The best neighbourhoods for students in Coimbra

Bairro Sousa Pinto (Praça da República)

This is one of the best neighbourhoods for students in Coimbra. Located in the old town area of ​​the city, it’s very lively. In fact, the Republic Square (Praça da República) is the most lively leisure area for students. Young people usually meet there to spend the afternoon or go out at night. This makes it a highly sought-after area, and finding accommodation nearby can be difficult.

Sousa Pinto is full of cafés, cocktail bars, pubs, fast food restaurants, and nightclubs. And most of them are affordable for students!

This neighbourhood also has some of the most important cultural attractions of the city. For example, here are the Monumental Stairs of the University of Coimbra (Escadas Monumentais da Universidade de Coimbra), as well as the San Sebastián Aqueduct (Aqueduto de São Sebastião) and the Bissaya Barreto House-Museum. In this neighbourhood there's also the Municipal House of Culture (Casa Municipal da Cultura) and the Municipal Library of Coimbra, where many students go to study.

The Sereia Garden (Jardim da Sereia) is next to the Republic Square and forms a quiet space full of trees where you can enjoy a natural area. It has a large fountain, sculptures, a tea room, and a soccer field.

From Sousa Pinto you can reach most of the faculties of the University of Coimbra in a short time on foot, which is a great advantage. It also has some bus lines for easy access to other parts of the city.

São Bartolomeu

This neighbourhood is also part of the central area of ​​the city, so it's very close to the most popular leisure areas.

It’s located west of the main campus of the University of Coimbra, called “Alta Universitária”, so it’s an ideal area to live for those who are going to study there.

São Bartolomeu has several restaurants, cafes, and taverns, so the eating options are varied. It's also home to a wide range of bars, although students usually go to the Republic Square area for nightlife.

Despite being a relatively small neighbourhood, in São Bartolomeu you can find a lot of interesting cultural sites. Among them are:

• Commerce Square (Praça do Comércio)
• Church of Santiago (Igreja de São Tiago)
• Barbican Gate (Porta de Barbacã)
• Chiado Building of the Museum of the City of Coimbra (Museu da Cidade de Coimbra)
• Contemporary Art Centre (Centro de Arte Contemporânea de Coimbra)

From this neighbourhood you can access the banks of the Mondego river for walks or exercising outdoors. Furthermore, the nearby Manuel Braga City park provides spaces to have picnics and enjoy sunny days.

As public transport, from São Bartolomeu there’s access to Coimbra’s central train station and some bus lines.

Celas

Celas is another one of the best neighbourhoods for students in Coimbra, mainly because the Health Sciences Pole of the University of Coimbra is located there. That makes it have a lively atmosphere and make it a popular option among students and young people.

Despite not being a central area, in Celas there's a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and cafés that are affordable for students. However, there aren’t any nightclubs, but the ones in the city centre are a few minutes away by bus or on foot.

In this neighbourhood there are few cultural visits. Among them, the monument of the Cruz de Celas and the Miguel Torga House Museum stand out.

The reality is that there aren’t many green places to enjoy nature in this area. However, it's close to some gardens and viewpoints in surrounding neighbourhoods.

It’s true that this neighbourhood is less than half an hour walk from the central area of ​​Coimbra, but you have to keep in mind that you have to climb hills to get there from the historic centre. If you prefer to avoid that, there are several lines of buses that connect Celas with the rest of the city.

Santa Clara

Santa Clara is located on the other side of the Mondego River regarding the city centre. It's quieter and more residential than the other neighbourhoods we mentioned in this article, and it’s popular among students who prefer to live in a relaxed environment.

The cost of rentals in Santa Clara tends to be cheaper than in the most central neighbourhoods, which is another advantage of choosing this area to live.

In Santa Clara there’s many historical and cultural sites to visit. Among the most popular are:

• The Convent of San Francisco (Convento São Francisco)
• Two monasteries: Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Nova and Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Velha
• An amusement park (Portugal dos Pequenitos)
• An Archaeological Museum

In this neighbourhood there are green areas like the Parque do Choupalinho, a park that’s ideal for leisure walks or outdoor sports. It also has some beautiful gardens, called Jardins da Quinta das Lágrimas, with a medieval fountain. Furthermore, on this side of the Mondego River there’s another area of ​​the Parque Verde do Mondego.

Santa Clara is well connected to the centre by buses and a pedestrian bridge that crosses directly into the Baixa (the centre) and the University.

FAQ about neighbourhoods in Coimbra