Orientation

Coimbra’s historic upper city, Alta, once reserved for students by royal decree, has steep streets and stairways, with the university at the top; the lower part of town forms a crescent around the upper city’s hill. In Baixa, the lower part of Coimbra, the Coimbra-A train station is right on the river.From the station’s main entrance, head left one block to reach the wide Av. de Fernão de Magalhães, which runs parallel to the river. To the right, Av. de Fernão de Magalhães becomes the narrower R. da Sota and goes to Largo da Portagem, a big plaza where there is a tourist office. Continuing along the river is a park with some restaurants and accommodations across the street. In the other direction, the pedestrian Rua de Ferreira Borges goes from Lg. da Portagem straight to the Praça 8 de Maio, with two sets of stairs along the way on the left side that lead down to Praça do Comércio. This street and these two plazas are the heart of Baixa, with narrower capillaries leading off them. Continuing to the right after Pr. 8 de Maio will take you around the old city’s hill to the huge, tree-lined Av. Sá da Bandeira, which ends at the Pr. da República.