From the Baixa to the Alta via Quebra-Costas and the Sé Velha

What it is

Coimbra has two levels: the Baixa, beside the Mondego, with its shopping streets and cafés, and the Alta, on top of the hill, with the old cathedral and the university. This walk links the two by the traditional route: the medieval Almedina gate, the steep Rua de Quebra-Costas and the Sé Velha, as far as the Pátio das Escolas. It is roughly a kilometre, almost all uphill, and takes an hour with stops.

The route step by step

1. Rua Ferreira Borges and the Almedina Arch. Start on the Baixa's main pedestrian street. Halfway along, on the right, the Almedina Arch opens up, the main gate of the old city wall, beneath the tower of the same name. Its name comes from the Arabic al-madina, the city. As you pass through it, you begin to climb.
2. Escadas de Quebra-Costas. After the arch, the street turns into steps and ramps between narrow houses, with craft shops, bars and the odd fado venue. Its name means "back-breaker" and you will understand why within five minutes. Go slowly and look at the façades, the tiles and the views that open out towards the Baixa.
3. The Sé Velha. At the top of the slope the old cathedral appears, looking like a castle: high walls topped with battlements and few windows, typical of a church built in the middle of the Reconquista. It was begun after 1139 on the orders of Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, and is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in the country. On its north side is the Porta Especiosa, a Renaissance doorway by João de Ruão from the 1530s. Inside are the Romanesque church and the 13th-century Gothic cloister. It has been a National Monument since 1910.
4. Towards the university. From the Sé square, the lanes keep climbing between student houses, the repúblicas, to the Sé Nova and the Machado de Castro National Museum. One last stretch brings you to the Paço das Escolas, the university courtyard, with the clock tower and the view over the river. This is where the visit to the university and the Joanina Library begins.

Distance, climb and difficulty

A little over a kilometre from the Baixa to the Paço das Escolas, climbing from the riverbank to the top of the hill. It is not hard, but the Quebra-Costas steps are uneven and slippery when it rains: wear shoes with a good sole. To come down, you can go back the same way or take other streets to the Baixa.

Price and hours

The walk is free. You go inside the Sé Velha with a ticket; hours and price vary according to the day and religious services, so check them at the cathedral itself. The university has its own ticket sales.

When to go

All year round. In summer, climb first thing or in the late afternoon: the slope in the sun is tiring. At night, Quebra-Costas has a bar atmosphere and sometimes fado. During the Queima das Fitas, the May student festival, the centre is packed.

With children, a pushchair or a dog

With children it is a good walk if they go on foot; with a pushchair, the steps make it very hard going, so a baby carrier is better. With a dog, no problem in the street, but not inside the monuments. If someone cannot manage the slope, there are lifts and city buses that go up to the Alta: ask at the tourist office.

To round off the day

On the other side of the river, across the Santa Clara bridge, is Portugal dos Pequenitos, if you are travelling with children. And if you stay longer, the Roman ruins of Conímbriga are 20 minutes away by car.