4.8
Highlights & Hidden Gems of Coimbra
- 3 hours
- City Highlight Tours
- Coimbra
Choose one of 4 locals available
Experience hosted by João , Mateus & other locals
- Private Tour
- Carbon Neutral
- Destination
- Coimbra, Portugal
- Category
- City Highlight Tours
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Transport mode
- Walking tour
- Available languages
- English, Português, Español
- Included
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- Private Guide
- 1 Local Snack or Drink
- All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
- Excluded
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- Entrance to attractions
6 reasons to book this tour
- Explore the best of the city in only 3 hours
- Spot classics like University of Coimbra & Sé Velha
- Discover hidden gems away from the tourist paths
- Experience the city from a local’s perspective
- Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
- Privately guided by a local expert
What you can expect
Coimbra, is a magical place! And with the local host of your choice, you are going to experience it all. So get ready; culture, history, and local lifestyle await!
Dive into the origin of Coimbra as you see the city’s main landmarks like University of Coimbra, Sé Velha, and Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova. And how about the hidden gems? Oh, you’re in for a surprise! Every host has its own story to tell, so pick your favorite, and you’ll discover the city through their eyes. Experience their Coimbra to the max based on their passions and expertise. They’ll make sure you have fun enjoying a unique and local perspective of Coimbra.
Want to take a break? Leave it up to your host! This is the perfect opportunity to visit that special eatery where only the locals come and your chance to enjoy a local treat hand-picked by your host. Feel free to ask your host more about their life in their city or get recommendations about the top things to do in Coimbra. Remember, the locals know best.
The best part of any city tour is definitely the unique stories. Everybody has a story to tell, especially your host. Each one of the local hosts has a different background ranging from arts to history. They can’t wait to share their knowledge with you and exchange ideas and perspectives! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes and make their Coimbra, your Coimbra!
Choose your local
Get to know these 4 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
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João
Local Guide
4.912 reviewsEnglish・Português -
Mateus
Adventure Alchemist
4.910 reviewsEnglish・Português -
Gonçalo
The One Man Band
5.0English・Español・Português -
Daniel
Nature guide
4.01 reviewEnglish・Português
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
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Meeting point
Meet at In front of the Iron Gate - Coimbra to start your journey
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Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
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City Highlights
See from University of Coimbra, Sé Velha, Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Coimbra so unique -
Hidden Gems
Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience -
Magical Storytelling
Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know! -
Special Treat
Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions -
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
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Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
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Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
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Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Lisa🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
28 February 2025
Our walking tour around Coimbra with João was exactly what we hoped it would be. He gave us a great foundation from which we could (and did) explore on our own. Coimbra is a fascinating place but the terrain, with its many hills and winding narrow streets, requires an expert to decipher. We really enjoyed learning the secrets of Coimbra from João, then we were most appreciative of his knowledge when we struck out on our own. Thank you, João for a wonderful memory of Coimbra! Wow João
Georgia
(About local )
5 February 2025
Joao was a terrific guide and very informative. We had ventured out on our own the day before but we experienced so much more on our tour with Joao. We also took him up on his recommendations for dining and Fado, both of which were excellent. Highly recommend! Excellent Tour of Coimbra
Timothy🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
15 November 2024
Had a wonderful time with Daniel!would rexomend him.
Kathie 🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 November 2024
Jaoa is extremely knowledgeable about Coimbra and enjoyed sharing its stories and sights with us. We let him know at the last minute that we would be 30 minutes late and he was very flexible and gracious. Would highly recommend himJaoa is very knowledgeable and flexible
MARTIN🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
28 October 2024
Mateus was excellent!
He picked us up at our hotel on time, and took time to discuss what we might like to see in Coimbra.
As he was a student there, he was quite familiar with the history of the University. With each stop, he carefully took the time to inform us, not only about what we were seeing, but also about its history and evolution. His knowledge of Coimbra and the role that the University played was very impressive.
We never felt rushed, He was fun, comfortable to be with, and very attentive to answering any questions we had. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting him, and his tour of Coimbra. On our trip to Portugal, we had a number of guides, he was clearly exceptional, and one of the best guys we have ever had.
Thank You.
