Things to do in Coimbra
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Coimbra
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Late April to early June is best overall, mild for the hill, students in residence and gardens green.
Mid September to October is best overall, students back, harvest food and good hiking light.
Spring, gardens and Bucaco at their greenest and kayak season opening.
Hottest and driest, students gone by August, some family businesses close and the centre is quiet.
Coolest and wettest, with lamprey season, empty sights and the cheapest hotels.
Wet and quiet, good for museums and tascas, poor for excursions.
What's on
- Queima das Fitas first full week of May, about 8 days
Coimbra great student festival, with the Cortejo parade and ribbon burning. Book months ahead.
- Serenata Monumental opening night of Queima das Fitas
A mass fado serenade by Se Velha on the opening night of Queima, arrive hours early.
- Festas da Cidade / São João late June
City festivals in late June, giving early summer a local festival heart.
- Festas da Rainha Santa Isabel early July, around 4 July
Patron saint festival with a procession from Santa Clara, full edition biennial in even years.
- Latada autumn term
Opening of year freshman student rituals in autumn term, atmosphere rather than a ticketed festival.
Best things to do in Coimbra
University of Coimbra
The UNESCO university and former royal palace circuit is the essential half day in Coimbra.
Biblioteca Joanina
A gilded baroque library of historic volumes, short and timed, and unlike any other room in the city.
Fado ao Centro
The reliable place to hear Coimbra fado sung by students and alumni in black capes at 18:00.
Sé Velha de Coimbra
A fortress like Romanesque old cathedral reached by the steep Quebra Costas lanes of the Alta.
Museu Nacional Machado de Castro
A major museum over a Roman cryptoporticus, strongest for Portuguese sculpture and azulejos.
Jardim Botânico
One of Portugal oldest botanical gardens, with terraces, a greenhouse and a shaded bamboo grove.
Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Velha
A flooded then recovered Gothic monastery with an excellent interpretation centre at river level.
Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Nova
The uphill monastery holding the silver tomb of Queen Santa Isabel, patron saint of Coimbra.
Where to stay in Coimbra
Baixa
first trip, all-round base
Flat and walkable by the river and Coimbra A, with restaurants on the doorstep and painless luggage arrival.
Alta / University Quarter
romance and history, fit travellers travelling light
Sleep in lanes by Se Velha and the university, but everything is uphill, cobbled and stepped.
Santa Clara
families, luxury and travellers with a car
Quiet and green across the Mondego with gardens and larger hotels, plus a bridge crossing to every sight.
Think twice about
- Coimbra-B station surroundings
Not dangerous, but characterless and traffic heavy, a 20 minute walk from everything. Confirm Coimbra A, not Coimbra B, when booking near the station.
- Outer residential districts (Eiras, Celas, Taveiro)
Safe and cheap without a car, but a bus ride from every sight, restaurant and fado house, with little to walk to at night.
Best restaurants in Coimbra
Arcadas
Coimbra fine dining flagship in the palace hotel, with modern Portuguese tasting menus by Vitor Dias.
Zé Manel dos Ossos
A seven table tasca institution for boiled bones, chanfana and daily dishes at student era prices.
Solar do Bacalhau
The cod specialist for Bacalhau a Lagareiro, with generous portions and a local filled lunch room.
No Tacho
A tiny modern Portuguese restaurant with strong olive oil, bread, wine and careful plating.
Refeitório da Baixa
Dinner in a former ceramics factory, Portuguese dishes with a modern twist in an industrial heritage room.
Fangas Veg
Tapas sized vegetarian and vegan petiscos in a former grocery store, made for mix and match sharing.
Fangas Maior
The meat and fish sibling to Fangas Veg, using the same small plate sharing format a few doors away.
A Taberna
A traditional wood oven tasca for chanfana, roast kid, grilled veal, octopus and garlic potatoes.
Outdoor things to do in Coimbra
Quinta das Lágrimas Golf Academy
A well kept in city academy for a range session, short game practice or a lesson, not a full round.
Royal Óbidos
A Ballesteros designed 18 hole course about 1h15 south, for golfers who need a proper round.
Oporto Golf Club
One of continental Europe oldest golf clubs, about 1h15 north at Espinho.
Mondego Kayak Penacova to Coimbra
A guided half day descent of the green Mondego from Penacova, passing the Livraria do Mondego rocks.
Talasnal
The famous dark schist village in the Lousã mountains, linked by forest trails to other schist villages.
Conímbriga
Portugal finest Roman site as an open air walk, extendable into the Mouros valley and Buracas do Casmilo.
Mata Nacional do Buçaco
A walled national forest of fern valleys and trails around the Buçaco Palace, with Luso at the gate.
Mata Nacional do Choupal
An 80 hectare riverside poplar forest where Coimbra runs, cycles and escapes summer heat.
Best hotels in Coimbra
Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas
The city one true luxury palace stay, in historic gardens with a spa, pool and Arcadas restaurant.
Sapientia Boutique Hotel
A book and wine themed boutique by the university, with apartment style units and city views.
Hotel Oslo Coimbra
A dependable family run Baixa hotel by Coimbra A, known for value and its rooftop Alta panorama.
Is Coimbra expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €50 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €115 a person |
| Splurge | €250 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- University of Coimbra: a few days ahead
- Biblioteca Joanina: a few days ahead
- Fado ao Centro: a few days ahead
- Royal Óbidos: a few days ahead
- Oporto Golf Club: a few days ahead
- Mondego Kayak Penacova to Coimbra: a few days ahead
- Bairrada Winery Route: a few days ahead
- Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas: weeks ahead
- Book the University and Joanina Library online days ahead in April to June and September.
- Reserve Fado ao Centro in high season and Queima week, it has one 18:00 show a day.
- Book hotels months ahead for Queima das Fitas week in May and graduation weeks.
- Bairrada estates and guided Lousa and Conimbriga tours need an appointment or advance booking.
Is Coimbra safe?
- Coimbra is a safe city in the centre, watch bags in Queima crowds and at stations.
- The real hazards are slippery steep cobbles, summer heat and exposed sites with little shade.
- Do not swim in the Mondego in town, use designated river beaches and check levels before kayaking.
- Streets outside the core can look cracked and graffitied, that is visual neglect, not danger.
Coimbra travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Doing Coimbra as a two hour stop between Lisbon and Porto.
- Restaurants on the university gate and Largo da Portagem tourist funnel charging Lisbon prices.
- Bundled fado dinner shows, take the concert first and dinner separately afterwards.
- The hop on hop off bus in a walkable city, and Portugal dos Pequenitos without children.
Getting around Coimbra: public transport and more
- Walk the compact centre, taxi or lift up to the university and wander down.
- Take the included shuttle train from Coimbra B to Coimbra A in the Baixa, do not walk it with luggage.
- Wear trainers or walking shoes with grip, polished limestone cobbles are slippery even when dry.
- City buses thin out in the evening, budget for cheap taxis on a short stay.
Who Coimbra suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Coimbra your trip
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