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Sleep in Coimbra or day trip from Porto?

Posted by on

Hi,

We are planning a family trip (2 adult and 3 teens) to Portugal end of June.

We will be arriving in Porto, be there for 4-5 days and then take the train to Lisbon where we will stay a bit over a week. We were aiming to do day trips by train and planning to rent apartments in Porto and Lisbon (since we are 5, apartments are easier and less expensive than trying to rent 2 adjacent rooms in hotels)

I'm still debating whether it is better to stay an extra day in Porto and do a day trip to Coimbra or if I should plan one night in a hotel in Coimbra and then take the train to Lisbon the next day.

Looking forward for insights!

Posted by
1671 posts

I would suggest staying the night in Coimbra on your way to Lisbon. There is so much to see in Coimbra, that would give you more time, especially if you take the earliest train you can manage.

To maximize your time, GoWalks Tours has a great tour of all the highlights, including the university and library. And, it’s very reasonably priced.

Posted by
3961 posts

Coimbra was one of our favorite cities in Portugal. Fond memories of Fado performance, Ancient Roman past, Mosaics, & tour of the University. Great idea to spend the night and continue on to Lisbon!

Posted by
80 posts

Hello Nathalie,

I live in Porto area but I agree with the other comments: the best thing to do is to spend the night in Coimbra since there is a lot to see and this way you can also enjoy more of your time in the city instead of dozing off in the train ;)

Enjoy your trip and return to visit more ;)

Posted by
2 posts

I guess that settles it, I'll book a night in Coimbra!

Thanks for the quick feedback. My first time of this forum and the community is great!
I'll come back for more insights as I detail our trip.

Nathalie

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