How to get to Coimbra-B Portugal by train
The best way of getting to Coimbra from Porto is by train, which is a quick and scenic trip. Several trains run daily from Porto’s main Gare da Campanha station to Coimbra (Coimbra B). Taxis are readily available outside the station. The trip should take around 30 minutes.
When you arrive, it’s about a 10- to 15-minute walk from the Coimbra B station into the heart of the city center along Avenida Fernao Magalhaes. It’s also possible to catch a bus from the station (bus number 103). Buses are a bit slower than the train but much cheaper; tickets start at $8 from Rede Expressos.
Coimbra’s historic university – founded in the XIIIth Century and listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site – is the highlight of a visit to the city. Its upper section features the imposing Penitencia de Santa Catarina, which houses the library and its astronomical clock. It’s worth climbing to the top for the incredible view from its towers.
Other sights include the dazzlingly ornate Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, with its vast collections of books and art. There’s also the Quinta das Lagrimas gardens, where Portuguese version of Romeo and Juliet was played out – lady-in-waiting Ines de Castro was murdered by the King’s soldiers in 1355.
If time allows, make a stop in the coastal town of Ericeira. The cliff-top views and whitewashed beachfront are stunning. Or head further south to Peniche, where the beaches are great and the natural reserve of Berlenga is a delight.
