During the Roman domain,
Coimbra Portugal, or in those times known as Conimbriga, was an important
stop over post for the military as a causeway joining. In the mid 19th
c., the trip between Lisbon and Coimbra lasted two days and then another
from Coimbra to Porto. At this time, Fontes Periera de Melo was the
minister in charge of developing more and better roadways to make commuting
in Portugal easier and safer.
In the area of the city called High Coimbra, the clergymen and the
noblemen lived inside a walled in city while the businessmen and
skilled workers lived in Low Coimbra. These two divided areas still
exist nowadays, finding the university and the old quarters in the
high part and the fun, noisy and busy commercial are in the Low part.
The university of Portugal was founded in 1290 by King Dinis, not
in Coimbra but in Lisbon. After sharing both cities university life,
the university was finally installed in Coimbra in 1537. The university
of Coimbra can be found in the Royal Palace of Joao III, occupying
one of the highest places in the urban hub of the city where an Arab
fortress used to be. From the central patio called Paio sa Escolas,
there is an indescribable scenery of the different neighbourhoods
and the River Mondego, adorned with a lush green vegetation. What
would be a university without an ample library in one of the most
beautiful buildings on the campus showing us ingenuously painted
ceilings.
Assuming that you have entered Portugal on a flight, either in Lisbon
or Braga, for example, Coimbracan be toured by having a car hire.
If this is you luck, then you should make a two or three day trip
to Sintra, heading north, just over 30 kilometres from Lisbon. If
you have come in through a flight in Braga, then before reaching
Coimbra, head to the coast and visit Oporto ( Porto) and Aveiro.
Aveiro is a coastal town, now artificial connected to the sea through
man-made channels. It is said that Aveiro is the Portuguese Venice!
Aveiro was first mentioned in history thanks to its salt marshes
and later for its richness in sea life. This port city became famous
and very transited when travelling by sea was frequently used to
bring new materials and products from other parts of the world. Nowadays,
Aveiro is the second largest fishing port in Portugal and has the
purest clay for making ceramic and porcelain, nor forgetting its
salt industry.
A leisurely trip up and down the east coast of Portugal, with varied
accommodations in Coimbra, Aveiro and Sintra would put the icing
on any cake, momentarily satifying our sweet tooth for adventure
and knowledge in Coimbra, Portugal
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