Category: Central Portugal

Latada Coimbra is one of Portugal’s wildest university traditions: black capes, tin cans, satire, fado and a history stretching back to the 1870s.

Home > Central Portugal Central Portugal is where the country stops behaving like a highlights reel and begins telling you its stories slowly. University courtyards rise above Coimbra, Roman mosaics survive beneath the countryside, schist villages cling to forested hills, and Atlantic waves crash against fishing towns only a short drive away. This Central Portugal […]

Home > Central Portugal By Carter | Last updated August 2026 Coimbra has enough medieval streets, university traditions and hillside staircases to keep travelers busy for several days. However, one of the best reasons to use Coimbra as a base is what lies beyond the city. The surrounding region contains Roman mosaics, ruined cave systems, […]

People often ask me, “Is Coimbra worth visiting?” My answer is yes—but not because Coimbra tries to compete with Lisbon or Porto. Coimbra is quieter, more intimate, and best explored slowly. Medieval streets climb toward one of Europe’s oldest universities, students still walk around in traditional black capes, and the Mondego River gives the city […]

Home > Central Portugal Central Portugal · About 30 minutes from Coimbra Penela Castle Portugal: History, Medieval Festival and Visitor Guide I have returned to this hilltop fortress several times. The view from the valley first pulled me toward it; the history, atmosphere, and medieval fair kept giving me reasons to come back. Why Penela […]

By Carter | Originally published March 5, 2024 | Updated July 2026 The Buracas do Casmilo are one of the most unusual day trips from Coimbra, Portugal. Hidden in the limestone hills of the Serra de Sicó, this quiet valley contains enormous openings left behind by a collapsed cave system. Short walking routes let visitors […]