Posted: 2008-05-11 11:00:00
Amigo David
David, you will love Coimbra. I advise you to spend there at least two full days.
In Coimbra itself do not miss the University, the oldest in Portugal (if you liked Salamanca University, or Alcala de Henares’ you will also love Coimbra’), and once inside (entrance is for free), up the hill, it is worth to pay the ticket to visit the Library, which ticket includes an annexe building, like a palace, really very stunning. Do not forget the lovely small church inside the premises (entrance for free) with the decoration based on azulejos (tiles). There is also a small shop selling postcards, a cafeteria and toilets facilities. The view over the city and the river Mondego (the only 100% Portuguese river, because Duero and Tajo (and also Guadiana and Miño) start in Spain) are superb!!!
Then go down walking through the Jew and Muslim quarters (to get upstairs it is better to take a bus or taxi) through the leaning alleys; so interesting!, and stop before the old Cathedral (there are two of them, both at a walking distance from each other, the modern and the old) which looks like a fortress (like the one in Lisbon).
In downtown you have a pedestrian street which leads to a beautiful church and the local market within an inner square. Cross the River Mondego, then 100 metres to the left, and visit “Portugal dos pequeninhos” (Portugal for the children) which is a thematic park very nice, with seven parts, each belonging to the seven countries forming the Lusofonia (Portugal, Brazil, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome e Principe, Cabo Verde, Mozambique and Angola, plus recently East Timor as the eight part), with artefacts, masks, huts and other decoration items originating from each of these seven (now eight) countries.
Nearby there are monasteries and the ruins of the Roman city of Conimbriga.
Finally, if you can afford it, sleep in Bussaco Palace (see my tip about Bussaco here in Globo http://www.globosapiens.net/jorgesanchez/travel-tip-bussaco-palace-3652.html ), and if you can’t afford it (it is not too expensive considering that you will bring English pounds with you, which are higher than the euro) at least pay a visit to that wonderful place, at 25 kilometres distance from Coimbra.
Do not forget to taste the delicious Coimbra sweets (“queijada”, made with cheese) and to buy some porcelain of Conimbriga.
Boa Viagem!
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Bonum est faciendum et prosequendum, et malum vitandum.
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