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Coimbra
Free Tour Coimbra: History Legends & Traditions
Free Tour Coimbra: Dream & Tradition
Coimbra Free Tour
Coimbra Free Tour: Downtown and University
See tours in Coimbra
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Coimbra Free Tour: History & Traditions
Explore the charm of Coimbra with me, José, on my free city tour. Learn about the city's history and its main attractions (downtown and uptown). Discover the academic traditions and the University. Enjoy a complimentary elevator ride to the uptown.
Things to do Coimbra Free Tour: History & Traditions
I'm José, Portuguese, a graduate of the university & living in Coimbra for over 20 years. I comply with legal requirements, including RNAT registration (registry 924/2023) To make it easier to understand the city's history, I use supporting materials such as photos and diagrams. And at the end, we'll receive a handy sheet with the city's useful information. We'll start in the heart of downtown, at Portage Square. Near the river, you'll get to know the town's patron saint and learn about its history. Then we'll head downtown past what was once the city's main entrance, the Almedina Gate, explore St. James Church and the Santa Cruz Church (once part of a big monastery). And then we'll head uptown. Halfway through the tour, we'll pass by the Old Cathedral, which has a strong relationship with academic traditions. We'll pass by the Machado de Castro courtyard and by the New Cathedral and the University. Along the way, I'll share insights into the city's history, its people, academic traditions, and practical tips to maximize your Coimbra experience. Let's make your Coimbra exploration truly memorable. During winter, the tour may be bilingual (English + Portuguese).
Included
Sé Velha - Coimbra
Igreja de Santa Cruz
National Museum Machado de Castro
New Cathedral
Barbican Gate
University of Coimbra
Largo da Portagem
Santa Cruz Church (inside and out)
Quick Reference Sheet
University
Meeting point
Portagem Square
Reviews (72)
2025-03-06 21:59:39
“Outstanding explanation of sights culture and history”
Jose is a lifetime local, Coimbra University graduate and excellent English speaker. He fully understands the culture, history, music and more - and what tourists want to see in Coimbra. The pace, content and his humor were an outstanding mix. The time flew by and we were very pleased with everything - information, the photo stops and what we learned about this former capital city, university town with its unique culture and style of fado music. Highly recommended! ????????
Stewart Martin (English)
2025-03-05 14:37:44
“José was great!”
Very nice and interesting walk in Coimbra. Jose was very good at explaining things very clear and with some humour.
Marta Rodríguez (English)
2025-03-04 17:40:22
“Discovering Coimbra”
Very nice tour in Coimbra. The guide was very competent and the tour well organised. Hope to come back soon! Obrigado
Francesco Celoro (English)
2025-03-04 15:14:55
“Dina”
Thank you for great story, charming route with authentic places and streets. One of the best tours I had in Portugal so far! Strongly recommend!
Dina (English)
2025-02-15 19:50:48
“Perfect”
It was awsome. José, our guide, is very smart and funny. Told us all about the city and its history. Just loved.
Ana Lígia Marroni (English)
2025-02-11 11:38:37
“Free Tour Coimbra”
Jose is a knowledgeable and engaging tour guide.
I highly recommend taking this tour to jump start your Coimbra adventure. You will learn a lot about the history, sites and how to get the most of your time in this historic city.
Jennifer Von Der Lohe (English)
2025-02-05 23:59:59
“Excellent tour! ”
José was an excellent and engaging guide, sharing history and insights of Coimbra. He provided great dining tips too, including a handout with other useful info. Abrigada Jose for a great walk through the city!
M Fooks (English)
2025-01-31 17:15:22
“Great tour”
Great tour to all parts of downtown Coimbra. It was very informative and interesting. Jose has a lot of knowledge of the town and traditions. I liked the handout with useful information on attractions and especially on the food! Thank you ????
Cindy S (English)
2025-01-27 14:49:13
“Coimbra's nuances ”
Very nice tour, well organised and structured, with a complete overview on Coimbra's sides (downtown and uptown). José is very nice and greatly prepared, he has a wide knowledge of historical, cultural and folkloristici aspects of the town. Another big pro of José Is that he speaks a very clear and comprehensible English, adapting to everyone independently on the level of linguistic skills. Absolutely recommended!
Lorenzo Vercesi (English)
2025-01-23 18:45:20
“Number 1 Tour in Coimbra - a must do for all visitors ???? ”
We would just like to express what a superb guide Jose is , and such a brilliant ambassador for promoting Coimbra.
His level of information, and his way of presenting was both humorous and incredibly informative.
From our experience he was the best guide we came across whilst travelling around Portugal, and should be a 100% must do for visitors to Coimbra.
