A good place to start when exploring Coimbra is the Velha Universidade overlooking the town. One can visit the university, Biblioteca Joanina and Sala dos Capelos. The library dates from the 18th century and the Sala dos Capelos is decorated in the Manueline style.
Dr. Santos Rocha Municipal Museum (Figueira da Foz): this museum includes several pieces basically related to the archaeological discovery. Opened every day, except Mondays and national holidays, from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., the museum shows several collections of religious sculpture, ceramics, glass, numismatics, indo-Portuguese art, African and Oriental collections.
Carniçosas Dolmen (Figueira da Foz): the Carniçosas Dolmen consists on a gallery, 4,50 meters long, formed by two rows of flagstone and by a chamber limited by five flagstones that support each other. It is almost impossible to describe, so we suggest you go and see for yourself.
Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel (Figueira da Foz): this chapel is remarkable especially for its artistic interior. The walls are covered with tiles and that, together with the carved altar and the interesting ornament of the pulpits, gives the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel a really dazzling artistic matrix.
The Sé Velho built in the 12th Century is one of the best examples of Romanesque churches in Portugal. The Sé Nova was built at the turn of the 16th Century by the Jesuits to demonstrate their growing strength. The charming and elegant 16th Century Museu Nacional Machado de Castro was formerly the Bishop’s palace and is now the depository of some of Portugal’s finest sculpture. On display is a mixture of other items including ancient art up to the 20th Century. In an underground maze of linking Roman passages it exhibits items from that period.
Another highlight in Coimbra is the Baixa, on the way there you will visit the old cathedral from the XII century, in tipical portuguese romanesque style. The Baixa is the part of the city down by the river with most traditional shopping. It is full of narrow streets and crowded shops, banks, churches, cafés, hotels and walks to stroll along the Mondego rivers' banks.
Around Coimbra within an hour drive there are several places that worth a visit: Buçaco, Luso, Curia, Figueira da Foz, Condeixa, Conimbriga, Montemor-o-Velho...
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