MyPortugalHoliday.com
The best independent guide to Coimbra
MyPortugalHoliday.com
The best independent guide to Coimbra
Coimbra itineraries and tours for 1, 2 and 3 days
Coimbra, Portugal's medieval capital and home to one of the world's oldest universities, is a city with a profound sense of history. Too often, it is treated as a fleeting stop on the well-trodden route between Lisbon and Porto. This is a mistake, as the city's compelling character and layers of history only reveal themselves to those who choose to linger.
While a single day allows for a packed tour of the main sights, from the magnificent university to the formidable Sé Velha cathedral, it only scratches the surface. To truly delve into the city’s unique culture and explore its steep, cobbled streets at an unhurried pace, a two-day stay is essential. A third day provides the perfect opportunity to venture beyond the city and discover the wider region, from the vast Roman ruins of Conímbriga to the secluded schist villages of the Serra da Lousã.
This guide provides carefully planned itineraries for one, two, or three days, designed to help independent travellers uncover the very best of Coimbra and its captivating surroundings.
The view over Coimbra
The full on, see everything Coimbra Itinerary
• Day 1 - Historic centre and university
• Day 2 – Roman ruins of Conimbriga and Bussaco Palace
• Day 3 – The Schist villages in the Gois Region
This is an intensive 3 day itinerary, ideal for those energetic visitors who want to see and experience as much as possible within their stay. Public transport is poor around Coimbra so a rental is advisable.
The pretty shopping streets of Coimbra
Historic and cultural Itinerary for Coimbra
• Day 1 - Historic centre and university
• Day 2 – Coimbra’s less known sights, Mosteiro Santa Clara, Portugal dos Pequenitos, Jardim Botânico and end the day with a Fado show
• Day 3 – Day trip to Roman ruins of Conimbriga
This is a more relaxed tour which takes in all of the historic sights of the Coimbra region. This is more suited for those tourists after a cultural holiday and embrace the history of the region.
The mosaics of Conimbriga
Coimbra and the beautiful Schist villages
• Day 1 - Historic centre and university
• Day 2 –The Schist villages in the Gois Region
• Day 3 – Lousã to Talasnal hike via Lousã castle
The white church in the schist village of Piodao
Tour of Central Portugal from Lisbon
The following itinerary provides a suggest tour of central Portugal that begins and terminates in Lisbon. The recommended amount of time required to explore each destination is provided in bracket.
• Lisbon (2 days) + Sintra (1 day)
• Obidos (half day) • Tomar (1 day)
• Fatima (1 day) • Coimbra (1 day) + Schist villages (1 day)
• Nazaré (1 day)
• Peniche (1 day) Berlengas Islands (half day)
• Lisbon
Tour of Central Portugal from Porto
The following itinerary provides a suggest tour of central Portugal that originates and ends in Porto. The recommended amount of time required to explore each destination is provided in bracket.
• Porto (2 days) + Guimarães (1 day)
• Aveiro (1 day)
• Coimbra (1 day) + Schist villages (1 day)
• Tomar (1 day)
• Fatima (1 day)
• Nazaré (1 day)
• Figueira da Foz (1 day)
The university at the top of the hill
1 Day In Coimbra - Historic centre and university
If you have just one day in Coimbra it should explore the historic centre and the university. This will be a full day of sightseeing with a significant amount of walking up steep hills! Coimbra is famed for its university complex and this is by far the most popular tourist attraction of the city, with coach loads of day trippers descending on the historic complex.
There is a lot to see in the university but it is best to visit early or late in the day. The highlight of the university is the ancient library but visitor numbers are controlled by timed tickets. There is a stunning view of the city from the top of the bell tower. Coimbra has numerous religious buildings but the most fascinating is the Santa Cruise church.
Discover more of central Portugal with our guides
A complete list of all of our guides to central Portugal
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