Thank you once again
Gerard & Maggi
Gerard & Maggi (English)
2024-12-30 21:02:34
“Coimbra free tour with José”
Fantastic tour! José’s tour was informative and interesting. The tour is very well designed to wind up the hill to the university with frequent stops to catch your breath and learn about the city. José provided us with a helpful printout of things to do and eat in Coimbra. José’s English was great.
Ryan (English)
2024-12-29 17:53:06
“Very informative”
A great tour with José. Lots of information on history, traditions, student life and culture.
Heike Hinrichs (English)
2024-12-13 13:58:21
“סיור מודרך בקוימברה”
סיור מעולה, נוגע במקומות העיקריים, מדריך מקצועי ונעים. מעביר את הסיור בצורה מעולה.
ממליצה מאוד
ziva shachamorov (Czech)
2024-11-20 22:21:19
“Coimbra with Jose”
Jose, was well eloquent, informed and engaged. He enthusiastically and succinctly delivered the information which showed evidence of in-depth research and accuracy. He wittily challenged us with some pleasant and surprising results. His dedication and passion were palpable and well appreciated by all of us on the tour. We highly recommend him and wish him continued success.
LVL (English)
2024-11-10 15:32:35
“Great tour”
This tour was really good. I have done a number of these free tours in different cities and this one was the best yet. The guide was really good, kept me interested and had a good sense of humour .. Highly recommend ..
Jessica Godtmark (English)
2024-11-05 20:34:30
“loved it ”
One of the best thing to do in Coimbra. Loved the tour with Jose. It was full of historical knowledge and wittyness. He seems very passionate and professional person. Highly recommended.
Souvik Roy (English)
2024-11-04 16:10:09
“Must do in Coimbra! ”
Jose is very knowledgeable and informative. After the tour, he even provided us a sheet of good local recommendations on food and places to visit that he compiled. He also shared historical information about the city and the university that we found really interesting. Thank you.
Sue (English)
2024-11-04 13:19:23
“Excellent tour by Jose”
Excellent tour by Jose
2.5 hours
Highly recommend
Nathan Krasney (English)
2024-10-28 17:49:26
“Great tour of Coimbra!”
Excellent morning with Jose!
Janet Sredy (English)
2024-10-24 19:01:12
“Great guide, perfect overview, manageable scope”
One of the best, for sure!
Well organized, personable, prepared and accommodating.
I wish he could be my tour guide throughout Portugal.
Only wish the tour had been longer and we could have seen/done more!
alicia r (English)
2024-10-24 14:07:06
“Coimbra ”
Very informative and detailrd
Ryszard (English)
2024-10-21 14:47:45
“Walking Tour with Jose is strongly recommended”
We are great fans of free walking tours and have therefore experienced quite a lot of them.
In spite of rainy weather, the tour with Jose on October, 18 was intensive, informative, well arranged and pleasant.
We strongly recommend this tour and Jose as a tour-guide.
Elena Pikovskaya (English)
2024-10-16 08:23:57
“Excellent Tour”
As new visitors to Coimbra, Jose have us an insightful introduction to this interesting city. I would highly recommend this tour and tip generously so he can continue this service
Caroline Clarke (English)
2024-10-15 22:16:02
“Great and super informative tour!”
We had our share of free tours during our stay in Portugal, and this one was the most informative of all.
The tour was packed with information, well condensed, and Jose is super friendly. I would definitely recommend it!
Natasha Vallee-Martin (English)
2024-10-01 21:50:43
“Tour with José”
José is a very well organized tour guide. The best pre-information before the tour started and the offering of support even after the tour and about any kind of questions regarding Portugal made this tour outstanding compared to other tours i have done here in Portugal. The content itself also was very helpful.
Christoph Geist (English)
2024-09-30 17:02:24
“Coimbra tour ”
Jose provided a great tour. Lots of information and history. He knows his city and makes you feel part of it. His sense of humour adds to the tour. Thanks for sharing Coimbra with us.
Bev (English)
2024-09-24 13:14:05
“Uneingeschränkte Empfehlung”
Obwohl es geregnet haben wir die Tour mit José sehr genossen! Viele spannende Fakten, ein guter Überblick über die Stadt und Tipps hätte unser Guise José für uns - und kannte sich wirklich sehr gut aus mit seiner Stadt! Würden wir sofort jedem weiter empfehlen!
Luise Kreil (German)
2024-09-21 12:43:46
“Coimbra tour”
José is a very preparate and competent guide
Francesca (English)
2024-09-19 20:59:51
“good information and very professional guide”
I am glad to participated of Jose's tour in Coimbra. He is a very professional amd has a positive attitude!
Marcel Barranco (English)
2024-09-14 14:03:03
“Coimbra with José ”
Very good pace for everyone. Good information given during stops in the shade, which was nice ????. Thank you Jose!