Best Guide
Jodie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
15 October 2024
Mateus made our custom tour of the university and Coimbra a perfect day. He is a beautiful storyteller, sharing history all along the way. Weaving in the past and present to bring this amazing location to life. He was a gift to connect with you easily making it feel like you have known him for years, becoming part of your family in a mere 3 hours. He communicated important information before and after our time with him. You will be grateful for the time you have spent with Matheus learning about Coimbra and Portugal history. Mateus is a Treasure
Rebecca🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 October 2024
What a fun 4 hour stop in Coimbra that included a private tour with Mateus! Not only was he knowledgeable, personable, and passionate, but he excelled at reading his audience, tailoring both content and pace to meet our interests and schedule. We so enjoyed his many historical tales and facts as we toured the city, but also how he easily contrasted those with current events or conditions. And so many hidden gems…a personalized and exceptional tour! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebecca
Karen🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
30 September 2024
We took the Highlights and Hidden Gems tour in Coimbra with João yesterday. He was extremely knowledgeable, spoke perfect English, and was able to answer every question we threw at him - including many that were far afield from the sights of Coimbra. We chose João because we are a group of senior Jews, and we noticed that he also had a tour of Jewish Coimbra. When we asked him to show us a few places of Jewish interest, he cheerfully modified our tour according to our interests. He also checked frequently to make sure we were feeling up to another three flights of steps before proceeding (note to those new to Portugal - expect hills *everywhere*.) I can’t speak highly enough about both João and the tour itself. Highly recommended!A++++ Exceptional tour with João
Kevln🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
23 September 2024
We found Mateus to be very knowledgeable, easy going, and very willing to adjust his plans to meet our interests. Mateus was easy to understand, patient, and fun to be with. We highly recommend him and thank you for making our experience in Coimbra more enjoyable!Mateus was an excellent guide
LIESBET🇧🇪 Belgium
(About local )
9 September 2024
We had a wonderful time with our discovery walk in Coimbra. Mateus was a great guide with all the stories about the history of Coimbra & the students 😀
He made even my teen age son enthusiastic on the city & the activity as such! Great stories
Veronica🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
31 August 2024
Mateus is an amazing and professional guide. He is extremely knowledgeable of Coimbra. My friend and I had a fantastic time exploring heritage sites as well as off the beaten track sites. I highly recommend Mateus as your Coimbra guide! Wonderful time and a fabulous guide
ALISHA🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
18 July 2024
Highly recommend Joao. He was very friendly and knowledgeable as well as easy to work with. We enjoyed all that he had to share about Coimbra and the University. We had originally tried to book with Tiago who did not respond until several weeks after the inquiry with a decline the day before the tour date. Joao was empathic with my frustration and reassuring to make it a positive experience. Great experience
Marina
(About local )
13 July 2024
We had a fantastic three-hour tour of Coimbra with João! The tour was well tailored so that we could see the main sights. We've learned a lot about Coimbra and fell in love with this beautiful city! João is very knowledgeable and easy to communicate with. Highly recommend him!Tour in Coimbra with João
Barbara
(About local )
6 March 2025
We only had one day in Coimbra and we are so glad that we found Mateus to help us make the most of it. He was so knowledgeable and so generous with his time, insights, and stories. Highly recommended! A wonderful tour through Coimbra
Paul🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
27 February 2025
Mateus was a knowledgeable and passionate young man! His knowledge of the history of Coimbra, Portuguese history and the University is outstanding!
We enjoyed the personal anecdotes and appreciated the coffee break where he treated us to local specialty tarts….delicious!
Good luck and we hope you can travel the world as you intend.Knowledge and Passion
Meredith
(About local )
20 February 2025
Our tour with Mateus began in the beating heart of the center of Coimbra: the university! Mateus took us through the highlights of the history of the city and its significance to the country as a whole. This was the first activity we did upon arriving in Coimbra for a short stay, and made for a great jumping off point to explore further on our own. Obrigada, Mateus!A great start to our stay in Coimbra!
janeporter2014
(About local )
20 February 2025
Mateus was very pleasant, engaging and seemed well informed. He was comfortable and confident, had a good command of our language and was polite and considerate. Great Guide
Yael
(About local )
17 February 2025
Joao was very knowledgeable about both Jewish history and the general history of Coimbra. He patiently answered all my questions and made the history of the Jewish community of Coimbra come alive.
Christine🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
1 October 2024
We had a lovely 2 hours with João. We learned a lot about the history of Portugal and Coimbra. He went to University there so was able to give his perspective too. Coimbra
Irvin🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
16 September 2024
We had a delightful tour with João in Coimbra. He was indeed a local, having spent his entire life in the city, and his family has lived there for generations. He arrived promptly for the six-hour walking tour (we requested the longer tour) with a big smile and speaking perfect English. Since we knew little about the city other than from our guidebook, he was eager to share the history, lore and unique customs of this ancient university town. We asked many questions, and he answered them flawlessly. He was sensitive to the pacing of the tour, following our lead in terms of taking photos, bathroom breaks, and providing good cheer during climbs of the town’s steep cobblestone streets (mostly downhill!). He also selected a good place for lunch.
A small side note: He mentioned in passing that he sometimes gave Jewish tours of the city. The Jewish population is long gone, and almost no vestiges remain since the Jews of Portugal were either expelled or murdered in the Inquisition centuries ago. We told him that we were Jewish, and he responded in a respectful and sensitive manner, which we deeply appreciated, particularly now.
We recommend João without hesitation.
Fascinating history from a true local!
Roz🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
11 September 2024
We had a wonderful 2 hours with John walking the streets of Coimbra. Very informative and easy to listen to.Great guide John
Christy
(About local )
21 August 2024
Seeing the university was incredible. It was a great way to learn about the city and places we wanted to explore. He was incredibly knowledgeable. Great introduction to Coimbra
Anne🇧🇪 Belgium
(About local )
26 July 2024
João is a great guide. Reacting very fast to our last minute request. Very knowledgeable and nice storytelling! Perfect Quick Start
Withlocals experiencesare always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.
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