Coimbra
Camino Portugues
Coimbra is the third largest Portuguese town along the camino and offers all services and numerous accommodation options, but no pilgrim specific albergues yet... apart from the Santa Clara Convent on the other side of the river.
If you are not staying here, avoid the temptation to skip the route through town; a bit of exploring is in order. Afonso Henriques, first King of Portugal, was born here and is buried in the Monastery of Santa Cruz. The same is true for his eldest son Sancho I. It has two Cathedrals, distinguished with the names Sé Nova and Sé Velha. The Old is very Romanesque, and the New is Baroque and Mannerist and adorned with statues of St. Ignatius, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Francis Xavier and St. Francis of Borja. The Saints were placed by the Jesuits who built (started) the church, but once they were expelled from Portugal it became the Cathedral and was completed with Peter and Paul getting top billing.
Fireworks on the 4th of July, in celebration of Queen Elizabeth of Portugal.
Coimbra was the capital of Portugal during the 12th and 13th centuries, it lost prominence to the port of Lisbon but gained instead the University of Coimbra which remains the oldest university in the Portuguese speaking world.
If you are keen to pass through Coimbra, turn left after crossing the bridge and begin following the river walk. It will pass underneath the highway and then veer right to parallel a canal (on your left).
Stay on this paved road through a roundabout and soon you will have a different canal on your right. It remains a straight road until just before Adémia da Baixo, where it turns left. Cross the overgrown Rio Velho to the right into Adémia.
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