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Help with last-minute planning Tomar/Coimbra

I'm leaving on Tuesday (good grief - I need another week to get ready) for Portugal and as usual I have procrastinated, so I'm in dire need of your help.

I'll be driving from Regua to Tomar on a Friday, stopping at Viseu on the way. Then I have 2 full days in Tomar (Sat-Sun) before returning the car on Monday morning. Places that have caught my attention: Batalha, Nazare, Obidos, Castelo de Alcobaca, Almourol. What would be a reasonable 2-day itinerary? About how much time do you recommend in each place (maybe zero time? :-) Batalha is a must-see, I'd like to visit a couple of seaside towns.

A week later, I'll be in Coimbra for 2 nights (Fri-Sat). Suggestions? How much time, what to see and do?

Posted by
1654 posts

I’m assuming you will visit the convent in Tomar as part of your time there. It is a definite ‘must see’. Your list in the area is a good one even though Nazare may be somewhat disappointing - it was to me. Be sure to go up the hill in Nazare, either by funicular or driving. This is my favorite part. But, lunch on the beach might be a good way to spend some time in the town.
Other seaside towns that might be of interest - São Martinho do Porto, Foz, Peniche. Ericeira is further away but might be my favorite.

Alcobaça and Batalha are both very much worth your time. It will likely take about two hours for each. But, I visited them both the same week and, frankly, have a hard time remembering the differences. I like the story behind Alcobaca better - it’s a love story...

Almoural castle is also worth a visit. If you can take a boat to the castle, it is a lovely way to approach it. Bear in mind it is a ruin. How much time you spend will depend on how much you want to explore. An hour is likely plenty of time.

You can easily see Obidos in a couple of hours. It’s very crowded with bus groups. If you don’t have time to see everything (which would really be pushing it), Obidos might be the place to drop due to the crowds.

For Coimbrã, Go Walks does great walking tours of the town including the university and library. It is a very reasonable walking tour. The food in Coimbrã is very good. The town seems to have a higher ratio of very good food than most towns of it’s size. Conimbriga ruins outside of Coimbrã are reportedly very nice, but I haven’t been - so can’t give a personal opinion. Two nights is likely about the right amount of time.

Posted by
15560 posts

Thank you Kathryn. It is a relief to know that I've made good choices with my overnight stays. And it's rare for me to be in a place so long that I feel I've been there long enough, so I am reconciled in advance that I won't see everything, but I am always determined to enjoy everything I do see.

You've given me good directions to focus my last-minute research. I ruled out Conimbriga; I'm a snob about Roman ruins, having seen so many in Italy and of course, I have great ones here in my own little country.

Posted by
11294 posts

In Tomar, don't miss the Museum of Matchboxes. Lots of fascinating designs, political slogans, etc - wait till you see the Nazi one!

An hour away from Tomar by train or bus (don't know about driving or parking) is Santarem. It's lovely, at a bend in the river, and I enjoyed just walking around. There are also two famous churches. The Igreja da Graça is the more celebrated, with its rose window, but I liked the astounding tile work in the Igreja de Marvila even better.