces on exhibit going back over two thousand years.

Above photos: National Museum Machado de Casto

Coimbra Fado

Fado au Centro: Rua Quebra Costas 7, 3000-340 Coimbra, Portugal | Website

There is no better place in all of Portugal to see a live Fado performance than Coimbra, where Coimbra Fado began. Fado music is a romantic genre of music that was adopted by students as they sang about beauty of Coimbra and serenaded the women they loved. It is performed by students wearing their black robes and accompanied by the Portuguese guitar.

There are a couple highly recommended venues to experience Coimbra Fado — À Capella bar and Fado ao Centro. We saw an evening performace at Fado ao Centro, which is located near the Arco de Almedina on Rua Quebra Costas. Shows often sell out. Purchase tickets online in advance here.

Above photos: Fado ao Centro

Where we ate in Coimbra

It is probably okay to show up in Coimbra without confirmed dining plans. There are quite a few cafes that cater to the influx of daily tourists. While I don’t mind taking my chances with lunch, I always like to have dinner reservations.

We initially claimed a table at the popular Café Santa Cruz for lunch. This restaurant occupies the former chapel of the Santa Cruz Church. So, that’s the draw. However, after looking at the menu and realizing there was only one waiter, we decided move ourselves across Praça 8 de Maio to another little cafe, followed by dessert from Café Confeitaria Doce Meu. While lunch wasn’t anything to write about, our box of confections from Doce Meu was a different story. We filled up a take-away container of everything we didn’t recognize. Lots or meringue and orange-y fillings:)

Above photos: Café Confeitaria Doce Meu

After our evening Fado performance, we slipped away for our dinner reservations at Refeitro da Baixa. The restaurant is located in the Cerâmica Antiga de Coimbra, a pottery workshop that used to make dishes for the convent of Tomar. The atmosphere is rustic and cozy, with views into the pottery studio where pieces are still produced. The menu here was a fusion of Mediterranean and Portuguese. It was a very memorable meal — most definitely a hidden gem in Coimbra. For more photos, menus, and reservations, click here.

Above photos: Refeitro da Baixa, Coimbra, Portugal

Other things to do during a longer stay

As we pulled out of Coimbra the following morning, we passed by a few other points of interest that we were not able to fully explore on foot. If you have an extra half or full day, below are a few other suggestions to fill your time.

• University of Coimbra Botanical Garden | Website
• Parque Manuel Braga: Av. Emídio Navarro, 3000-150 Coimbra, Portugal
• Santa Clara-a-Velha Monestary: R. Parreiras, 3040-266 Coimbra, Portugal | Tickets

A couple other spots within close driving distance to Coimbra are:

• Buçaco National Forest (to the north): 3050-261 Luso, Portugal | Website
• Conimbriga Ruins (to the south): Rua Professor Vergílio Correia, 3150-220 Condeixa-a-Velha, Portugal | Website

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