Where to Stay in Coimbra

Coimbra, Portugal’s old university city, is a great stop between Lisbon and Porto, and well worth a night: the student atmosphere, fado and riverside evenings are part of the experience. Here’s where to stay in Coimbra.

Quick answer: stay in the Baixa (lower town) for restaurants and easy access to the station, or near the Alta (the university hill) for atmosphere. For a romantic splurge, Quinta das Lágrimas, a palace hotel in gardens across the river. Nearby, the fairy-tale Bussaco Palace Hotel is a 30-minute drive away.

The best areas

• Baixa (lower town): pedestrian shopping streets, cafés and restaurants. The most convenient base.
• Alta (upper town): the university, the Joanina Library and old lanes. Atmospheric, but steep.
• Santa Clara (across the river): quieter, with views back to the city and Quinta das Lágrimas.

Where to stay

• Quinta das Lágrimas: a five-star palace hotel with a spa, in gardens linked to the legend of Pedro and Inês, Portugal’s great love story.
• Boutique hotels and guesthouses in the Baixa and near the university. Browse Coimbra stays.
• Nearby: Palace Hotel do Bussaco, a former royal hunting palace in an enchanted forest near Luso.

Tips

• Fado: Coimbra has its own style, sung by men in student capes. Catch a show in the evening.
• Student festival: Queima das Fitas in May fills the city; book early.
• Getting there: fast trains stop at Coimbra-B, a couple of kilometres from the centre; take a taxi, Uber or local bus into town. See the Portugal train guide.
• Parking in the centre is tricky.

More: Coimbra, a romantic trip to Portugal and the historic villages.

Some links in this guide are affiliate links (GetYourGuide, Booking.com, Discover Cars). If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our groups and this site free.