Cute Coimbra

Coimbra is a very cute college town that’s about a 90-minute bus ride from Porto. We spent a day there and it was our favourite day trip that we took from Porto. It is a fun mix of old charm with young, vibrant energy.

The only thing we really planned for our day trip was making a lunch reservation at a very well-reviewed restaurant, No Tacho. The restaurant was constantly turning people away so we were quite grateful we had planned ahead. No Tacho is a small and cozy restaurant with an amazing menu. Everything we ordered was outstanding and it was one of the best restaurants we went to in all of Portugal!

After our delectable meal, we spent the afternoon wandering around the town. The buildings were gorgeous and reminiscent of another era.

The streets were winding, narrow, and lined with cobblestones. It was a charming place to just explore and take it all in. We were there in late November on a Saturday so many people were out shopping and the town definitely had a festive feel to it.

Besides the delicious lunch, my favourite part of Coimbra was the botanical garden (Jardim Botanico). The garden is huge and we entered near the university at the top of the hill. There is a huge patch of bamboo that surrounds a little pond, a greenhouse populated with carnivorous plants, and lots of paths through huge trees. There is also a lovely view of the town and the surrounding area near the greenhouse.

Overall, Coimbra was a great day trip from Porto. You could probably spend a couple of days there if you were looking for a more relaxed couple of days away from one of Portugal’s main cities.