10 Best Sights in Coimbra and Central Portugal, Portugal

In 1472, Princess Joana, daughter of King Afonso V, retired against her father's wishes to the Convento de Jesus—established by papal bull in 1461—where she spent the last 18 years of her life. After the last of the holy sisters died, the convent was closed in 1874. It now contains the Museu de Aveiro, which encompasses an 18th-century church whose interior is a masterpiece of baroque art. The elaborately gilded wood carvings and ornate ceiling by António Gomes and José Correia from Porto are among Portugal's finest. Blue-and-white azulejo panels have scenes depicting the life of Princess Joana, who was beatified in 1693 and whose tomb is in the lower choir. Her multicolor inlaid-marble sarcophagus is supported at each corner by delicately carved angels. Note also the 16th-century Renaissance cloisters, the splendid refectory lined with camellia-motif tiles, and the chapel of São João Evangelista (St. John the Evangelist).

This is Portugal's National Pantheon, the final resting place of the country's first two kings, Dom Afonso Henriques and his son Dom Sancho I. The lower portions of the interior walls are lined with azulejos (tiles) depicting various religious motifs. Look a little closer and you'll notice flaws in the design---that's because the tiles were installed in the 18th century, as a quick fix after flooding damaged the 12th-century frescos that were there originally. The 16th-century baroque organ is a sight to behold. From the sacristy, a door opens to the Casa do Capitulo (Silent Cloister); this double-tier Manueline cloister contains scenes from the Passion of Christ, attributed to Chanterene.

The evocative ruin of Coimbra's 14th-century monastery has undergone extensive restoration to reverse centuries of flood damage. For more than 300 years, the ground floor was completely immersed in water, silt, and mud due to its proximity to the Mondego River. Today, you can safely explore the ruin, observing eerie water stains along the walls. Outside are the excavations of the nuns' private quarters, their refectory, and cloisters, some still with their original tiles visible. There's also a kitchen garden and a contemporary museum displaying relics found during the restoration project.

This massive stone structure with twin square bell towers lends the plaza a solemn air. Construction on this cathedral was started in the 13th century and continued off and on until the 18th century. Inside, massive Gothic pillars support a network of twisted, knotted forms that reach across the high, vaulted roof, and a dazzling, gilded, baroque high altar contrasts with the otherwise somber stone. The lines of the 18th-century upper level are harsh when compared with the graceful Italianate arches of the 16th-century lower level. To the right of the mannerist main portal is a double-tier cloister, which is connected to the cathedral by a well-preserved Gothic-style doorway. The cathedral's Sacred Art Museum has reliquaries from the 12th and 13th centuries. For great views of the cathedral, head a block south to the tiny square of Praça de Dom Duarte.

Engaged in an ongoing struggle with the Moors, the Portuguese often incorporated fortifications into their churches---which is why the 12th-century Sé Velha looks more like a fortress than a house of worship. It's made of massive granite blocks and crowned by a ring of battlements, and the harsh exterior is softened somewhat by its graceful 16th-century Renaissance doorway. The somber interior has a gilded wooden altarpiece: a late-15th-century example of the Flamboyant Gothic style, created by the Flemish masters Olivier of Ghent and Jean d'Ypres.

Described as the "jewel of the city," this 250-year-old seminary houses one of Portugal's most impressive collections of 18th-century Italian art, a church, and a library with over 9,000 books. There's a museum dedicated to the works of priest and artist Nunes Pereira, housed in the workshop where he crafted some of his finest pieces. Book at least 24 hours in advance if you want to visit. In the upper reaches of Coimbra, near the botanical gardens, the seminary offers breathtaking views of the city. Guided tours are offered in English, but be sure to book at least one day in advance via the website. 

If the cathedral looks like a fortress, the 16th-century Igreja da Misericórdia across from it looks like a palace. The intricate rococo details around the windows and unusual entranceway are more dramatic than the simple, unfussy interior. An adjoining museum has a good collection of sacred art.

The exterior of this late-17th-century church is completely covered with blue-and-white azulejos.

Repeated flooding of the nearby Mondego River forced the nuns of Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Velha to flee to higher ground. Built in the 17th century, the church honors Queen Isabel of Aragon. Her remains are held on the altar in a silver-and-glass sarcophagus that was originally intended to be displayed beneath an ornate arch at the old monastery. The cloisters are by far the most beautiful in Coimbra; arrive early on a weekday and chances are you'll wander the echoing archways and gardens with just the gardeners for company. During the Peninsular War, the French General Massena used the convent as a hospital for hundreds of troops wounded during the battle of Buçaco. The church's carefully hidden treasures escaped the desecration inflicted on so many Portuguese monuments during this period.

This 17th-century cathedral was patterned after the baroque church of Il Gesù in Rome, as were many such churches of the day. It took a century to build and shows two distinct styles as fashion changed from classical cleanliness to the florid baroque. Three enormous and elaborate gilded altarpieces are the highlight of the interior, flanked by 17th-century choir stalls moved here from Sé Velha (Old Cathedral). There's a pair of organs, both from the 18th century. A small and slightly bizarre ecclesiastical museum displays religious figurines in glass boxes.