North Portugal Itinerary – Fatima & Coimbra

One of the best parts of traveling is finding off-the-beaten-path locations with fewer tourists. Today’s trip is one of those journeys. Fatima and Coimbra aren’t on most tourists’ lists. Nonetheless, these small towns in northern Portugal hold significance both religiously (in the Roman Catholic Church) and culturally. As this itinerary heads towards the Douro Valley and Porto, a one-night stop in Coimbra is a great midway point.

This is the second part of a four-part Northern Portugal Itinerary. All four parts are linked below (and will be updated as they are published):

1. Lisbon – Portugal’s Capital City
2. Fatima and Coimbra – Rural Religious Site and Ancient University Town (this post)
3. Douro Valley – Port Wine Vineyards
4. Porto – Portugal’s Industrial City and Port Wine Bottlers

Day 4 – Fatima and Coimbra

Checkout and Pick Up Rental Car

It’s time to say bye to Lisbon and start the movement north to the Douro River Valley and Porto. However, along the way is a one-night stop in Coimbra, Portugal.

While there are trains that can take you from Lisbon to Coimbra, a car is by far the most flexible transportation option available. A car will also be vital once you get to the Douro Valley as it will allow movement from one vineyard and port producer to another without expensive taxis or being stuck on an all-day tour with a large group of tourists.

Fatima

Along the way from Lisbon to Coimbra is the Portuguese town of Fatima. While the town only has about 13,000 permanent residents, it is known throughout the world (especially among adherents of the Roman Catholic Christian faith). Fatima has become permanently associated with apparitions by Mary, mother of Jesus, to three shepherds in the area in 1917. The Catholic Church has recognized the apparitions and since built a shire, including minor basilicas, chapels, and many support structures.

Despite the town being so small, pilgrims to the site number between 6 and 8 million every year. The largest number of pilgrims arrive around May 13^th and October 13^th, which were the main dates of the apparitions. Smaller gatherings are held on the 12^th and 13^th of every month. 

When arriving in Fatima, the Basilicas should be the first stop. First, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary was built between 1928 and 1953. The three shepherd children are entombed in this basilica. The second basilica, The Basilica of the Holy Trinity, is a modern construction that was completed in 2007. This basilica is the fourth largest Catholic church in the world (seating 8,633 people). Finally, visitors should go to the Chapel of the Apparitions. This chapel is built on the exact spot where the apparitions were recorded to have occurred. Various chapels have been built on the spot since 1919 with upgrades being made constantly to support the pilgrims to the site.

Machado de Castro Museum

The Machado de Castro Museum is the former Bishop’s Palace in Coimbra. The palace was first built in the 12^th century on the site of a 1st-century Roman forum. A passageway of the Roman forum exists to this day in the museum and includes some Roman statues. 

The museum includes several notable archeological finds and artwork from around the area. The archeological finds include items such as paintings, jewelry, and sculptures. In fact, one entire room of the museum displays a sculpture rendition of the Last Supper (originally created in 1534).

Another benefit of the museum is that it has a pretty nice cafeteria that is known for good and reasonably priced meals. Once you have finished touring the museum, stop by the cafeteria for a quick lunch.

Coimbra University

Coimbra University is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the world. It was founded in 1290 and has been in its current buildings since 1544.

The most famous section of the university is King Jao’s Library (Biblioteca Joanina). This library was a gift to the university from King Joao V. The King was able to gift this in an ornate fashion due to the vast wealth that returned from the Portuguese colony in Brazil.

Other areas of interest at the university include Capela de Sao Miguel’s chapel (an ornate chapel dating to the 11^th century) and Sala dos Capelos (Graduates Hall – which is part of the formal royal palace on the site).

Old Town Exploration

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With the daylight remaining, explore the old town of the city. The medieval city of Coimbra was the capital of Portugal prior to Lisbon taking over. The well-preserved architecture in much of the city is one of the major draws. The off-the-beaten-path location also means that the number of tourists is much less than many other places in Portugal.

A self-guided walking tour is probably the best way to see the architecture at your own pace. A route similar to the one shown above from GPSmyCity (https://www.gpsmycity.com/tours/coimbra-introduction-walking-tour-6794.html) is good. Run the walk in reverse order since you will be starting at the university.

Check-In

At this point, head to your accommodations, check-in, relax, and refresh.

Fado Show

Fado is a music style unique to Portugal. It has its origins in the 1820s. It is typically a mournful tune, and lyrics are accompanied by a Portuguese guitar. Today, the fado tradition has branched out to include rhythmic and upbeat tunes as well.

While the vast majority of fado music is sung by women, Coimbra University males sing fado here. The male singers are typically students at the local Coimbra University wearing traditional black capes. There is always the possibility of hearing fado on street corners or in random bars. However, if you want guarantees to hear fado, there are two places that have daily performances: the A Capella bar and Fado ao Centro.

A Capella is a 14th-century chapel located near the Santa Cruz Monastery. A Capella offers dinner, drinks, and snacks before and during the fado presentation. While they open at 7 PM, the shows don’t start until 9:30 PM or 10:00 PM. Many times, the performer narrates the music ahead of each song in the performance (most of the times this will also be in English).

Fado ao Central also produces daily scheduled fado shows in Coimbra. This is the most popular location for tourists. Fado ao Central is a museum dedicated to fado. Therefore, there are displays, books, and CDs related to fado throughout. Many musicians are also available in the museum all day. The daily fado performance is at 6 PM and lasts an hour. If the 9:30 PM or 10:00 PM shows at A Capella are too late for you, try to squeeze this one in.