LOCATION

    Map of Portugal Coimbra is an old university town located in the center-north of Portugal, 40 kilometers from the coast.
     
    Coimbra was the first capital of Portugal in the 12th Century; the university dates from 1290. The University is located on a hill overlooking the river above the centre of the town and within the former castle. Apart from the university, the historical and cultural centre of Coimbra has many interesting places to visit including the Igreja de Santa Cruz (Holy Cross Church) and the Sé Velha (Old Cathedral, 12th Century).
    Outside Coimbra there are many tourist attractions - monuments from the Roman era to the present day, mountains, spas and beaches.  

    HOW TO GET TO COIMBRA

    There is no airport at Coimbra, and hence you must travel to Lisbon or Porto international airports and come to Coimbra by train, bus or car. The airport that is most convenient for intercontinental flights is Lisboa, although Porto is closer to Coimbra. Further, the airport in Porto is not very close to the Porto's railway station (Campanhã station). The train stations in Lisboa are Oriente Station, closer to the airport, and Santa Apolonia Station, in the city center.

    The distance from Porto is a bit more than 100 km and from Lisbon is around 200km.
    You can find information about how to go to Coimbra from Lisboa or Porto here.

    Train services: http://www.cp.pt/

    There are three types of trains:
    Regionais: They stop several times between both cities (so, they are very slow)
    Intercidades: just a few stops, much faster
    Alfa pendular: even less stops, even faster

    Bus services: http://www.rede-expressos.pt/

    The A1 motorway from Lisbon to Oporto passes close to Coimbra; there are also good road connections with Spain through Galicia, Salamanca, Badajoz and Andalucia.


    HOW TO CIRCULATE IN THE TOWN

    • Coimbra has a net of Urban Transports that allows the connection to the main touristic sites. This is the least expensive means to move around the town. One Day Ticket - € 2,50. You may buy in advance a ten-journey ticket in automatic machines and in most kiosks. Get the schedules in www.smtuc.pt.
    • The railway station Coimbra-B is situated slightly outside the city and, therefore, a regular link is maintained with the small Coimbra-A station in the city centre.

    WEATHER

    GOOD TO KNOW

    • The Tourist Office is located downtown in Largo da Portagem. There is another one across the street from Department of Mathematics. There you can get the Agenda Cultural de Coimbra, informing you on Cultural events and containing a list of useful addresses and institutions.
    • Most restaurants and bars are open until 12PM. Pubs usually close at 2AM. Lunchtime usually goes from 12PM to 3PM and dinnertime ranges between 7PM and 10PM
    • Banks are open 8.30AM through 3PM, Monday through Friday.
    • Exchange rates