This Gothic convent was founded in 1330 by the saintly Queen Isabel, Dom Dinis’ wife; it served as her final resting place until flooding forced her to be moved uphill. The adjacent museum displays archaeological finds and shows two films, one about the nuns who lived here, the other documenting the 20-year renovation that cleared the river ooze that had buried it since the 17th century.
Convento de Santa Clara-a-Velha
Coimbra
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.52 MILES
Coimbra's Unesco-listed university, one of the world's oldest, was originally founded in Lisbon in 1290. It was subsequently relocated several times…
0.49 MILES
The university's baroque library is Coimbra's headline sight. Named after King João V, who sponsored its construction between 1717 and 1728, it features a…
7.76 MILES
Set in the lush countryside southwest of Coimbra, this is Portugal’s largest and most impressive Roman site. Ancient Conímbriga was an important city in…
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Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro
0.65 MILES
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19.96 MILES
Between Aveiro and Coimbra, in the village of Sangalhos in the Bairrada wine-producing region, this magnificent place is part adega (winery), part art…
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0.57 MILES
Coimbra's 12th-century cathedral is one of Portugal's finest examples of Romanesque architecture. The main portal and facade are particularly striking,…
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0.75 MILES
Coimbra's science museum is wonderful, with everything from kid-friendly interactive machines to early scientific instruments, fossils and skeletons. The…
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12.63 MILES
Sprawling out from the Palacio do Buçaco, this aromatic forest is littered with crumbling chapels, fountains, ponds and exotic trees. There is a network…
Nearby Coimbra attractions
1. Jardins da Quinta das Lágrimas
0.18 MILES
According to legend, this lovely pocket of parkland is where Dona Inês de Castro (aka Portugal's Juliet to the Infante Pedro's Romeo) was murdered on the…
0.2 MILES
The brainchild of local collector Bissaya Barreto, this is a cute theme park where kids clamber over, into and around micro versions of Portugal’s most…
3. Convento de Santa Clara-a-Nova
0.32 MILES
On the west side of the river, this imposing convent was built in the 17th century to replace the original Convento de Santa Clara-a-Velha, which often…
0.33 MILES
At the base of the old town, this park extends from Parque Dr Manuel Braga along the riverfront. It has wooden walkways as well as a giant green bear and…
0.34 MILES
A great spot for a restorative timeout, this tranquil riverside park was planned by the landscape gardener Jacinto de Matos in the 1920s. Amidst its tree…
0.49 MILES
The university's baroque library is Coimbra's headline sight. Named after King João V, who sponsored its construction between 1717 and 1728, it features a…
0.49 MILES
This former prison for misbehaving students sits in the basement of the Biblioteca Joanina. Originally located beneath the Sala dos Capelos, it was later…
0.51 MILES
Part of the main university complex, this ornate 16th-century chapel has a brightly painted ceiling, lavish tilework, Manueline features and a gilded 18th…