Coimbra, Portugal: Top Things to Do + Walking Tour of the City

Coimbra is one of the largest cities in Portugal and it is famous for its university, its churches, and ancient Roman buildings. Visiting the University of Coimbra is the top experience to have here, but touring the churches, the botanical garden, and seeing the Roman aqueduct all make the list of things to do in Coimbra.

We spent two days in Coimbra, using this time to get to know this city, plus exploring a few places just outside of Coimbra. It’s possible to spend just a few hours in Coimbra, limiting your visit to a few key spots, which is a great option as a day trip or when traveling point-to-point through Portugal.

Best Things to Do in Coimbra

1. The University of Coimbra

The University of Coimbra is one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world. It was first founded in 1290 in Lisbon and moved to Coimbra in 1537. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Touring the University of Coimbra is the #1 thing to do in Coimbra. There is a LOT to see and do here, with the Joanina Library being the most popular attraction.

Coimbra University

Joanina Library

This library, also called Biblioteca Joanina and the Joanine Library, is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. It was founded in 1717 by King John V of Portugal and it is filled with 60,000 books.

This is one of two libraries in the world where the books are protected from insects by bats (the other library is in Mafra Palace in Portugal). At the end of the day, the furniture is covered with leather blankets and in the evening, the bats eat the insects. In the morning, the blankets are removed and the bat guano is cleaned up, just in time for the first tours of the day.

Joanina Library | agsaz/shutterstock.com

The library can only be visited on a tour. Tours last 30 minutes and the standard entry ticket is unguided (if you want to learn more about the library, either book a guided tour or stand near an English-speaking tour group to hear what the guide is saying). Photography is not allowed inside of the library.

Overall, we thought the library was interesting to see, but there were other rooms and places to visit in the University of Coimbra that were more interesting to us.

Timed Entry: To visit the Joanina Library, you will book a timed entry ticket in advance. Tickets are available for just the library or you can get a combination ticket that includes the other sites in the University.

Saint Michael’s Chapel

This small, gorgeous chapel (also called Capela de São Miguel) sits next to the Joanina Library. Step inside to see the blue tiles that cover the walls, the amazing organ, and the frescoes on the ceiling.

The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace started off as the first royal residence in Portugal, home to Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal.

In the palace, visit the Great Hall of Acts, which is the Old Throne Room, and now important university ceremonies are held here.

Great Hall of Acts

Visitors can also see the Kings Quarters, which is a room where students now take their exams.

There are balconies overlooking the university courtyard and the city center of Coimbra.

View from the Royal Palace

The Iron Gate

This gate leads into the university courtyard. It is a tradition for underclassmen to cut off a piece of a graduate’s robe and hang it on the gate to bring good luck for their future.

The Chemistry Lab

Located in the Science Museum, the Chemistry Lab contains a small collection of artifacts from around the world plus a room highlighting physics concepts. Kids will enjoy spinning the Newton Disk.

Chemistry Lab

The Cabinet of Curiosities

This was our favorite experience at the University of Coimbra. First, walk down a long hallway lined with glass cases containing a massive collection of rocks and crystals. Then, step inside a small room that is filled with unusual exhibits. It is not to be missed!

Cabinet of Curiosities

Tickets for the University of Coimbra

Purchase your tickets online in advance. To enter the Joanina Library, you will make a timed entry reservation.

There are several ticket types which you can see on the official website, including tickets only for Joanina Library, tickets for Joanina Library plus the other University buildings, and tickets for the university buildings without the Joanina Library. If you want to visit the library, the Cabinet of Curiosities, and Saint Michael’s Chapel, purchase the combination ticket. It is also possible to book guided visits on the official website.

It takes 2 to 3 hours to visit all of the sites listed above.

2. National Museum Machado de Castro

This art museum is named after Joaquim Machado de Castro, a Portuguese sculptor. On display is a massive collection of religious items, paintings, and archaeological artifacts the come from the area surrounding Coimbra.

National Museum Machado de Castro Loggia

View from the outdoor restaurant

It is an interesting museum and worth a quick visit. It would take hours to see everything on display, but visitors can focus on one part of the museum.

One of the highlights of a visit here was the view from outdoor restaurant, with views over the Old Cathedral.

Get hours and pricing here.

3. The Old Cathedral

The Old Cathedral, or Sé Velha, dates back to 1139, when Prince Afonso Henriques declared himself King of Portugal. This Romanesque Cathedral contains the oldest cloister in Portugal, the tombs of important Portuguese people, and the amazing Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.

