Most people who travel to Portugal are drawn to the baking beaches of the Algarve in the far south, or to the lively capital, Lisbon (writes Rebecca Burns).  In comparison, relatively few venture to central Portugal, where the former capital and medieval city of Coimbra makes an excellent stop-off for those travelling around the country.

Set by the Rio Mondego, this Portuguese centre of learning and culture lies roughly halfway between Lisbon and the northern capital, Porto. It was once the Roman town of Aeminium, then the country's capital during the 12th century, and is home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, dating back to the 13th century.

When I visited Coimbra, the city's lively student population and the network of winding medieval streets created a convivial atmosphere that kept me there far longer than I'd planned to stay. I also found Coimbra made a good base for various day trips to nearby attractions such as spa towns, beach resorts, and Conimbriga - Portugal's best-preserved Roman town.

History and architecture

Coimbra is packed with buildings of architectural and historical interest.

Towering above the town are the imposing ruins of a massive castle, which was once amongst Portugal's strategically most important fortresses. You're rewarded with panoramic views over the surrounding hills if you climb up those towers, which are open to the public.

Back in the city centre, the old market place, Praça do Comércio, is one of Portugal's most beautiful squares and makes a great spot for a cup of coffee and some people-watching at an outdoor café.

Walking to the top of University Hill from the Mondego river you can explore some fine monumental buildings belonging to the University. Wander along Rua Larga, see the buildings lining the Old Courtyard, and check out the striking 18th century Baroque Joanina Library (Biblioteca Joanina).

Other sights worth tracking down are the Gothic Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha, and the newer replacement for this, Santa Clara-a-Nova; the Old Cathedral of Coimbra, one of Portugal's most important Romanesque buildings; the Baroque-style New Cathedral of Coimbra; and several old Roman relics - such as the well-preserved aqueduct and cryptoporticus (artificial platform over which the city's Forum was built).

Student life and nightlife

For backpackers, the city's late-night taverns offer beer and food at student prices - way below most found in Lisbon or in the Algarve's heaving beach resorts.

If you time your visit right, you can see the streets of Coimbra erupt into one of Europe's biggest student parties, known as Queima das Fitas (The Burning of the Ribbons). This usually takes place  at the end of the second semester, in early May, and involves lots of good-natured rowdiness and beer swilling.

The event lasts for eight days, each representing one of the university's faculties, and the whole city seems to get involved, whether they're part of the university or not. Apart from the great atmosphere and copious amounts of beer, there are also various cultural performances such as the traditional Student Fado, Serenata Monumental, which takes place on the stairs of the Old Cathedral to a crowd of students, residents and tourists.

Time out

Coimbra has plenty of pleasant parks and gardens, but its most famous green space is the Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra, the fifth oldest in the world, showcasing a wide variety of subtropical plants laid out on terraces sloping up from the river. For a light-hearted diversion from more serious cultural attractions, head to Portugal dos Pequenitos (“Portugal of the little ones”), opposite the old Santa Clara Convent - a tourist attraction showcasing miniature, scaled reproductions of Portugal's most famous landmarks.

Excursions

If, like me, you find yourself staying in Coimbra for a good few days, you might fancy a day off from sightseeing. There is a river beach at Palheiros do Zorro in the nearby parish of Torres do Mondego, or you could travel 40km from the city for real beaches around Figueira da Foz. There are also popular spa towns in this region that are worth a visit, such as Luso, which lies about 26km north of Coimbra.

If you're hungry for more history even after taking in all of Coimbra's main sights, visit the Roman town of Conimbriga, about 16km outside the city. Founded in the 2nd century BC and destroyed by the Suevi in AD 468, the walled town is the best-preserved Roman site in Portugal. Intricate mosaics, public baths and grand fountains reveal the wealth and fine lifestyle of its Roman inhabitants.

With its busy academic and cultural calendar, and its many grand buildings, museums and parks, Coimbra is a pleasant, fun-loving city which reveals a lot about Portugal, past and present.


Photo courtesy of Turismo Centro de Portugal

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