Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
On a two-week swing through Portugal, give Coimbra a day. Browse through its historic
university, fortress-like cathedral, and lively old town. If you're driving from central
Spain, Coimbra makes a good first stop in Portugal.
Coimbra is a mini-Lisbon, with everything good about urban Portugal without the intens-
ity of a big metropolis. I couldn't design a more delightful city for a visit. Skip Coimbra's
modern center (with the shopping malls) and stick to the charming old town.
From Largo da Portagem, the main square by the river, everything is within an easy
walk. The TI and plenty of good budget rooms are within several blocks of the train sta-
tion. The best views are from its low and high points: looking up from the far end of Santa
Clara Bridge (Ponte Santa Clara) and looking down from the observation deck of the old
university.
Coimbra's old town—a maze of timeworn shops, houses, and stairways—has two
parts: the lower (Baixa) and the upper (Alta). The dividing line between these two sec-
