Top Things to See in Coimbra

We followed Rick Steves Coimbra Old Town Walk.

Santa Clara Bridge over the Mondego River.

The Camino de Santiago passes through Coimbra.

Largo do Portagem with a statue of the prime minister who shut down the city's convents and monasteries in 1834. Portugal's monasteries were the leading landowners and were extremely powerful. They were against progress and modernization. Shutting them down paved the way for the Industrial Revolution.

Fancy bank building circa 1900.

There are a couple cafes in the square. Cafe Montanha is one of them.

We tried the pastel de Santa Clara and the pastel de nata. The Santa Clara had almonds and marmalade.

Briosa is the other cafe.

They're known for pastel de Tentugal. Roll of puff pastry filled with custard and dusted with powder sugar. I didn't think it was anything exciting. I still prefer the pastel de nata.

Praca do 'Comercio was originally outside the city wall. It was a duty-free zone where merchants could trade tax free.

Igreja de S. Bartolomeu sits on the southern end of the square.

The Chiado department store, which opened in 1909, is now the Municipal Museum.

The lottery is much loved in Portugal. You'll find groups of people hanging out inside.

Barbacoa Gate leads to the old city and the university.

The road on the right climbs into Coimbra's Jewish district.

Praca 8 de Maio, named to mark May 8, 1833 when the French Revolutionary ideas arrived in Portugal and the state asserted its secular power over the church.

Mosteiro de Santa Cruz

The Cafe Santa Cruz was originally a church but was abandoned with the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1830s.

Coimbra Town Hall

Jardim da Manga. In the 1500s, this fountain decorated the cloisters of the monastery.

Post Office

Mercado Municipal is open Mon-Sat 8am-2pm.

Indoor market.

Next door is the Elevador do Mercado to the University. It will save you a walk uphill. Tickets are €1.60. Take the elevator to the funicular to finish the climb.

At the top of the hill, you'll find buildings with graffiti. These usually belong to fraternity houses.

The Science Museum. Admission is included in the ticket to the University. The ticket is good for 24 hours. Since we didn't have time to visit the Science Museum yesterday, we could still visit it the next day.

There are exhibits and interactive displays. I couldn't find the Gallery of Zoology with a 65-foot whale skeleton.

Machado de Castro Museum is a large museum with 2 parts--the understructure of the ancient Roman forum upon which the Bishop's palace was built and the collection of art through the ages.

Melo House originally built by the Cathedral of Coimbra. It was then purchased by the University and used as a residence for employees until 1911 when it was given to the College of Pharmacy. It now belongs to the School of Law.

Se Velha--Old Cathedral. This was a church fortress built in the middle of the Reconquista. It is reminiscent of the cathedral in Lisbon.

Rua Quebra Costas--street of broken ribs. At one time, this street had no steps and during rainstorms, it became a river, creating hazardous conditions.

Statue of Tricana--local woman in traditional folk dress, resting after a trip to the well. She represents the target of fado love songs.

Porta Torre de Almedina--double set of arches that was part of the old town wall.

Monument of Fado features the Coimbra-style Portuguese guitar draped with the cape of the male student and the shawl of a woman.

Porta da Barbaca served as a 2nd line of defense.

The view from the other side, that we saw earlier in the walk.

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