The altarpiece

Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament

Cloister of the Old Cathedral

4. The New Cathedral

This Jesuit church (Sé Nova) was originally the church of the university and it is located very close to the university. It is free to visit although donations are appreciated.

5. Santa Cruz Monastery & Church

This is not to be missed. The Monastery of Santa Cruz (also called the Monastery of the Holy Cross) is important to visit because the first two kings of Portugal are buried here, giving it the status of a National Pantheon.

The monastery and church were constructed between 1132 and 1223.

The church is free to enter. Inside of the church, you will see murals made of blue and white tiles and the organ.

For a fee, you can visit the other rooms of the monastery, which we thought was worthwhile. These additional rooms include the Chapter House, the sacristy, the cloister, and the choir stalls (this room has a great view over the cathedral and of the organ).

The view of the nave and organ from the choir stalls

The Chapter Room

The cloister

Another view of the cloister

6. Aqueduct & Botanical Garden

Sitting in the city center is a lovely botanical garden. This 13-hectare garden is part of the University of Coimbra. It’s also one of the best places to see and photograph the San Sebastian Aqueduct, which dates back to 1570. This aqueduct sits on the site of the old Roman aqueduct.

7. Plaza de la Republica & Parque de Santa Cruz

Plaza de la Republica is a large square that sits in the city center of Coimbra. It is lined with shops and restaurants, as well as the entrance into Parque de Santa Cruz.

8. Pedestrian Shopping Street

A popular thing to do in Coimbra is to go for a stroll along the pedestrian street that runs through the old town. Starting at Praça 8 de Maio, the square that sits in front of Santa Cruz Church, this street runs south, ending at Largo da Portagem, a small, lovely garden near the Mondego River. This street has two names, Rua Visc. Da Luz and Rua Ferreira Borges, and it is lined with shops and restaurants.

Praça 8 de Maio

Largo da Portagem

9. Views of Coimbra

For the iconic view of Coimbra, with its hilltop university and buildings that tumble down to the Mondego River, go for a walk along the pedestrian path that runs along the west side of the Mondego River. There is a large parking lot next to the University stadium and Santa Clara Bridge.

10. The Santa Clara Monasteries

Located on the west side of the Mondego River are two monasteries, the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova and the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha.

Both are open to visitors, with Santa-Clara-a-Velha being slightly more interesting of the two, as it is older, has one of the largest cloisters in Portugal, and quite a few archaeological excavations.

Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha

11. See a Fado Show

If you want to learn more about Fado and to see a Fado show, visit Casa Fado ao Centro. In a small, intimate setting, attend a Fado show, held by musicians who were university students in Coimbra. This is quick to do, taking under an hour, and the visit ends with a glass of port wine.

12. Bussaco Palace Hotel

This is not located in Coimbra; this hotel is about a 45-minute drive north of Coimbra. However, it is getting a mention here since it is a popular place to visit, and even stay in, on a trip to Coimbra.

The Bussaco Palace (aka Buçaco Palace) started off as a convent that was established in 1628. Between 1888 and 1907, the palace hotel was added on to convent, constructed in a Neo-Manueline style.

Now, it is a hotel and restaurant. From Coimbra, it is a beautiful drive to get here, through forested hills and valleys. The gardens are open to the public and visitors can dine in the restaurant. However, as a hotel, it gets poor reviews, with prior guests stating that there is no air conditioning, no wifi, and rooms are very dated. The outside of the palace also looks like it could use a good scrub (our visit was in 2023).

We had lunch here and weren’t overly impressed, with the food quality and the overall experience. However, this hotel has some huge potential. We talked to several staff members who stated that it is government owned (at least as of 2023), but they are awaiting a new contract to continue the restoration effort.

Learn more about the hotel here.

Things to Do in Coimbra: On A Map

How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.

Why is Coimbra Important?

Coimbra is important because it is home to the oldest university in Portugal, the University of Coimbra, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

King Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, designated Coimbra as one of the most important cities in Portugal at that time, funding the construction of both the Old Cathedral and Santa Cruz Monastery.

During the Age of Discovery, during the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Coimbra was one of the most important artistic centers in Portugal.

How Much Time Do You Need in Coimbra?

It takes one day to visit the University of Coimbra, the city’s important churches, the botanical garden, and the shopping streets in the city center. This can be done on a day trip from Porto, Aveiro, Nazaré, or even Lisbon.

We spent two nights in Coimbra, visiting this city between Nazaré and Porto.

Santa Cruz Monastery

How to Get to Coimbra

Coimbra is very well connected to Lisbon and Porto by train. By train, it takes 2 hours to travel between Lisbon and Coimbra and it takes just over an hour to travel between Porto and Coimbra.

