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Coimbra Travel Blogs

Background: Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.

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By tanglefish
September 14th 2009

Coimbra Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Coimbra monument

Coimbra: September 14-15 From Salamanca we caught another bus to Portugal, where we were staying in the Portugese university town of Coimbra. Our accommodation had a terrace on the roof that looked out over Coimbra, affording great views of the houses and university that was built into hillside. The streets were hilly in parts but this is the norm in so many towns that I think I will miss my daily treks up and down the steps. As we arrived late in the day we interrupted our orientation walk to have dinner in a cafeteria style restaurants frequented by the students [View Full Entry]

By Will and Alex
March 29th 2009

A Mediterranean Cambridge? Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Se Velha

Photographs from our day trip to Coimbra from Porto, Portugal - 29th March 2009. [View Full Entry]

Street leading up to the University, Coimbra

By gman94
January 6th 2009

What portugal is really like Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Coimbra as I soon found out was originally the capital of Portugal in the 12th century (the first dynasty.) As I explore the area more I found that there was an incredible amount of history related to this town. For example it was a major trading area for the christians in the north and the muslims in the south. The city was the capital from roughly 1250 to 1255 A.D. As I learned about the history from my guide I also visited the Joanina Library. After going to see the old Cathedral I decided to eat lunch at a coffee house [View Full Entry]

By Antibody Man
December 16th 2008

A university strangely reminiscent of home Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Coimbra University

My travels with Lara took us on from Spain to Portugal, and the university town of Coimbra. The university itself is mingled with the narrow streets of the old town, up on a hill above the Mondego river. Some of the buildings reminded us a lot of home! [View Full Entry]

By gwynethmarta
December 8th 2008

Portugal's Jewel - Coimbra Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Coimbra Street

Following my parent’s path, I decided to choose Portugal for my scholarship. I applied to the famous in Portugal University of Coimbra and after four weeks of submitting my application, I was a happy winner of the Socrates Erasmus scholarship. Even though it’s been long years since this experience, I still miss this worry-free time of my life. I have to admit I was lucky. I arrived to Coimbra in October, after all other students have already attended a monthly course of Portuguese. So everything I would normally have to arrange myself, was already waiting for me thanks to my goo [View Full Entry]

By kirstent
November 4th 2008

Bom dia ... but where has the sun gone? Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Lisbon

I am now in Portugal - currently we are in the University town of Coimbra . The university has a really long history and is set in the old town. We went out to see the Roman ruins in a nearby town this morning. It is still very cold and wet here. Hopefully as we head further south it will start to warm up again. Hope that everyone made lots of money on the cup today - sounds like it was a good race. We caught the train down to Lisbon on the 5th. Yesterday we headed across to Sintra [View Full Entry]

The Cloisters in the Old Cathedral Coimbra

By Lcollins
September 29th 2008

A short jaunt to Portugal Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Churros and Chocolate

Today was our second full day in Portugal. Our last morning in Salamanca I had a final serving of churros and chocolate (they really are as good as I had imagined!) and then found our way out of the city - thanks to Sam’s careful planning which involved a walk-through from the parking garage back to the hotel. The drive out of Salamanca led us through changing landscapes and crops. We passed lots of cows of various breeds - there were brown cows and white cows and black cows and charcoal colored cows. After an hour of driving we stopped in [View Full Entry]

By EliBoudreaux
September 17th 2008

Day 6: Aveiro - Coimbra Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Day 6: Aveiro - Coimbra This time round we did get up early enough to do something productive in the morning....early bird catch the worm?!?! Taking the train to Aveiro was the original plan, but once in Aveiro we saw that there wasn't much for a show for us to see. Nevertheless did we spend a couple of hours there, because of it's famous pastry, Ovos Moles. This small....tiny piece of pastry is like a paper shell with some sugared egg yolk filling. It's quite heavy to eat...on that note our livers have been working overtime. To start there was the [View Full Entry]

By EliBoudreaux
September 17th 2008

Day 7: Coimbra Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Convento de Santa Clara-a-Velho

Day 7: Coimbra Waking up with a soar throat...dry mouth...and a gentle heart throbbing head...we ventured into the city. First up was the Convento de Santa-Clara-a-Velha. Unfortunately closed to public due to renovation works, it still is worth the visit. Afterwards we went to the Quintas de Lagrimas were the tragedy of Dom Pedro e Dona Ines took place. Intermezzo Like the story of Romeo en Juliette, but a little more sinister and gruesome, is the tragedy of Dom Pedro e Dona Ines a love story. Dona Ines was of Spanish de [View Full Entry]

By EliBoudreaux
September 17th 2008

Day 8: Conimbriga Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra

Site of Conimbriga

Day 8: Conimbriga And on the sixth day God created man. On the seventh day he rested! Well God is lazy SOB! On the sixth day I went to Coimbra...by foot...and on the seventh day we went to Conimbriga. This historical site is the best preserved Roman site in Portugal. They are still excavating the site and only uncovered a staggering 12ha! The story of Conimbriga starts withe the threat of the Suevi. As they threatened to capture the village the residents of Conimbriga sacrificed a part of the city by building a wall straight through the town. [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra