Things to Do in Coimbra, Portugal’s University Town

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Last Updated on March 13, 2025

an old tile sidewalk wall, one of the things to see in Coimbra — An old tile sidewalk wall on Rua Olimpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes, one of the things to see in Coimbra

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

people visiting a food stand in the old square one of the things to do in Coimbra — Coimbra’s Old Town Square near the tourist office

By Jim Ferri

I was walking around historic Coimbra, north of Lisbon, discovering the many things to do there. Suddenly, I was drawn to the sound of music.

I soon saw several female students from the University of Coimbra singing to a group of passersby. A few people dropped a euro or two onto the cape spread out on the cobbled street.

Man walking through the Gardens of the Quinta das Lágrimas hotel one of the things to do in Coimbra — Gardens of the Quinta das Lágrimas

There are many great places to visit in Portugal. Located about halfway between Lisbon and Porto, Coimbra is one of them. However, few travelers go there since they only set their sights on Lisbon, the beaches of the Algarve, or the wine country near Porto.

On the other hand, I traveled to Coimbra because I had heard of its beauty and history and found myself smitten with the place. It’s a good place to go on a day trip from Lisbon or Porto. Spend two days if you can.

I arrived by train from Lisbon early in the day. At the station I took a taxi to the Quinta das Lágrimas Hotel, one of Portugal’s historic hotels.

I wanted to visit the hotel’s beautiful gardens, among other things. They are where Dona Inês de Castro, posthumously crowned Queen of Portugal in the 14th century, also had her dalliances and where she was murdered.

But since I only had two days in Coimbra, I left my hotel and headed to the old town. It’s only about a 20-minute walk across the river, but I was thinking about the many sights and things I wanted to do in Coimbra.

man on street carrying plastic food bags — One of Coimbra’s beautiful pedestrian streets

Old Coimbra, Where There’s Many Things to Do

Wanting to make the most of my time, I went straight to the local tourist office. I asked about the yellow hop-on hop-off bus I had seen on the way from the station. It was right across the little square next to the office and would leave in two minutes, I was assured. Then, as I ran out the door, I watched as it pull away ahead of schedule.

A man and woman in a cheese shop, one of the things to do in Coimbra — Cheese shop in the old city

In retrospect, the missed bus was also fortuitous since it gave me time to discover a charming city area. In fact, after only about 20 minutes, I found myself thinking about what a great little town Coimbra was turning out to be. It’s a miniature “best of” Lisbon, with many things to see all in one relatively compact area.
My journey of exploration began as I crossed the plaza near the tourist office and discovered a myriad of cafes and pastry shops. They were all bustling with locals savoring their morning coffee, much like in Lisbon. The tiled streets, reminiscent of Lisbon’s grand avenues, were devoid of the usual tourist crowds. Large old-style street lamps also adorned the buildings, adding to the enchanting atmosphere.

I continued, strolling up little cobbled lanes, absorbing the color and culture of the neighborhood. I continued my walk, observing life all around me… a locksmith making keys in a little store across from a dress shop next to a hair salon near a little café restaurant. Laundry hanging above the street, shopkeepers chatting with shoppers, waiters readying their tables for the lunchtime crush. I became absorbed with it all.

people visiting the old monastery, one of the things to do in Coimbra — The chapel in the Santa Cruz Monastery

Santa Cruz Monastery

people waling along a street with an archway — A street in the old city

Inside, local women were shopping; outside, older men sauntered about, hands behind their backs, watching the day go by. With music from street musicians wafting through the narrow streets, I felt I had wandered into another century.

While walking around the city, I visited Santa Cruz Monastery, a national monument and the resting place of two of Portugal’s early kings. Inside, I found worshipers sitting quietly on ancient pews and a beautiful church with walls covered with blue tiles.

I stayed for a few minutes before returning to the Praca 8 de Maio, the square in front of the church, where a dancing fountain contrasted with the solemnity inside. Walking down the adjacent Rua da Moeda, I found medieval alleyways not even seven feet wide. I quickly became lost in a warren of little lanes lined with every type of shop imaginable.

Convent of Santa Clara

That afternoon, I crossed back over the river and walked up the hill to the Convent of Santa Clara.

Like the crowning of Dona Inês de Castro, the convent is another anomaly in Portugal. After the last nun died in 1886, the law at the time allowed the government to take over the convent, which they turned into Army barracks.

two women sitting on a bench oyerlooking the city — Outside the convent entrance

However, after many years the Army moved out, and the church and government are trying to sell the convent. In the meantime, it remains the final resting place of the former Portuguese Queen St. Isabel, who founded the convent and dedicated her life to the under-privileged.

The curator in the small museum shop told me her hand is a sacred relic that can be viewed by the public. He assured me the hand was intact but said it could not be viewed, since the Bishop allows it to be seen only in years marked by some significant event. The last viewing, he told me, took place on the 400th anniversary of the year her body was moved from the coffin in the rear of the church to its current place above the altar.

The tiny church is beautiful, with an altar and huge wall panels covered with gold leaves. Behind two huge iron gates in the rear of the church lies Isabel’s old sarcophagus, which has a life-size statue of the saint on top. Every year on July 8, Isabel’s feast day, 10 local men carry the statue about the city.

enjoying an inexpensivce lunch, on of the things to do in Coimbra — My meal in the “perfect little Taverna”

A Good Thing to Do in Coimbra: Find a Little Taverna

After leaving the convent and taking the long walk back towards the old city, I came across a little taverna. It was just one of a multitude in the city, as a quick check online will show. The owner stood outside, motioning for me to enter his small restaurant as another couple exited. Thinking of having a late lunch, I accepted his invitation and found myself in a cozy little place, barely 15 X 15 feet in size, with blue-tiled walls.

the white buildings of an old city of Coimbra seen from the river — Coimbra seen from the river

The menu mainly offered fish and pork. I decided to order cutlets with rice and chips. But since the menu had been translated into several languages, I wondered whether I would get what was described. After a brief conversation in broken English, he brought the meat out for me to look at, which turned out to be thinly sliced pork cutlets on the bone.

The meal, a beer, and extra French fries the owner later brought to my table totaled only €10, less than I’d pay elsewhere in Europe. Walked back to the Quinta das Lágrimas later, I couldn’t help but think the meal was a welcome surprise like many other things I found in this atmospheric city.

You may also enjoy: The 10 Best Places to See in Portugal / Top 10 Things to Do in Lisbon (Plus 3 More) / 26 Great European Day Trips by Rail / Bus

If You Go:

Visit Portugal
http://www.visitportugal.com/en

Quinta das Lágrimas Hotel
Rua António Augusto Gonçalves
3041-901 Coimbra, Portugal
Tel: +351 239 802 380
http://www.quintadaslagrimas.pt/

Rail Europe
http://www.raileurope.com
Tel: (888) 438-RAIL (7245)

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