October 5, 2023

It’s time to continue our journey north to Porto, with a stop to tour some of the sites in Coimbra, including the one of the oldest universities in the world and the oldest in Portugal Coimbra University. We leave Lisbon around 8:30 and arrive in Coimbra two hours later on a somewhat foggy day. We meet our local guide at the University for the tour, then walk through the old quarter, visit the Cathedral , then market street and finally have lunch at a local restaurant before resuming or drive to Porto.

The University was founded in 1290 by King Denis I, but the statue on campus is of Joao III who moved the University from Lisbon permanently. There are many interesting aspects of the institution, but the library with books going back to the beginning of the school was fascinating.

After touring the University we made our way down to the main market street of the city and then to a restaurant recommended by our guide for lunch. Our trusted driver Carlos picked us up and we continued our drive to Porto. Carlos drove us on all of the longer legs of our trip and was not only an outstanding driver, but also a very nice man and great ambassador for Portugal. We said our goodbyes when we arrived at the Yeatman hotel in Porto, thanking Carlos for having such a positive impact on our Portugal experience. The Yeatman hotel is an outstanding property and our rooms had a perfect view across the Douro River of the city of Porto.