Pilgrims on the road and friends along the way send me changes every day, and they go out the same day. The Camino Portugués app carries all of it offline, and it's still being built — new features arrive routinely.
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The ground behind you: what the walk into Coimbra crosses, and where it could have been broken.
Tomorrow from Coimbra
Nothing says you have to stop here, or there. These are simply the towns within a comfortable day's walk, so you can decide tonight.
| Town | km from here | Shared | Private | The walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mealhada | 25.2 | — No | ✓ Yes | The walk from Coimbra to Mealhada |
| Sernadelo | 26.8 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from Coimbra to Sernadelo |
| Anadia | 33.4 | — No | ✓ Yes | |
| Arcos | 34.3 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Coimbra is the third-largest city on the Camino Portugues and the former capital of Portugal during the 12th and 13th centuries. Even if you're not planning to stay, don't skip the walk through the old town — the concentration of history here justifies every step.
The Universidade de Coimbra, founded in 1290 and a UNESCO World Heritage site, dominates the hilltop. The Biblioteca Joanina is its crown jewel — a Baroque library of staggering excess, with gilded shelves, painted ceilings, and a colony of bats that are released each night to eat the insects that would otherwise devour the books. Visit early; the queues grow quickly and entry is timed.
Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, is buried in the Mosteiro de Santa Cruz in the lower town, as is his son Sancho I. The church facade is Manueline; the interior houses some of the finest azulejo panels in the country.
The Se Velha (Old Cathedral), a compact Romanesque fortress-church from the 12th century, sits on the hillside between the university and the river. It's the credential pickup point in Coimbra. The Se Nova (New Cathedral), former Jesuit church turned cathedral, stands above it — Baroque and Mannerist, with statues of Jesuit saints replaced by Peter and Paul after the Order's expulsion from Portugal.
Coimbra has its own fado tradition, distinct from Lisbon's. Here it's traditionally sung by male university students in black capes, and the songs tend toward melancholy and nostalgia for student days. You're most likely to hear it in the bars around the Se Velha on a weekend evening.
All services available. No pilgrim-specific albergue in the city centre yet — the Convento de Santa Clara on the south bank is the nearest option.
Fireworks on the 4th of July, in celebration of Queen Elizabeth of Portugal.
Coimbra served as Portugal's capital from 1131 to 1255, when Afonso III moved the court to Lisbon. The university, founded by King Dinis I in 1290, has been the intellectual heart of the country for seven centuries. It is the oldest university in the Portuguese-speaking world and one of the oldest in continuous operation in Europe.
The city's most famous love story is that of Pedro I and Ines de Castro. Pedro, then crown prince, fell in love with Ines, a Galician noblewoman serving as lady-in-waiting to his wife. When his father, Afonso IV, had Ines murdered in 1355 to prevent Castilian influence at court, Pedro launched a brief civil war. Upon becoming king, he allegedly had Ines's body exhumed and forced the entire court to kiss the hand of his dead queen. Their tombs face each other in the Mosteiro de Alcobaca, 100 km to the south, so that when they rise on Judgment Day, the first thing they'll see is each other.
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.
16. September 2026 - 9:15
I booked a private room. Unfortunately, it smelled so strongly of drain that it made me feel sick. The problem could not be resolved even when I asked about it. It's a shame because the location and the entire hostel are very nice.
27. August 2026 - 19:17
When you arrive in Coimbra, on the way to Santa Clara, you come across this practice directly at a pedestrian crossing. If you have pain, you are in very good hands there. Rua Carrington da Costa 49
Coimbra, Coimbra, 3040-00
27. August 2026 - 19:08
Right in the old town. A very clean, new hostel in an old building. Nice kitchen and common room. Very friendly staff
4. July 2025 - 22:38
Boar and bones extraordinaire at Zé Manel dos Ossos restaurant in Coimbra. Pre-book or get there well before they open at 7.30pm. Only 7 tables, but the food is fabulous and the service is great
4. July 2025 - 22:35
Had a great sports massage with Luis Filipe at A+Therapia in Coimbra. Really worked out those aches and pains. Well worth a visit
24. April 2025 - 20:37
Een heel fijn verblijf voor 2 nachten 77 euro.
Goede keuken en badkamers. Super schoon.
Ligt aan de route naar Santiago de Compostella en Fatima
8. September 2024 - 19:05
We came from Fatima by bus.
There is a great place right next to the station called Bus Station suites. It's about 23 euros, but has a kitchenette. It is directly on the camino route and just a 15 minute walk to the city centre.
