Things to do in Coimbra
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Restaurante Zé Neto
This marvellous family-run place specialises in homemade Portuguese standards, including cabrito (kid). Come in the late morning and you'll catch the elderly owner – a fixture here since 1952 – tapping out the menu on a typewriter of similar vintage
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Italia
Cheery Italia serves reasonably good Italian food, but what really draws the crowds is its incomparable location. The sunny glass-walled dining room is cantilevered out over the Rio Mondego, while breezy outdoor tables bask in the shade of giant sycamores in the adjacent riverside park.
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Tuk Tuk City Tour
New in summer 2010, this hour-long circuit takes you whizzing deftly through the old town’s narrow streets aboard an eight-seater Thai tuk-tuk, then explores the city’s outskirts before depositing you back at Largo da Portagem. Tickets – purchased from the driver at the embarkation point in Largo da Portagem – include a free Basófias boat tour.
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Upper Town
Long a Moorish stronghold and for a century the seat of Portugal’s kings, Coimbra’s upper town rises abruptly from the banks of the Rio Mondego. The most picturesque way to enter Coimbra’s labyrinth of lanes is via Arco de Almedina – the city’s heavy-duty Moorish gateway – and up the staggered stairs known as Rua Quebra Costas (Backbreaker). People have been gasping up this hill (and falling down it) for centuries; local legend says that it was the 19th-century writer Almeida Garrett who persuaded the mayor to install the stairs.
To the left up Rua Sub Ripas is the grand Manueline doorway of the early-16th-century Palácio de Sub Ripas; its Renaissance windows…
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Bar Bigorna
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Fangas Mercearia & Bar
Tucked away on a backstreet off Rua Quebra Costas, this cosy tearoom also doubles as a bar, with a wide selection of teas and a welcoming vibe.
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O Moelas
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Parque Dr Manuel Braga & Parque Verde do Mondego
Lovely green spaces stretch south from the Ponte de Santa Clara along the eastern bank of the river. Parque Dr Manuel Braga provides a haven of serene shade under stately rows of old sycamores, while the newer Parque Verde do Mondego, opened in 2004, features riverfront bars and eateries, a pedestrian bridge across the Rio Mondego and a small playground for kids.
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Quinta das Lágrimas
Legend says Dona Inês de Castro met her grisly end in the gardens of this private estate. It’s now a deluxe hotel, although anyone can take a turn about the gardens and track down the Fonte dos Amores (Lovers’ Fountain), which marks the spot where the king’s unwitting mistress was struck down. Also note the sequoia tree planted by English hero, the Duke of Wellington.
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Restaurante do Gil
Since buying this low-key neighbourhood tavern a couple of years back, experienced chef Gil has been lovingly converting it into a one-of-a-kind restaurant, featuring traditional Portuguese cuisine with a personal twist. There’s no menu; Gil decides what to cook and what wine to serve on a daily basis as he visits local markets. There’s also no sign – just look for the only restaurant on the downhill side of this backstreet below the Sé Velha.
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Shots Bar
With eight shots going for €5, this is a popular place for students to start (or finish) the night.
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Swimming Pool
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Transserrano
Leads adventure and cultural discovery tours in the nearby Serra da Lousã and Serra do Açor, including hiking, climbing and tours focused on traditional cheese-making and olive-oil production.
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Minipreço
Convenient supermarket behind Coimbra’s downtown train station.
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Pingo Doce
Supermarket.
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Geoaventura
Conducts rafting, kayaking, rock-climbing and more.
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Livraria Bertrand
One of a cluster of bookshops on Rua Ferreira Borges.
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Vinyl
Here student crowd does the soft shake to the predictable pop tunes.
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Capitão Dureza
This well-regarded outfit organises rafting, canoeing trips, biking, hiking and more.
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Museu Botânico
The Museu Botânico, in the Botanical Garden, is a museum for the green-fingered.
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Churrasqueira Giro
This back-alley place serves wonderful traditional Portuguese fare in a pleasant tiled dining room.
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Vinil
Another perennial favourite, where a mostly student crowd does the soft shake to predictable pop tunes.
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Bar Diligência
This bar hosts live music of varying quality, including occasional fado, from about 10.30pm most nights.
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Centro Velocipédico de Sangalhos
For mountain bike rental, Centro Velocipédico de Sangalhos charges €7.50 per day.
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Torre de Anto
On Rua Sub Ripas in Coimbra's upper town is the Torre de Anto, a tower that once formed part of the town walls.
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