We loved walking around Porto, the riverfront there is amazing, so lively and vibrant. It was bittersweet saying goodbye to it because it means that our time here in Portugal is drawing to a close (boo!) and there is still so much of the country that we want to see. There will NOT be enough time to fit it all in, so we’re going to have to be choosey.

More than one person insisted that we go to Coimbra, about a 2 hour drive south of Porto. That gets put to the top of the list. Once the car is packed, we are on the road. Coimbra is best known for its university and Old Town. Even though it is Sunday, we were able to visit the whole university. And we also happened to be there just as the students were gearing up to graduate so there were lots of celebrations and live music concerts happening. It gave our whole experience there a super fun vibe.

The stand-out here though, is the library. You will have to take my word for it because it was absolutely forbidden, and strictly enforced, to take pictures. I encourage you to do a quick google search to see pictures of this stunning masterpiece. Three chambers make up this exquisite Royal Library. The walls are filled with priceless books, ornate bookcases, gold leaf embellishments, paintings, and study tables as huge as I’ve ever seen. It was breathtaking. It may not have rivaled the Trinity College Library in size, but it certainly did in grandeur.

Great advice people, great advice!

We did a very quick tour down the main street of Old Town, but decided our time would be best spent getting to the Serra da Estrela Natural Park where we hope to spend a bit of time doing some hikes and enjoying nature. First impressions? Very twisty roads going through some spectacular villages and mountains. The harder the drive, the better the end point, right?

We arrive at our hotel and fall so in love with where we are that we make the decision to stay here for two full days, there is going to be so much to explore. Not today, unfortunately – there is no way we want to be hiking in the dark. Instead, we go to the pool and hot tub for some relaxation. Aaaahhhh.