Coimbra has a long been associated with love stories and a romantic inspiration for poets and writers. A visit to Coimbra is always a good chance to explore this side of life with a romantic lunch or dinner on our top picks. Start with the emblematic “Itália”, an Italian restaurant over the Mondego River. In addition to a cozy and glazed room with unique views of the Mondego, “Itália” also has a large terrace among the nature of the city park. If you want something more sophisticated, we suggest “Arcadas”, an author’s cuisine restaurant located in one of the most romantic places in Portugal, “Quinta das Lágrimas”, where the beautiful love story of D. Pedro and Inês de Castro unfolded. If you are looking for a different concept, we suggest the Restaurant “Refeitro da Baixa”, a unique space intertwined with a boutique pottery factory that supplies the restaurant with its own beatiful dishware. “Petiscar” means sharing small portions of different foods and is always a good excuse mingle and talk, we suggest “Tapas nas Costas”, a modern and relaxed space, located in the “Quebra-Costas”, one of the liveliest areas of the old town. The “Passaporte” and the “Loggia” can’t be left out of this itinerary for the breathtaking scenery offered. The first is on a beautiful old manor house with a view over the Mondego River and the second sits as a stage in the middle of Coimbra’s old uptown. If you come with time, you may want to go a little bit further and visit the ”Varanda do Casal”, located in the small shale village of “Casal de São Simão”, 25 minutes from Coimbra. This is a secluded and surprising restaurant offering traditional flavors while overlooking the quiet village of “Xisto” and the imposing Lousã mountain range.
Restaurant “Itália”
Contact: 239 838 863
Arcadas Restaurant
Contact: 239 802 380
Refeito da Baixa
Contact: 239 820 080
Tapas nas Costas
Contact: 239 157 425
Loggia
Contact: 239 853 076
Passaporte
Contact: 239 600 138
Varanda do Casal
Contact: 967 703 994
Map and Directions
Contacts