23. May 2024 - 12:13
I had a great pilgram massage at A+Terapia in coimbra - very professional with a great grasp of all things sports massage related.
14. May 2024 - 10:42
I wrote a long yet fair comment about this albergue because we did not have a great experience there but it seems to have been deleted. I would not recommend this albergue unless you want the host in your business trying to mansplain and give you unsolicited advice at all hours of the day.
28. April 2024 - 7:13
Great central location, clean new feel. Single beds, but they’re that close you might as well be in a double bed, especially if snorer beside you! Wi-Fi coverage was very poor
17. April 2024 - 18:14
We arrived early because one of my family members had a knee injury and we wanted to leave our bags. The first man let us check in early and was very sweet and helpful. He wrote down our info and let us leave our bags.
When we came back later, a second man named Vitor greeted us and immediately made us re-write our information down saying that the police would come for us if any of the details were wrong. He also said we needed two stamps per day from Coimbra or we would be denied a Compostela (I’ve been told this is not true.)
Later, Vitor proceeded to hang about the common area and give the pilgrims lots of highly questionable, unsolicited advice about the Camino, injuries, blisters, footwear etc. It seemed like he wanted everyone to know how intelligent he was.
He did help one pilgrim with her sore knee by rubbing it with menthol cream. It was very sweet but also seemed to make her mildly uncomfortable.
He entered the room of all females without knocking and began to tell a physio that her professional opinion was incorrect. He should know because his family owns a clinic. He also mocked me for “being on my phone” even though I was booking accommodation for my family. This whole situation made the group of pilgrims very uncomfortable.
He was nice other than the mockery, conversational entrapment, unsolicited advice, uncomfortable lurking, and lack of boundaries.
The Albergue is simple but very beautiful with a lovely courtyard view of the Roman wall. The kitchen facilities were great and there were lots of sunny clotheslines to dry washing. The bed smelled like mold, but it was a very restful sleep for all. I would not recommend for female travelers as Vitor made us feel uncomfortable. I would not stay there again because I felt like I spent most of the day trying to avoid being sucked into Vitor’s incessant talking about himself.
31. March 2024 - 16:11
Nice place center of walk abouts stayed two nights
3. April 2023 - 22:04
Zero in hospitality When the pilgrims are already in bed, a man walks into the rooms, he has become aggressive when asked who he was and what he wanted. Zero respect for rest and privacy. I do not recommend it at all, it is worth spending a few more euros in a private one with respect for pilgrims and freedom of movement, they close the doors at 6:30 p.m. You can agree with them to enter at 9 or 10, then a man comes at the agreed time to open.
17. September 2022 - 19:30
I’ve been to the Change the World Hostel, great location right in the city center and a great deal for the price. I’ve paid 16€ per night. Coimbra is beautiful, if you haven’t seen it before I suggest to stop 1 day longer and take a holiday day from the holiday Camino. Just don’t eat or visit the bars on the main road. The are VERY expensive and if you go in the early morning they serve food of the day before (at least one, where I’ve been)
6. July 2022 - 10:48
Change the world hostel, still has great beds and bathrooms. It's in the old part of town and close to the Camino.
We had homemade ice-cream that where super tasty, and both with milk and a big vegan option.
14. June 2022 - 18:43
If you are starting the Camino here, you can pick up a credencial at the Iglesia Reinha Santa Isabel (left bank of the river)
11. April 2022 - 9:20
04/2022 - roadworks are still in progress, just follow Av. Fernão de Magalhães until McDonalds, then you can get back to the path.
11. April 2022 - 9:20
04/2022 - roadworks are still in progress, just follow Av. Fernão de Magalhães until McDonalds, then you can get back to the path.
6. October 2020 - 22:07
Change the world hostels has the most amazing beds on the whole path, you will sleep better than at home! Super new and the baths are also super luxurious :)
One more little advice accommodation wise is - don't stay at BE-Hostels, my friend got bedbugs there :/
AND staying one day or arriving early would be worth it - the university is AMAZING! Take the tour, at the natural museum you find ALL animals that exist in the world! Best 12,50€ invested in my life.
25. August 2019 - 18:32
There is currently (24/08/2019) working on the river path so it is not accessible. The best solution is to continuing walking along the main road, underneath the highway, to a Coimbra-B train station, where you can cross the tracks safely. This does not add any distance to the route.
Esta entidad ha sido beneficiaria de una ayuda del Programa de incentivos a la movilidad eficiente y sostenible (MOVES III), gestionado por la Xunta de Galicia a través del Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) en el marco del Real Decreto 266/2021, y cofinanciada por la Unión Europea — NextGenerationEU, dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.
