Coimbra is not a popular tourist center, and that is a good thing. A stroll through the old city with its stately medieval buildings without the crowds of tourists is not a common pleasure. But you will not find peace and quiet here – the old capital of Portugal has long opened the doors of its university to young people from all over Europe (and now the world). The vibrancy of the university city is picked up in the more out-of-the-way areas, where it's nice to sit in a café, go shopping or relax during an evening of fun.
The Upper Town, walled off from the rest of the city – and from the passage of time – by fortress walls, invites visitors to immerse themselves in its long history. Once the capital of Portugal, the narrow streets and opulent buildings still bear the imprint of grandeur. However, it is not the cathedral or the royal palace that towers over the city, but the temple of science – the University, one of the oldest in Europe. Many of the Old Town's monuments are related to it in one way or another: the Baroque library building, the chapel with the bell that many generations of students call "The Goat".
The Sala dos Capelos and the Via Latina colonnade are also worth a visit. It's impossible to imagine a Portuguese city without its greatest cathedrals, and Coimbra is no exception. The ancient architectural masterpiece, Sé Velha, is more like a Romanesque castle made of light-colored stone. The nearby Se Nova Cathedral is much more recent and, on the contrary, has an extravagant elegance. Tours also stop at the monastery of Santa Clara. Lovers of medieval romance should visit the Villa of Tears and take away a little sadness for the fate of the unfortunate lovers, King Pedro and Ines de Castro.
The Lower Town has remarkable places of varying degrees of strangeness. In the Park of Miniatures, you can admire architecture from all over Portugal and its former colonies. On the streets, local guides will point out not only monuments, but also delicious places and interesting shops. And for a true taste of Portugal, you should visit the country's wineries and surrounding villages, where culinary traditions are jealously guarded.
