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    Aqueduct which used to bring water to the university
    Minerva. At the gate to the university which was also one of the gates to the townUniversity buildingsView of the Mondego River from the universityLibrary. This used to be a jailBaroque style chapel in the university. The organ on the right is still in useBlue and white tiles in one of the roomsRomanesque style cathedral built some time around the 1100sCathedral again but note the renaissance style doorway that was added sometime laterRenaissance doorway. Uni students in Portugal wear these long black robesFront door of the cathedralGate in the Roman era wallGate again. Note the butt?!! This was a monument to FadoOutside of the gateCoimbra streetsCoimbra buildingAnother cathedral from the 1100s. This one contains the tombs of the first two Kings of PortugalThe town of Coimbra. The university is up on the hillAveiro canals and boatsAveiroNice town but very expensive to live hereCathedral in AveiroAveiro streets. Note the nautical themes in the cobblestonesStreets againStriped houses in Costa Nova

    Coimbra to Porto

    September 17 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    This morning was a bit cool and foggy in Coimbra. We met our local guide Daniel who had studied art history so was well suited to showing us around today.

    Coimbra is a big university town. The first Portuguese language university was established here in the 1300s and it dominates the hill overlooking the town. Originally of course only priests could study at university and women were only allowed in 1910.

    Of course the original settlers here were the Romans in the first century. They built the obligatory aqueduct and walls around the city. The Romans were driven out by the barbarians and the city continued to develop next came the muslims and finally the Christians all of which left their mark..

    The buildings occupied by the university were built around the 14th and 15th centuries. Originally the university had its own jail attached to lock up any heretics but this became the library. No photos allowed but this was very baroque style.

    After looking around the university we walked down towards the main part of Coimbra. We came to a gate in the original Roman era wall and then the main shopping area.

    We looked around town for a while and then headed to our next destination Aveiro. This is another university town north of Coimbra. This is also a very flash place to live. It is on the coast so the temperature was very comfortable.

    Aveiro’s claim to fame from very early times was salt. Being on the sea with large areas of flat land close to sea level they started harvesting salt back in Roman times. They also harvested sea weed which was used for fertiliser. To help facilitate trade they built a system of canals to allow the salt and sea weed to be collected in boats called Moliceiros. Today tourists can ride the Moliceiros around the canals of the city.

    Just near Aveiro and literally right on the coast is the town of Costa Nova. This is a real summer holiday destination and a lot of the houses have stripes. See photo.

    We then pushed on to Porto. We had a pretty decent wood fired pizza for dinner at a small restaurant near the hotel.    Read more