Colette Le Gal (English)
2024-09-12 17:18:16
“Coimbra History Traditions Attractions and People”
This was our first ever walking tour. Thoroughly enjoyed it and Jose was an excellent guide.
It enabled us to explore the city the next day with confidence after his information and useful tips. Obrigado
Claire Pearce (English)
2024-09-11 21:04:28
“Wonderfull Tour”
Jose was a phantastic Guide.Pefectly organized & prepared. We highly apprecated the Tour with him, taking advantage of his great knowledge.
THANK YOU!
Jürgen & Cornelia
Jose (English)
2024-09-10 12:06:13
“Thank you Jose”
We enjoyed Jose tour very much. Jose have a lot of knowledge and he knows how to pass it to his listeners… with sense of humor and very good tips. Highly recommended ????????????
Ravit Avi (English)
2024-09-08 12:06:57
“v”
v
Søren Lindved (English)
2024-09-07 12:04:55
“Amazing!”
Highly highly recommend on all levels:
Jesus Garcia (English)
2024-09-04 14:21:20
“Coimbra Free Tours with Jose”
Jose was incredibly informative, friendly and efficient. We covered an unbelievable amount of ground and learned a staggering amount of history about this beautiful city, that Jose clearly loves. He had a book of photos to illustrate his talking points and we were provided with a helpful page of local resources. I highly recommend this tour - it is a true 5 star experience!
Marci Healy (English)
2024-09-03 16:47:54
“Guided tour of Coimbra”
I enjoyed the tour very much!
Isabella Ramenghi (English)
2024-08-04 22:25:46
“Very interesting and informative tour”
Thanks to Jose for this great tour with lots of information.
Cristina (English)
2024-08-03 15:31:16
“Great introduction to Coimbra”
Jose did a great job showing us some of the beautiful sights in Coimbra, giving historical information, and weaving in his experience as a local and former student.
Roger Graves (English)
2024-07-25 13:47:28
“Everything was great! ”
The tour was excellent! Obrigado Jose!
Almudena Barbero (English)
2024-07-24 12:04:06
“Great experience and interesting tour”
Highly recommended!!!
Sara (English)
2024-07-22 15:01:42
“Great comprehensive Tour around Coimbra”
Our Tour with José was very beautiful, many interesting sights accompanied by plenty historical facts without being boring. At the end of the tour there was even a chance to win a ticket to a fado show! Great experience, would definitely recommend!
Bastian Waldhör (English)
2024-07-22 12:53:01
“Five-star Tour Guide”
Very interesting tour, with well prepared tour guide and a good storyteller. I strongly recommend it!
inês costa (English)
2024-07-19 12:24:40
“Best guided tour for Little time”
José has been a very good guide, because can balance culture, funny facts and suggestions! Really worth it!
Alessandro Zironi (English)
2024-07-13 20:39:15
“Best way to learn about Coimbra ”
Jose is an excellent guide and his tour was outstanding. I learnt so much about Coimbra, its history, landmarks, architecture, the university and student life from the tour with Jose. He is very knowledgeable and professional. Don’t miss this tour.
Hester Mountifield (English)
2024-06-19 15:26:19
“Coimbra Highlights with old cathedral visit”
Jose was very knowledgeable, engaging and entertaining.. we thoroughly enjoyed our tour with him. Jose was an absolutely exceptional guide and we appreciated the time and the amount of information he gave us. 10 out of 10 ✅
Electra Corley (English)
2024-06-19 07:24:11
“Excellent tour despite rainy conditions”
Excellent and well-prepared tour of Coimbra! After the tour, you feel that you have seen the most important sights of Coimbra, and can keep exploring from there. Thank you José
Brita (English)
2024-06-10 12:06:32
“Excellent tour! Great sense of humour!”
Great tour, very informative and interesting.
Edgar Aragon (English)
2024-06-07 13:14:21
“A must do in Coimbra”
A well paced, engaging tour. Jose is extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. Having the photos he showed us was a big plus as was his list of recommendations. Thanks
Cathy (English)
2024-06-03 13:32:41
“Grat thanks”
José die a great Job. Thank you
Barbara Dax (English)
2024-06-01 15:47:48
“Coimbra: history, traditions, attractions, etc…”
Jose is a very knowledgeable guide who imparted us with a not overloaded stack of information. He was very attentive and patient in photo taking & to make the tour as cool as possible considering the heat.
Marie Helene LOPEZ (English)
2024-06-01 14:44:18
“Coimbra guided tour”
Jose was a delightful , considerate and informative guide. We enjoyed a few hours learning about the history of Coimbra and Portugal.
Highly recommended.
BTW thank 1you Jose.
