Coimbra, Portugal 🇵🇹 2019

Date: 19th August 2019

Travelled: 150 kms from Manteigas to Coimbra both in the Province of Beira

Visited: Manteigas and Coimbra

Stayed: Coimbra car-park €3 per day + B. N40.20263, W08.42493

Budget: 71 days @ €78 per day

Cannot say we had a fabulous night in Manteigas as a couple of young blokes started kicking a soccer ball about the adjoining basket ball court around 11.30 till midnight, when the ball went over the fence and into the night time never never.

We got back to sleep alright, but the mood was lost.

We have come to Manteigas to do a walk in the National Park, so we head off looking for the park office at 9am. Only to find it’s closed, so we walk on the find the tourist office closed as well. Monday appears to be a bad day to visit Manteigas. So we spend some time on-line, but other than a map, no information on parking, trail markers etc.

So we have a half hour walk around town and drive up through the Serra da Estrella instead.

So a little disappointed we pack up the Hymer and continue south on the N338 along the Vale glaciário do Zézere. The road slowly climbs along the route of some ancient glacier.

The road and the glacier continue for 15 kms.

The road then turns and we start the steep climb back over the Serra da Estrela mountains.

Lots of excellent view as we reach the summit at 2000m.

Well above the lower cloud line here as we start the descent. 2nd gear seems appropriate.

Out of the mountains and back on the N17, we find a service point and do what needs doing, then a quick shop at the nearby Lidl before continuing on to Coimbra.

We arrive in Coimbra on a warm and humid afternoon. There is no aire here but a motorhome friendly car-park (shade) at €3 per day.

Coimbra, Centro, Portugal

Map of Coimbra, the icon on our parking spot

We have a late lunch and an hours rest before walking uptown to do some exploring. By the way, most everything in Coimbra is uphill as the old city stands on a ridge above the Rio Mondego.

The Largo da Portagem. It’s statue is amazingly popular with the pigeons as you can see

So we find the tourist office and start walking up the hill.

At the top of the hill we find the University de Coimbra. It was established more than 500 years ago.

There is an interesting tour through the oldest part of the University, but at €12 pp, we decided to continue exploring elsewhere. The fact you cannot take photos was a deciding factor.

The Sé Nova or New Cathedral, circa 1598.

The Sé Velma or Old Cathedral, circa 1200.

The cloisters of the Sé Velma are beautiful.

We sit outside a little cafe, enjoying a drink and watching the tourists as well as the locals walk up the hill.

Another Coomur Sardine Shop and it’s buzzing !

After a round of drinks in a little bar half way down the hill we return to the Hymer, have dinner and call it a very busy day. Next morning we make our way across the river to explore the Convento de Santa Clare-a-Velha.