Experiencing the beginning of September in Coimbra is like watching a phoenix rise from the ashes. Too much? Well, maybe… The awakening of Coimbra after the summer won’t be as dramatic, but it is, nevertheless, an important phenomenon. The students are back, the city is more lively than ever and the days get cooler. It is the perfect time to make the most of Coimbra’s green spaces during the day and enjoy the fun bohemian life during the night.
The Summer might be almost over, but the good times are here to stay.
A city like Coimbra, simultaneously traditional and cosmopolitan, was deemed to offer a green alternative to locals and visitors. Although the city already had several great green spaces, this year everything is even better thanks to the improvements made at the Choupal and the Botanical Gardens.
Whether you love outdoor activities or walking around historical locations, Coimbra has the perfect answer. It is now easier to enter the Choupal National Forest, near Coimbra’s ‘açude-ponte’, and enjoy a lovely picnic by the river Mondego or a healthy afternoon with sports and lots of playful shenanigans.
The redevelopment of the space was completedearlier this year. To celebrate the end of the renovation, as well as this year’s International Day of Forests, several lemon and orange trees were planted outside the Choupal.
But this wasn’t Coimbra’s only change for the better in 2015. Starting this month, it is possible to travel the road that connects the city’s waterfront, by the river Mondego, and the university area through the Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra). The path, which connects the Rua da Alegria to the Rua do Arco da Traição, allows visitors to discover a new historical itinerary, part of Coimbra’s area classified as World Heritage by UNESCO.
In addition to the new path, which is about 800 meters long, the project also includes the recovery of iconic monuments: part of the old wall and tower, the chapels of São Bento and Santo Elídio and the reservoir house. Once you reach the garden, it is time to allow yourself to be dazzled by the numerous collections of plants and flowers that adorn the space. Do you really need any more reasons to go outside and enjoy Coimbra?