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Table of Contents
A Day in Coimbra: Getting There and Around
Tight narrow roads do not phase us after all of our European road trips, but these were some of the tightest and steepest we ever drove within a city. Our rental car was relatively small, but we took a different route to our hotel as we were not confident that we could make the tight turn without scratching our car.
A Day in Coimbra: Where to Stay
We spent our one night and day in Coimbra at the Solar Antigo Luxury Coimbra which has very luxuriously designed hotel rooms.
We didn’t spend much time in the hotel though as we hit the streets as fast as we could due to the rapidly setting sun.
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The next morning we headed back to the University of Coimbra area to see the Biblioteca Joanina, a famous historic library. The next scheduled visiting time was in one hour, so we took pictures in the beautiful Pátio das Escolas square. The nearby chapel and palace are also worth visiting.
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This dress is already sold out, but I linked some of my favorite turquoise and teal dresses below.
For dinner, we can highly recommend Zé Manel dos Ossos. This restaurant was recommended to us by some locals we met the day before. They advised arriving half an hour before the restaurant even opened at 7:30pm! We arrived on time, and were second in line, with a few other groups arriving only a few minutes later. This restaurant is one of the best in Coimbra for traditional Portuguese food. As there are only seven tables inside it pays to arrive early, so there is no need to wait.
Portuguese food is hearty and filling! This was the best meal from our Portugal trip, although the pitcher of wine definitely helped wash it all down. There is nothing like a relaxing digestive evening stroll around the city after a heavy meal to complete your amazing day in Coimbra.
Can't get enough of Portugal either? Check out our blog post on Porto here or get planning your own trip with our free top 10 tips on how to save money on traveling!
The Next Trip Top 5 Tips on How to Spend a Day in Coimbra
- Pick a hotel in the historic old town. There are numerous small hotels in the historic old town with reasonable rates. The location allows you to easily reach all sights by foot, and be close enough to rest your feet in the middle of the day if you need it. We stayed at the Solar Antigo Luxury Coimbra and can highly recommend it!
- The first stop when you arrive should be to get tickets to see the Joanina Library. They only allow 60 people in the library at any given time and reservations are mandatory. Get your tickets early so that you don’t miss out! There are so many beautiful photo opportunities all around the University of Coimbra and the square, that even if you have to wait a bit, it is no problem.
- Bring your best walking shoes, i.e. comfortable and preferably closed flats. While flip flops might be comfortable, they will hurt your feet after walking up and down these steep cobble stone streets for hours. Walking is absolutely the best/only way to explore Coimbra. This seems to be a common tip in Portugal!
- Try the natas – all of them! We indulged in natas almost every day of our trip in Portugal. The best ones that we had on our whole trip were in Coimbra. We can highly recommend these two cafes, here and here. We also had The World Needs Nata recommended to us, but it was closed when we were visiting.
- Eat at Zé Manel dos Ossos. This is not your typical restaurant and already seems to be gaining a lot of popularity through word of mouth only. Prepare yourself for a hearty meal of traditional Portuguese food and entertainment written all over the walls. If you decide to stop by, make sure you get there a 10-15 minutes before they open for dinner. The place has only a few tables and often lines up out the door, but is an excellent way to cap off a day in Coimbra!
Have you been to Portugal? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
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I love the photos you posted, its amazing especially the valley. Thanks for sharing your travels and experience with everyone. Keep it up and continue sharing magnificent journey in Portugal.
Hi Jacob,
Thank you so much for your nice words! I am so happy you like it. Portugal was amazing and I really hope I can go back soon. Are you from Portugal? Or have you been there?
-Bettina