Luxury holidays in Coimbra
Historically important, politically energised, hauntingly atmospheric Coimbra is Portugal’s fourth biggest city and capital of the hilly, in-land region of the same name. You’ll recognise its white-washed walls and terracotta-tiled roofs (and its steep inclines) if you’ve spent time in Lisbon’s quieter areas. It’s more compact, though, and comes to life thanks to a vibrant student population, who you’ll find spilling out of bars from which the sound of Portuguese guitar and fado singers echo over the hillside rooftops. Outside the city, you’ll find tumble-down red-brick shacks and rustic farmhouses dotting a green, mild and pleasant land.
When to go
Coimbra is an attractive proposition all year round: in the summer, temperatures vary between 25 and 30 degrees, and during the winter months the student life of the city is at its peak, with bars and restaurants filled with young people attending concerts, gigs and other events.