Today was not a normal day, it was a how-much-sh*t-can-we-possibly-pack-in-to-one-day, type of day. The answer to that question is compiled in a chronological list of what we were able to accomplish on our first day in Coimbra.
Basically, I didn’t feel like writing a short novel so here it is:
- Roamed around the ruins of the 14th century Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha
- Side swept children in the miniature land of Portugal dos Pequenitos
- Drooled over 300 Barbie’s at Coimbra’s very own Barbie Museum
- Because the miniature Paço das Escolas wasn’t enough, we went to the real Paço das Escolas
- Weren’t able to read books at the Biblioteca Joanina, but it’s presence defs increased my knowledge
- Climbed 180 narrow steps up University Tower for dem views
- Hit up the Museu Nacional Machado De Castro
- Tried to be studious in the classrooms of the University of Coimbra
- Checked into our seriously fab hostel Coimbra Portagem Hostel where we managed to shower and nap, not simultaneously
- Spent the evening overlooking Coimbra, sipping house wine and pretending to be on The Bachelorette
- Kept that Port coming into the night
Mini Portugal a.k.a. Portugal dos Pequenitos
Barbie Museum
The real Paço das Escolas and the University of Coimbra
Studying for finals
Roaming about the downtown finding summer homes and pretty pink doors
If you’re in the market for a hostel in Coimbra I’d recommend the Coimbra Portagem Hostel without hesitation. The owner is one of the most welcoming hosts of all the places we stayed in Portugal (plus he owns the rooftop patio bar upstairs).
Oh what I would do to be sitting in that rot-iron chair again, long sigh….