Introducing Coimbra

One of Europe’s oldest universities is here and their students lend an upbeat feel to the city.

Positioned on a hilltop, the city’s impressive heritage is evident in its monuments, cathedrals, medieval churches and the country’s most important library.

Visitors to Coimbra have a wealth of bars, cafes, galleries and bookshops to explore in the maze of streets in the city’s old town.

Within easy reach are Portugal’s finest Roman ruins at nearby Conimbriga, the Forest of Bucaco, and the beaches and lively atmosphere of Figueira da Foz.

Essentials

Tourist information offices are located on Largo da Portagem and Lago Dom Dinis. The town has several hospitals including the University Hospital and Children's Hospital on Avenida Dr. Bissaya Barreto.

The nearest airport is Porto to the north or Lisbon to the south. Most visitors arrive by train at either Coimbra-A or Coimbra-B station. Coimbra-A is the more centrally located, ten minutes walk from Praca de Republica with Coimbra-B three miles to the north-west of the city centre.

Both are linked by a five minute shuttle costing under 1 euro. Around twenty trains a day make the three hour journey from Lisbon with a single costing 8-12 euros.

A similar number make the journey from Porto which takes around two hours and cost between 5 and 10 euros.

In addition to the scheduled services, there will be a minimum of seven extra trains on matchday between Lisbon and the Algarve and Coimbra.

Alternatively, more than 15 buses travel from Lisbon and around ten from Porto. The journey takes less time than by train and costs 6-10 euros for a single.

The bus station is located on Avenida Fernao de Magalhaes, a short walk from the centre.

By car, Coimbra is easy to reach from Lisbon via the A1 and IP 1 or on the IP 3 and IP 5 from Spain.

Getting Around

Coimbra is best seen on foot as most of the bars, restaurants and attractions are within walking distance and the town centre is pedestrianised.

Taxis are available everywhere.