Traveling to…the academic history + intrigue of Coimbra

Coimbra is one of Portugal’s oldest and historical cities. Clearly seen by the beautiful architecture still preserved from the Roman era. It’s what I love about this city. It’s one I’ve visited many times, taking day trips here every time I’m in Portugal, especially now that my cousin attends one of their famous universities. Coimbra is historically rich in education, and there is no other city like it in the country. The University of Coimbra is a site to see, still as beautiful as when it was the first academic institution in the country back in the 1200’s. The city’s traditions are still upheld today, including the iconic black robes worn by students, who are often seen walking around dressed during festival seasons or playing Fado on traditional Portuguese musical instruments.   It’s only an hour away from home, so we often like to start the day at the Baixa. It’s a part of the city that perfectly showcases the city’s beautiful history and modern advancements. We love heading to a small part of the Baixa that looks as if you transported to another century. Slim cobblestone streets are lined with stunning homes with intricate tile designs, and colored rooftops that also house boutiques, speciality food stores, cafes and bakeries. You almost forget that you go there for the shopping because walking these pretty streets you become distracted by all the amazing details of Coimbra’s culture.As if this city wasn’t already colorful on its own, we happened to visit while remnants of their annual crochet festival brought life to the quiet streets. Banners, each unique with different patterned pieces, draped above us and guided our way through the streets. There were traditional blankets bursting with color, and even bicycles decorated with these pieces of art. It was just so beautiful! Coimbra is beautiful, and this is just a very, very small part of it. Not enough to show its rich culture, but to hopefully make you curious enough to stay awhile and explore everything this historical Portuguese area has to offer.