PORTUGAL : Coimbra - Sightseeing
A good place to start when exploring Coimbra is the Velha Universidade
overlooking the town. One can visit the university, Biblioteca Joanina
and Sala dos Capelos. The library dates from the 18th century and the
Sala dos Capelos is decorated in the Manueline style.
Dr. Santos Rocha Municipal Museum (Figueira da Foz): this museum
includes several pieces basically related to the archaeological
discovery. Opened every day, except Mondays and national holidays, from
9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., the museum shows
several collections of religious sculpture, ceramics, glass,
numismatics, indo-Portuguese art, African and Oriental collections.
Carniçosas Dolmen (Figueira da Foz): the Carniçosas Dolmen consists on a
gallery, 4,50 meters long, formed by two rows of flagstone and by a
chamber limited by five flagstones that support each other. It is almost
impossible to describe, so we suggest you go and see for yourself.
Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel (Figueira da Foz): this chapel is
remarkable especially for its artistic interior. The walls are covered
with tiles and that, together with the carved altar and the interesting
ornament of the pulpits, gives the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel a
really dazzling artistic matrix.
The Sé Velho built in the 12th Century is one of the best examples of
Romanesque churches in Portugal. The Sé Nova was built at the turn of
the 16th Century by the Jesuits to demonstrate their growing strength.
The charming and elegant 16th Century Museu Nacional Machado de Castro
was formerly the Bishop’s palace and is now the depository of some of
Portugal’s finest sculpture. On display is a mixture of other items
including ancient art up to the 20th Century. In an underground maze of
linking Roman passages it exhibits items from that period.
Another highlight in Coimbra is the Baixa, on the way there you will
visit the old cathedral from the XII century, in tipical portuguese
romanesque style. The Baixa is the part of the city down by the river
with most traditional shopping. It is full of narrow streets and crowded
shops, banks, churches, cafés, hotels and walks to stroll along the
Mondego rivers' banks.
Around Coimbra within an hour drive there are several places that worth
a visit: Buçaco, Luso, Curia, Figueira da Foz, Condeixa, Conimbriga,
Montemor-o-Velho...
