To Coimbra by train

• Quinta das Lágrimas;
• Museu Académico;
• Portugal dos Pequenitos;
• Cathedral;
• Water Museum;
• Rainha Santa Isabel Bridge;
• Pedro e Inês Bridge.

• O Burgo;
• Zé Manel dos Ossos;
• Dux Petiscos e Vinhos;
• Tapas nas Costas.

When we get on a train, we generally intend to go somewhere. The train has a destination with or without us. For us, the destination is much more than a city; it is a friend's hug, a grandmother's smile, and the laughter of a young cousin.

When we get on a train, we go with longing in our hearts and expectations to rekindle old flames or discover new joys. We are always different when we arrive than when we leave. We shape ourselves into the rolling countryside.

In the sunset outside the window, we let thoughts go and leave behind a week of work, study or drudgery. We leave behind what we did and look forward to what we want to do.

In the few hours we spend sitting on a dark green seat, we have time to think about the incredible journey that all our journeys build. The people we have chosen as travel mates and those that appear like the rain that buy a ticket and never knew they were beside us.

They often ask – too often – where we are heading. But does our destination interest them? Can't we just appreciate the journey and hug the destinations that inspire us? Give journeys their time. Our heart begs our eyes to let us absorb the colours and our lips the flavours... This journey - life - is made of many destinations.

Today, we're heading off to Coimbra.

They call it the “Pearl of the Mondego” because it is this city's beauty that makes the river's waters shine. Home to the oldest university in the country, Coimbra is often called the “city of knowledge” or “city of students”.

Coimbra University was founded in 1290 by King D. Dinis, which is why the city dresses in black in May. The students wear traditional academic clothes, and this month's academic activities make the city explode with life.

Music is more than just a tradition in Coimbra. The oldest chorus in Portugal is the 'Orfeão Académico de Coimbra', which was founded in 1880, but the history of music in the city doesn't stop here: The Coimbra fado music was born with the habit of students taking their guitars to the city where they studied. The fado was generally sung at night in the streets of Coimbra, only with male voices dressed in their traditional capes. Serenades are also common, and a serenade is sung at this time of year to the city itself, in front of the cathedral.

And if the guitars brought fado, they also cry in the fingers of talented musicians: Carlos Paredes was born in Coimbra, and although he was greatly influenced by his life in Lisbon, he never forgot his Coimbra roots.

Around Coimbra, we can also visit the Quinta das Lágrimas, the stage of one of the great Portuguese love stories: Pedro and Inês. The farm is home to two important fountains for history, the Fonte dos Amores – which gets its name because it witnessed the couple's love – and the Fonte das Lágrimas – alluding to Inês' tears when her love was assassinated. This fountain still lets us see the red bottom, allegedly Inês' blood.

About 16 km from Coimbra, we can visit Conímbriga, a huge archaeological site with remains of Roman dwellings. Some references say this city was on the Roman road from Lisbon to Braga.