Fodor's Expert Review Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Nova

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.