Kings, Scholars and Rebels Self Guided Tour of Coimbra

Coimbra, Portugal
Duration2h - 4h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesGerman, Russian, Portuguese, English, Italian, Polish, French, Dutch, Spanish
Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Portugal's first capital has a habit of giving old buildings new jobs. A royal throne room is now where doctoral students defend their theses. A parish church is now a café. A Moorish gate still guards the hill. This self-guided audio walking tour, on the Tourific app, stitches it all together.

Follow a route from the Monastery of Santa Cruz, where Portugal's first two kings lie buried, up cobblestone backstreets to Europe's oldest surviving university, where bats work the night shift in the Joanina Library. Hear how a student serenade became the secret signal that toppled a dictatorship, and trace the doomed love of Pedro and Inês.

Walk at your own pace, pause when you want, restart when you're ready. No fixed meeting time, no group to keep up with, full offline access.

Over 20,000 travelers have used our self-guided walking tours, and this Coimbra audio tour comes with a full refund guarantee. If you'd rather wander and listen than follow a raised umbrella, this one's for you.

What's included

  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: If you don’t love the tour, write to us for a full refund.
  • 1-year access to audio on iOS & Android. Listen to the tour anytime, as many times as you like
  • Audio and written guide included
  • Offline access to the tour (no internet connection needed) once tour is downloaded
  • Images to identify stops and in app interactive map for navigation
  • Any physical devices or headphones
  • Human tour guide at location

What to expect

  1. 8 de Agosto
    Pass by
    Stand at the triumphal arch that a Portuguese king built to rewrite his own dynasty's burial ground.
  2. 8 de Agosto
    Pass by
    Order coffee beneath the soaring vaults of a church that once served as a hardware store.
  3. Coimbra
    Pass by
    Climb the stair locals call the Backbreaker and meet the bronze woman who once kept this city drinking.
  4. Coimbra District
    Pass by
    Step inside a medieval watchtower where a doomed poet scrawled his name and a fado museum now whispers.
  5. Se Velha De Coimbra
    Pass by
    Look up at the crenellated parapets of the only Portuguese cathedral still dressed for battle.
  6. Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro
    Pass by
    Descend beneath a bishop's palace to the largest Roman structure in Portugal, built to flatten a hilltop
  7. Portugal
    Pass by
    Cross the stairs Salazar built as a showcase and students turned into the stage of a national protest.
  8. Coimbra District
    Pass by
    Pause under the iron gate every Coimbra student passes through twice, once to begin and once to burn.
  9. Coimbra
    Pass by
    Enter the courtyard where Portugal's first dynasty of kings was born and where rectors are still crowned.
  10. Coimbra
    Pass by
    Meet the two bat species who have worked the night shift among sixty thousand rare books for centuries.
  11. Coimbra District
    Pass by
    Notice the armillary sphere above a chapel door that hides one of Europe's loudest Baroque organs.
  12. Coimbra
    Pass by
    Duck through the last surviving Moorish gate in Coimbra and find the legend of a princess carved above
  13. Portugal
    Pass by
    Spot the Friar Killer whose statue rules the square where medieval traders paid their toll to enter Coimbra.
  14. Ponte Santa Clara
    Pass by
    Linger on the bridge that has joined the two sides of Coimbra in three forms across five centuries.
  15. Santa Iria de Azoia
    Pass by
    Explore the ruins of a monastery the river swallowed, founded by a queen who turned bread to roses.
  16. Jardim Urbano da Costa de Caparica
    Pass by
    Wander the gardens where a royal romance ended in murder and a fountain still holds her tears.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

This is a self-guided audio tour on a self-guided tour app. To activate the tour, check your email for instructions from us sent right after booking. Can’t find it? Search for the company in your email inbox and spam folder. OR contact us via support.

End point

Additional information

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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$9.00 per person
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  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • Instant confirmation
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
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