If you are on a road trip through Portugal, you can of course get here by car. We have heard that parking can be challenging in Coimbra. The best parking lot we saw is next to the University stadium and the Santa Clara Bridge (here on Google maps).

We had a hotel with parking and used Uber to get to places that were a long walk from our hotel (we stayed at Hotel Quinta das Lagrimas, which is outside of the city center).

How to Get Around Coimbra

Coimbra is a very hilly city. You will no doubt walk up and down some steep hills while you are here and there really is no way to avoid that. Also, there aren’t funiculars and elevators in Coimbra that you see in other Portuguese cities, such as Lisbon or Porto.

We used Uber to get to places that were a far walk (generally, from our hotel into the city center), to avoid driving and parking in town. This worked very well in our experience.

When planning what to do, we recommend starting at the University, which sits on one of the highest points of Coimbra and working your way down from there.

Walking Route through Coimbra

Taking the things to do in Coimbra earlier in this guide, we’ve listed them below in an ideal walking route. This route starts up high, at the university, and works its way downhill. You can have an Uber drop you off at the university to save the hill climb to get there. There still will be a few hill climbs to navigate, but the walking route below minimizes that.

You can see this walking route on our map provided earlier in this guide.

Start at the University of Coimbra. Book a timed entry for the Joanina Library and then visit the other university buildings after that visit. A good walking route through the university is the Joanina Library → Saint Michael’s Chapel → Royal Palace → Iron Gate → Chemistry Lab → Cabinet of Curiosities.

Next, visit the New Cathedral.

Visit the National Museum Machado de Castro and don’t miss the view from the museum’s restaurant.

Next is the Old Cathedral (there will be an uphill walk to get here).

Visit the Botanical Garden and see the San Sebastian Aqueduct.

Walk through Plaza de la Republic, along Avenida Sá da Bandeira, to Santa Cruz Church.

Go for a stroll along the pedestrian streets to Largo da Portagem. From here, you have the option to continue to the west side of the Mondego River for views of Coimbra and to visit the two Santa Clara monasteries.

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Where We Ate in Coimbra

Our favorite restaurant in Coimbra is Arcada Comes e Bebes. This small restaurant is located in the city center. We had the Little Sardines on the Boat (fried sardines), a delicious salad with goat cheese, honey, and walnuts, and bruschetta with sardines and mozzarella. It was a fantastic meal for a rather inexpensive price.

Little Sardines on the Boat

We also had dinner at Arcadas Restaurante, which is located in Hotel Quinta das Lagrimas. It is a Michelin-starred restaurant. The service was wonderful but the food was underwhelming. We have dined at quite a few Michelin-starred restaurants by this point and I do not think it is worth going out of your way to dine here, unless you will also be staying at the hotel.

Where to Stay in Coimbra

We stayed at Hotel Quinta das Lagrimas. This hotel makes some lists as a place to see on a visit to Coimbra for its history and legend. For centuries, Kings and Emperors have stayed here. The name Quinta das Lagrimas means “estate of tears,” for the tragic love story between Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro.

This hotel/palace is surrounded by tranquil gardens, a beautiful place to go for a stroll. Onsite is the Michelin-starred restaurant Arcadas as well as a gastrobar. Overall, we had a very good stay here, with impeccable service and beautifully decorated rooms. It is located outside of the city center, so you will need an Uber to get into town.

Hotel Quinta das Lagrimas gardens

Top notch mid-range hotels include Hotel Mondego (this hotel gets excellent reviews and is located very close to the city center), Casas da Alegria (a small property that offers several different apartments), Vila Julieta Guesthouse (this newly renovated house gets exceptional reviews, but it is slightly outside of the city center), and Avenida Central (a two-bedroom apartment that gets wonderful reviews).

Pharmacia GuestHouse is an upscale, gorgeous hotel with a prime location in the city center and a unique “pharmacy lobby.”

For budget travelers, we recommend Penedo da Saudade Suites and Hostel.

Is Coimbra Worth it?

For those with an interest in history and visiting the oldest academic institution in Portugal, then Coimbra is worth it.

I am glad we saw Coimbra, but in my opinion, there are more important places in Portugal to make sure you see first. These include Braga and Guimarães, the walled city of Óbidos, spending a day in Nazaré, and of course spending a few days in Porto. In eastern Portugal, Monsanto, Marvão, and Sortelha were all tons of fun to explore and more enjoyable than Coimbra, in our experience.

If you have any questions about the best things to do in Coimbra or how to plan a trip to Coimbra, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Portugal

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