Starting this off as I'm about to depart Coimbra for Porto today, my last leg, where I'll be meeting my good friend Lucy for some jolly japes and probably far too much wine.
My accommodation here has been lovely and quite peaceful, despite the fact that it's on top of a busy ice cream parlour and on a main road. However, I'm glad I had to get up early and don't have to hang around here too long as it sounds as though the builders (or are they elephants?) are in upstairs and the noise is horrendous!
My early start from Tavira was all going fine - I'd got on the local train going in the right direction (bizarre platform arrangments), managed to get breakfast at the very cheap and friendly station cafe at Faro where I had a lengthy wait for my connection - but I was really surprised as I'd expected quite a modern and busy station, but far from it. Anyway, took my seat on the train early (no buffet car, so glad to have eaten) and the journey to Lisbon Oriente for the next change was due to take about 3.5 hours.
It was a stopper though, and I realised it was running more than 15 minutes late and I was going to miss my connection. Lisbon Oriente is a long way from the centre of Lisbon (like going from London Bridge to Clock House, my regular homeward journey). I wasn't worried about missing the train, it was more about having to get the seat reservation amended as you can't travel on main line trains without one. My anxiety was obviously noted by the nice lady behind me as I alighted, handing me down my case (yet again a train with all the steps to the platform), but joy of joys, the lovely Portugese railway people had held the train on the adjoining platform - panic over, I took my seat, plugged in my depleted phone and enjoyed a very fast journey with Coimbra first stop in about 1.5 hours. I then had the unusual experience of (legally) crossing the actual railway line to get to the exit - better that than having to struggle up and down stairs I guess!
At Coimbra I couldn't see the taxi rank, so I ordered an Uber with a lovely driver who was practising his English. There was some confusion about getting into the property as again all communication was by messaging and there was no-one there to let me in (or give me a map - much appreciated everywhere else and an irritating omission here). I realised as I was tucking into a waffle in the ice cream parlour that I hadn't read their instructions properly as they came several days ago and I've had so many messages telling me how to get in, can I check in online, can I confirm dates etc that I'd forgotten to double check them - all was well, apart from having to heave my case upstairs as there was no lift - thankfully only to the first floor. Lovely bright room with lots of thoughtful design and decorative touches.
No map, but directions into the old town looked fairly straightforward. My walking tour had been cancelled due to lack of interest (in other words I was the only one who was interested), but when asked the guides sent me a list of the places they would have visited on the tour. I wandered through the high street equivalent - some shops open, some closed, and paused outside the new cathedral at the far end of it. The middle picture is a reproduction of the famous library at Coimbra University - to be found in the ubiquitous shop that sells beautifully decorated tins of sardines and tuna to tourists like me at outrageous prices (always given different names depending on their location)
A lively note was introduced by the singing students - about seven or eight young men dressed in their university cloaks with flashes of purple (which I think meant they were art/literature students) played traditional songs with guitars, washboards and accordions with extreme gusto and sounded very much like Yo La Tengo. This is apparently a graduation tradition in student towns like Coimbra and Porto, and very jolly it is too - really uplifting. I saw similar acts in Porto a few days later.
A steep hill beckoned towards the university which is the big must see, dating from 1290. Lisbon is hilly, Porto (I hve now discovered) is also hilly, but parts of Coimbra are almost vertical. I don't know what that does to the 10000 steps calculation, but it was quite tough climbing up, and coming down via slightly shiny cobbles was also tricky.
I found myself alongside the Institute of Psychiatry ( which was actually the only faculty I came across at that level of town - everything else seemed to be much higher up!) and popped in for a look. Originating from the 16th century and originally the College of St Augustine, it became part of the faculty in 1967 and has a beautiful quadrangle and features.
I wandered to the old cathedral (Se Vehle) which is actually rather lovely with beautifully peaceful cloisters on the roof, open to the air, a notable flaming gothic altar, enormous shells gifted from East Timor for holy water - and of course, lots of tiled walls. Bit of a shame that renovation work going on outside (which I've managed to crop out) was very noisy and spoiled the peace!
More wandering, then back across the wide Mondego river where I'd earlier seen teams of rowers traiing out on the sparkling water, inevitable I suppose for a university town. (The following day it was wild swimmers and that looked pretty gruelling.) I had a quick Witbier in the Epicura craft beer bar a few doors down from me, went back to freshen up, and then came out to eat in La Vela, a nice burger restaurant again a few doors down. I'd done a lot of steps and really couldn't be arsed to venture further afield. And it was an unusual burger (with yogurt and harissa) which made a tasty change, so that justified my rather safe choice. Back in my room, the TV had a couple of US movies on with subtitles rather than dubbing, so I relaxed and watched those. Slept really well, as I've been lucky enough to do almost every night.
Next day I nipped up the road to Aldi to buy a few supplies - the coffee machine in my room meant I could be self-sufficient. It was another lovely sunny day - I'd been so lucky with the weather almost the whole time I was away.
I then went to the ruined and partially restored monastery across the road, the Santa Clara a Vehla. It had a long history, having been pretty much funded by the pious Queen Elizabeth (later saint) of Portugal, and was quite a community in its time, including providing medical care to the local populace. Sadly, because renovations are still taking place, it wasn't possible to visit the ruins themselves (they're inside the reconstructed exterior walls) so visitors have to make do with videos and 3D reconstructions and an extensive museum - so it's a pretty sophisticated presentation. If you look at the green urn-like artefact in the photos you'll know why a chamber pot is called a pisspot...
I moved on to the little contemporary art museum in the centre of the old town to take a look at a small exhibition of modern portraits by a variety of artists, called Pose. It was enjoyable but very small!
After an overpriced and indifferent lunch at one of the recommended places (Tapas Costus) I continued meandering upwards towards the university where I'd booked a visit a bit later on. Much of it is extremely grand, and it seemed appropriate that many of the students graduating this very week were in their gowns - they take great pride in the traditions which I rather liked.
The library was pretty special - it's not actually used as a library any more, but the main attraction (though no photos allowed) Two colonies of bats have kept the area pest-free for centuries, though they have to cover up the flat surfaces at night! The Hall of Acts is inside the palace, which would be their equivalent of a university great hall where students would graduate - not entirely sure this still happens today. The Chemistry Faculty, founded by the Jesuits, was also interesting but much of the exhibition was way above what my unscientific brain could cope with!
I walked back down into the town through the university botanical gardens - more trees and large shrubs than flowers, but it was a peaceful haven. Passed some street art and an antique tram en route.
I changed and went back out across the river to have dinner in a little bistro I'd found earlier. The food and wine was good and they treated me like a queen, so hats off to Devaneio gastro bar tucked away on Adro de Baixo.
My train to Porto, my final destination, wasn't until 1045 the following morning so I got up and packed in fairly leisurely fashion, and ordered an Uber to take me to Coimbra B. Way too early, I passed the time chatting to a sweet couple from LA, swapping travel stories, and then clambered aboard in air-conditioned comfort for the last leg. I'd enjoyed Coimbra - it has a certain charm, but has more than its fair share of tourist commercialisation and probably wasn't quite as unspoilt as I was expecting. Definitely worth a day trip if you're in the area.
