What are some interesting things to do in Coimbra beyond the university?
When you plan a trip to Coimbra, the University of Coimbra stands out as the main attraction.
It’s one of the oldest in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and definitely worth seeing.
What is there to do and see in Coimbra apart from the old university?
I spent a couple of months living in Coimbra and created this guide to help you find more things to do when you visit this charming city.
Table of contents
Ideas for things to do in Coimbra beyond the University
1. Walk through 2,000-year-old Roman tunnels
Beneath Coimbra’s most famous museum, the Machado de Castro Museum, lies the cryptoporticus of Aeminium.
It’s a network of underground Roman galleries dating from the first century AD.
These are actual Roman passageways that supported the forum of what was then called Aeminium, Coimbra’s Roman name.
You can visit these vaulted corridors as part of your visit to the museum, that also has a wonderful art collection.
2. Have coffee in a former chapel
Café Santa Cruz is housed in a beautiful old building, which was once a chapel attached to the Santa Cruz monastery.
The building dates from the 16th century, and they’ve kept the high ceilings, stained-glass windows, and wood panelling.
I enjoyed a fado concert there with a drink under those impressive high ceilings. It’s super central, so you can stop there at any time during the day or evening for a quick break.
3. See the flooded Gothic monastery
Santa Clara-a-Velha is a 14th-century monastery that had to be abandoned in the 17th century because of its proximity to the Mondego River.
For centuries, it was constantly flooded and partially submerged.
These days, you can visit its ruins. The restoration work that’s been done is remarkable and you’ll essentially be walking through a preserved archaeological site with Gothic arches and stone columns.
The visitor centre includes a film explaining the monastery’s history and the restoration process.
When the flooding became impossible to manage, a new monastery was built on the hilltop, away from the river.
Santa Clara-a-Nova is the new church and monastery, which you can also visit if you climb up the hill.
You’ll also get great panoramic views of the river and the city from the courtyard.
4. Chill in the 18th-century botanic garden
The Jardim Botânico was established in 1772 and was considered one of Europe’s finest botanic gardens at the time.
It’s still impressive today with a collection of exotic plants, bamboo groves, tree-lined avenues, and an old iron-and-glass greenhouse for tropical plants.
The garden was originally created for teaching natural history and medicine at the University of Coimbra and still has many medicinal plants.
These days it’s a quiet, peaceful green space that’s perfect for a stroll.
I loved walking around the garden, taking photos of the water features and enjoying the calm atmosphere.
5. Wander through the Choupal National Forest
If you liked the Botanic Garden, you may want to venture a little bit outside the historic centre to find the local forest.
The Choupal Forest, along the Mondego River, is dense, lush, and surprisingly wild-feeling for something so close to the city centre.
Taking a walk around there felt very quiet, I hardly saw any people at all apart from some joggers.
It’s about 25 minutes on foot from the old town, just past the Coimbra-B railway station.
6. Visit the garden where a king mourned his murdered lover
According to legend, a beautiful garden in Coimbra is where King Pedro I used to retreat after his lover Inês de Castro was murdered.
Pedro and Inês is a Portuguese story of forbidden romance.
The gardens called Quinta das Lágrimas (“Estate of Tears”) are now home to a five-star hotel, but the gardens are open to visitors for a small entry fee.
I’d seen some photos of these gardens and thought I knew what to expect, but the magical feeling as I entered took me by surprise.
Around the gardens are different spots related to the legend, like the “Fountain of Love” and “Fountain of Tears”.
You can easily spend about 30 minutes in the garden just walking around and appreciating the beauty.
More things to do in Coimbra
If you’re curious about Coimbra, I’ve created more travel guides to help you plan a perfect city break in Coimbra:
Start with this Coimbra travel guide. It tells you everything you need to know on how to plan a visit to Coimbra for the first time.
Use my self-guided walk in Coimbra to see the highlights plus some hidden gems.
For a structured, easy to follow Coimbra itinerary, use either 1 day in Coimbra or 2 days in Coimbra.
If you want to learn more about Portuguese culture during your trip, read my guide to unique local cultural experiences.
One of the best cultural experiences to enjoy in Coimbra is the local fado music – here’s my in-depth review of what it’s like to see a fado show in Coimbra.
I highly recommend taking a University of Coimbra tour to make the most out of the experience.
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