On May 3, 2020, Portugal relieved the Covid19 control measures from a state of emergency to a state of calamity so several street shops, restaurants and cafes were allowed to open their doors after a long time. A series of rules were imposed by the General Direction of Health with the objective of continue the battle against the pandemic, rules that will be permanently evaluated.One is, of course, the mandatory of use a mask or visor in all commercial spaces by employees and customers. The number of people per space is also limited.
The shops in downtown Coimbra quickly opened their doors to customers after the state of emergency. During the first days of transition, there was little movement on the streets. However, there were spaces that had plenty of demand as is the case of the Fabric Stores, Children’s Stores and Wool Stores. Fabrics for masks, articles for baby and wool were the most popular products. Gradually, with the low number of new infections by Covid 19, people progressively lost their hesitations and started to go out on the streets again. The streets gradually recovered the traditional bustling of Coimbra. This is a genuine area and ever more welcoming at these particular times, where the tourist pressure was never intense, as it was in the centers of Lisbon or Porto. Connect with our amazing local businesses. Coisas & Sabores, Artisanal Chocolate Shop Equador and Loja das Meias, as well as many other, deserve your visit even more than before.
Pastries and cafes with terraces are the most valued spaces.
“Pastelaria Penta”, on Rua da Sofia, for example confirms that the movement has its days and although it has some outdoor seating, people still prefer take-away and delivery services. The majority of customers are residents and workers in the area.
In the downtown, there are several terraces with plenty of outdoor seating: in “Largo da Portagem”, the “Pastelaria Briosa” terrace (with its very tempting sweets storefront); a few meters ahead, the terrace of “Brasileira”; between Ferreira Borges and Visconde da Luz streets, “Nicola”; when arriving at Praça 8 de Maio, we have the spacious terrace at the most emblematic Café in the City, Santa Cruz (their “CRÚZIOS” are as delicious as always!). In the “Quebra Costas” area, there are already short lines to taste the delicious artisanal Ice Creams from Così and the Tapas in “Quebra-Costas” Restaurant, a little further up, saw its terrace being extended (temporarily).
There are also plenty of restaurants with terraces and even with Portugal Tourism’s Clean & Safe certification.
Most restaurants have already opened and quality won’t be at stake.
“Cantinho dos Reis”, in Terreiro da Erva, and “Pizzaria Italia”, in Parque da Cidade are two examples of restaurants with large and airy terraces.
With an extension of the “Clean & Safe” certification of Turismo de Portugal into restaurants, it’s already clear that several are committed to their practices: the Coolabola Gastro Bar restaurant, Solar do Bacalhau, Praxis Beerhouse&Restaurant and Sete restaurant just to mention a few.
The supermarkets never stopped and the “Mercado Municipal D. Pedro V“ also reopened, shy, in the first days. But the movement has been growing as people have tried to avoid going to large commercial areas, while reconnecting with the local community.
It should also be noted that a platform was created to support small producers in the municipality of Coimbra that allows consumers to make their purchases online and receive them at hom (https://coimbramaisfuturo.wixsite.com/semsairdecasa).
Gradually people are gaining confidence to leave home and return to traditional commerce, always wearing masks while indoors and adhering to the principle of social distance to prevent the spread of the virus.
It’s also possible to visit several museums and monuments in Coimbra. The spaces of the “Paço das Escolas”, part of the touristic circuit of the University of Coimbra (UC), are already accessible including the unmissable Joanina Library, the Chapel of São Miguel and the Royal Palace. We recommend to check the Visit University of Coimbra website before going (https://visit.uc.pt/en/) for informations on containment measures and buying tickets beforehand. Outside the UC circuit, you can visit the church of the Old Cathedral as well as the church of Santa Cruz. The Municipal Museum of Coimbra (Edifício Chiado, Torre de Almedina, Torre de Anto) and the National Museum “Machado de Castro” can also be visited. For the little ones, it is already possible discover the magic world of “Portugal dos Pequenitos” as well as the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra. We remember that when visiting all these spaces, it’s necessary to comply with the recommendations of the health authority.
The entertainment offer is also in full recovery.
“Fado ao Centro”, which promotes culture and Coimbra’s Fado, has already reopened with its daily shows, at 18:00, being the reservation of seats essential to ensure availability of the desired date. GOWalks Portugal has also resumed its tours of Coimbra and its surroundings as well as the Tuk-Tks and the Panoramic Bus, Bus Fantastic, which travels for 1 hour through the most beautiful places in the city, its viewpoints and historical points, with recordings available in six different languages.
Outdoor activities are also available: stand-up paddling and canoe descents on the left bank of Rio, which allow us to be in direct contact with nature while still enjoying beautiful views of the city. Alternatively, we can take advantage of the Fluvial Beach of Palheiros and Zorro or take relaxed walks through Parque da Cidade, the beautiful and rich Botanical Garden or the airy Choupal.
Beaches
Physical distance of 1.5 meters and distance of 3 meters between parasols.
The region’s wide beaches have a capacity of 51,200 people. In “Figueira da Foz” at “Alto do Viso” beach, 8,700 users, “Buarcos” beach 8,600, “Relógio” beach 6,400, “Cabedelo” beach 4,100 to 5,100, “Quiaios” 7,200 and “Murtinheira” 3,500 people. “Mira” 11,200 people and “Tocha” beach 8,000 people.
Parasols and Tents can only be rented in the morning (until 13:30) or in the afternoon (from 14:00) and with a maximum limit of 5 people.
Sports activities with two or more people are prohibited, with the exception of nautical activities and surf lessons.
Traffic light type signaling: green indicates low occupancy (1/3), yellow indicates high occupancy (2/3) and red full occupancy (3/3).
It’s recommended to use the Infopraia application (Google or Apple) to obtain information about the capacity/occupation of the beaches.
Street sales are allowed on the beaches, respecting the rules and guidelines of hygiene and safety.
Parking is prohibited outside the parks and parking areas licensed for this purpose.
Map and Directions
Contacts
