Coimbra / Bussaco

Driving from Aveiro back to Cascais with our friends, Will and Heather, we took the easterly route via the ancient Roman city of Coimbra. On the way, we took a small detour to visit the Palace do Bussaco (technically, Buçaco) that had been recommended as a place, among other things, to sample the local wine.

The palace is in the heart of the Bussaco national park and is reached after a steady, windy climb up the heavily forested Serra do Buçaco mountain. The area around the palace was originally part of a convent established in the seventeenth century. The monks of the Convento de Santa Cruz do Buçaco not only built a convent but also created a luxurious garden, now the hotel grounds. At the entrance of the old convent, there is a plaque commemorating Viscount Wellington (later, the Duke of Wellington) who spent the night in the convent after defeating the French in the 1810 Battle of Bussaco.

Originally, the palace was to be built for royalty, but political circumstances led to the decision to turn the palace into a hotel which was completed in 1907. We were most disappointed to learn that the interior of the palace, which reportedly is quite spectacular, was inaccessible to everyone except hotel guests. Similarly, the [highly recommended] local Bussaco wine was served only to those staying in the hotel. Bummer! We will have to give this place another look sometime when we will stay in the hotel and enjoy the hiking trails through the beautiful wooded surroundings.

[Scroll left/right to view gallery]

Coimbra, Portugal's fourth largest city, was once the nation's capital, but after losing its place as the home of the realm, it evolved to become a cultural center. It is sometimes referred to as the "City of Students" ("Cidade dos Estudantes") because of its renowned university that attracts scholars from all over the world. The university, which dates back to 1290, is the oldest in Portugal and is a major influence on the city. Students wearing capes are seen everywhere, and tourists flock to the urban campus which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much of the university is perched high on the Alta de Coimbra overlooking the Mondego river, with the cathedral at the very top. We only stayed for a few hours as it was rainy and we needed to hit the road for Cascais. We will return one day to enjoy much more of what Coimbra has to offer.

[Scroll left/right to view gallery]