‘Cambridge of Portugal’ that tourists fall in love with thanks to cheap booze and Roman ruins
PORTUGAL is home to some of the most underrated cities in Europe, with tourists rarely venturing beyond the most popular holiday hotspots.
One city that has a particularly strong impact on its visitors is Coimbra, which some people even saying that tourists often wish they could stay there forever.
The city is described as the Oxford or Cambridge of Portugal due to its famous university, which is the oldest in the country.
It's also famous for its culture, including a famous style of Portuguese singing, while it also has some of Europe's best-kept Roman mosaics.
Lonely Planet described the city as "wonderfully atmospheric" with its fado music playing a big part in creating such an ambience.
Fado is a form of sorrowful music, often performed by singers in bars and restaurants and Coimbra is a great place to witness it.
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What's more, a local beer costs around 80p in the city, so a night out enjoying the local customs won't cost a fortune.
Lonely Planet wrote: "Rising scenically from the Rio Mondego, Coimbra is an animated city steeped in history.
"Its steeply stacked historic centre dates to Moorish times and is wonderfully atmospheric, with its dark cobbled lanes and monumental cathedral.
"On summer evenings, the city’s old stone walls reverberate with the haunting metallic notes of the guitarra (Portuguese guitar) and the full, deep voices of fado singers."
Its university is high up on the list of sites worth visiting in the city, with UNESCO even placing the building on their World Heritage list.
Travel Blogger Rick Steves said it was the "Oxford or Cambridge of Portugal" adding that "it's also the country's easiest-to-enjoy city.
"A mini-Lisbon, with everything good about urban Portugal without the intensity of a big metropolis. I couldn't design a more delightful city for a visit."
The 13th Century university isn't the only old site worth heading to in the city, with some Roman mosaics some of the best in the continent.
The walled settlement was classified as a National Monument in 1910 and has some extremely well-conserved ruins.
Coimbra tourism worte: "The city's worth a visit not just for the monumental university but also for the ancient site of Conimbriga, which has some of Europe’s best-preserved Roman mosaics".
Meanwhile, Portugal Visitor said it was "Portugal's most significant Roman site".
Other sites that leave a mark on visitors include the town's market, which are considered to be more authentic than some of the others found in Europe.
Rick Steves continued: "Though nearly every city in Europe has a vibrant market, in many cases, the character has been lost.
"In Coimbra, the colour and twinkle survive. Visitors can still feel the wrinkled and fragrant pulse of the town."
The city used to be the capital of Portugal once, but has since become a lesser-known city, that visitors often neglect.
However, Portugal.net claim that anyone who visits falls in love as soon as they arrive.
They wrote: "Students sing 'Coimbra has more charm when it is time to say goodbye'; but tourists instead fall in love with this city straight away, wishing they could stay there forever."
The nearest airports to Coimbra are Viseu Airport and Porto Airport, with return flights available from the UK.
A night in Coimbra for two can be booked from around £25.
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Meanwhile, this Portuguese city is considered to be one of the cheapest in all of Europe.
And this city in Romania is one of the most affordable holiday destinations, with £1.60 beers and £16 flights.