COIMBRA - Portugal - page 275

tions is the main pedestrian street, which is named Visconde da Luz at one end and Rua
de Ferreira Borges at the other. It runs from the Praça 8 de Maio to the Mondego River.
To get to the university from this main pedestrian thoroughfare, follow the streets that
wind their way up the side of the hill. These little lanes, which give the area a village-like
feel, meander like a Moroccan medina up to the city's highest point, the old university. To
save yourself some uphill climbing, use Coimbra's elevator and/or little electric minibus
(see “Getting Around Coimbra,” later).
Tourist Information
Pick up a free info-packed map and the monthly cultural calendar at the helpful English-
speaking TI at Largo da Portagem (June-Sept Mon-Fri 9:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00;
Oct-May Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 9:30-12:30 & 13:30-17:30; entrance on Avenida
Emídio Navarro, tel. [phone], www.turismodocentro.pt ,
[e-mail] ). You can get bus schedules printed out for you here
and find information on sights in central Portugal.
Arrival in Coimbra
By Train
There are two main Coimbra train stations, Station B and Station A. Both stations provide
train information and schedules, and have windows selling train tickets and reservations
(daily 6:15-23:00, tel. [phone]), including an international window for trips to Spain
(Station A—daily 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Station B—daily 15:00-20:30). There's a
car-rental office at each station. Neither has baggage storage.
Some local trains (e.g., from Valado—near Nazaré—and other nearby towns) stop at
both stations, but major trains (e.g., from Lisbon and Salamanca) stop only at Station B
(think Big). From there, you can take a five-minute shuttle train to the very central Station
A (free with the ticket that got you to Station B). To find out exactly which train to take
to get from B to A, ask any station employee, “Para Coimbra A (ah)?” Taxis wait across
the tracks from Station B (figure about €4 to Station A or your hotel).
From StationA, train connections to other destinations may be efficient—or they may
not (in which case, taking a quick taxi ride or the shuttle train to Station B is smarter).
Most of my recommended hotels are within a three-minute walk of Station A.
By Bus
The bus station, on Avenida Fernão de Magalhães (tel. [phone]), has two ATMs (one
inside, one outside). A baggage storage facility—which looks like a mailroom—is across
from the informações office and to the right (€1/bag, Mon-Fri 8:00-18:30, closed Sat-
Sun). The station is an easy 15-minute walk from the center; exit the bus station to the
right, and follow the busy street into town.