Coímbra

Coímbra | Wikicommons. Autor: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo

Coimbra is one of the many jewels located in the heart of Portugal. This town has everything a tourist could want as an excuse to visit: rich history, vibrant culture and scrumptious cuisine. One of the strong points of this town is found in its university, one of the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. Added to its connection with the Camino de Santiago, Coimbra becomes without a doubt one of the places to visit. 

While it is true that Coimbra is not a key or traditional part of the Camino de Santiago, stopping in this town can be an enriching experience to say the least. On the one hand, and as a pilgrim, your routes will not be too busy, which is something to be grateful for. At the same time, Coimbra has all the necessary elements to awaken our curiosity: impressive monumental architecture, or ancient libraries. 

Its ever-present university student life is the perfect counterpoint to the most introspective and meditative stop in the town for the pilgrim. The union between the historical wealth of Coimbra, as well as Like the academic part of the town, they make the stop worth it, even with its poor connection with the Camino de Santiago. 

So what? Can you take the pilgrim to visit Coimbra? We have already mentioned that the town is not located. It is not on any of the main routes of the Camino de Santiago, but the simple cultural and spiritual heritage that permeates the area are more than enough reasons to visit it. The history, the architecture or the learning atmosphere present in the city are elements that fit perfectly and we also find on the Camino de Santiago.