Edward Schofield (English)
2024-05-23 16:24:15
“José - our guide in Coimbra”
José was an excellent walking tour guide. Very informative and he gave us lots of extra stories and tips as we explored Coimbra together. He has an excellent sense of humour too! Highly recommend
Suzy HOPKINS (English)
2024-05-21 20:36:12
“Fantastic Tour”
Thank you Jose for a wonderful few hours. We enjoyed learning about the history of Coimbra.
Jane (English)
2024-05-21 19:44:33
“Jose was a wealth of knowledge”
I ended up having a private tour with Jose. He is so knowledgeable and and took me and explained everything even though I was the only one. He was respectful of my time and planned things so that he took me last to the University as I had library tour booked after this walking tour. I 100% recommend Jose!
Audrey Montag (English)
2024-05-17 12:19:50
“Very fun and educative!!!”
Jose was very eloquent but also very precise. He knows little hidden jewels of the city and supports his talk with nice pictures or images. Thank you Jose
Martha Gomez (English)
2024-05-17 12:08:37
“A bright tour despite the rain”
We spent a delightful moment in the presence of José, his great mood and captivating comments made us forget about the terrible weather this day.
Antoine CABO-BROSETA (English)
2024-05-16 19:31:28
“Absolutely fantastic!”
Jose was knowledgeable, jovial and despite the awful weather made it an enjoyable experience.
VJ Sidhu (English)
2024-05-14 18:03:07
“YES for Jose’s walking tour!”
Jose is knowledgeable, open to questions, friendly, and articulate. He enhanced his descriptions with photos and a helpful handout with local info. Totally recommended!
Martha Kendall (English)
2024-05-11 20:58:55
“Portugal Travels ”
This is the first thing I do when arriving at a new destination.Jose’ was a great guide and you can’t beat a walking tour to get the feel for a place and see all the major points of interest.
Cheers Rob
Rob Vinen (English)
2024-05-11 15:52:17
“Coimbra: History, Traditions, Attractions & its People by Coimbr”
Wonderful tour w/ a great Guide!
Adrienne Lebl (English)
2024-05-03 07:13:31
“Great tour”
Very informative about Coimbra. Easy to follow the guide in English and we can understand that he knows Coimbra’s building and history .
Angela Dahlen (English)
2024-04-18 06:55:30
“I recommend this tour!”
José was a fantastic guide, providing lots of historic and sociologic informations. I appreciated the pictures he had to show us and all the informations he gave us at the end of the tour.
Claire Jacques (English)
2024-04-04 14:59:32
“Friendly and clever Guide! ”
We enjoyed and felt really integrated. We found him to be very committed to his city and passionate about teaching us about its history.
In the end we were left with a nice surprise. A document full of tips and recommendations that are worth gold!
Raquel Pardos Pardos (English)
2024-03-27 17:01:59
“A very informative couple hours ”
The two of us had a wonderful time with Jose on the tour. It ended up being just the two of us but he was happy to go ahead with the tour anyway.
We saw many of the important sites Coimbra has to offer with knowledgeable commentary about everything. Thanks!
Kristi Lorentson (English)
2024-03-20 22:53:44
“Coimbra”
Fantastic tour. Jose was very informative on the history of significant sites of Coimbra as well tips for visiting the museums. He provided recommendations for restaurants and other activities.
Don (English)
2024-03-07 15:44:01
“Nice Tour”
The tour was really good, Jose is a good speaker and really interesting.
julien laffont (English)
2024-02-21 17:06:55
“The best!”
As soon as Jose realized what was most interesting to ourselves and another couple (there were only the four of us) he went out of his way to provide the additional information throughout the tour. He is very knowledgable, easy to be with and provided one of the best walking tours we've had (and we've a lot!). You won't regret your time with Jose. He's amazing!
Bob & Syble Gimpel (English)
2024-02-16 13:03:41
“Tour”
Very nice guide thank you Jose
Samuel Soulieres (English)
2024-02-06 15:00:58
“Delightful tour of a charming city”
The tour through the city guided by Jose was really interesting. I was lucky to be the only one so we could enter some special places in the city. The tour is diverse and gives a lot of explanation about the buildings and historical facts without becoming boring, Jose added a touch of humor, so I had a great time. I highly recommend other tourist visiting Coimbra to book a tour with him. Thanks once more!
Jacqueline Van Dongen (English)
2024-02-03 18:56:06
“Delightful and pleasant tour”
We just had a tour with José today. Since it was only us and we had a long day, we asked him to make the tour a bit shorter, which he agreed and still delivered a very rich and insightful tour through all the historically and culturally meaningful places of Coimbra.
José is a very nice guy, he was adapting to our interests and answered all my nerdy questions.
Highly recommended !!
Adrian Weiss (English)
2024-01-28 18:41:29
“Coimbra free tour”
Wonderful
lorenzo sargolini (English)