Coimbra Travel Forum

Can anyone recommend some good bars/clubs in Coimbra? I am out there for the football, but like to go to a bar/club where i may meet some locals rather than a million english fans!
Cheers

if you are there for football, don't forget to visit cafe brazil.
it's the most legengary bar in portugal.
when sporting lisbon won the championship in 1981the owner swore that he would not raise the price of expresso coffee untill they won the championship again.
that lasted 18 years, but the guy kept his promise and sold his coffee for 1981 prices up untill 1999.
thats what i call a dedicated fan.

That's right! The owner died and his wife kept her husband promise.

In Coimbra you will more than likely find billions of English supporters everywhere during the Euro.

"Praça da Republica" is a good place to start the night in Coimbra. You'll find it inevitably crowded. "Café Cartola" for the after dinner coffee and then decide where you want to go.
I believe the bars and discos around "Praça da Republica" will be awfully crowded, so, the best option, in my opinion is one of those small bars in those small streets in the back of the university.
"Couraça dos Apóstolos" in Rua Couraça de Lisboa, 53. Very good to meet young people. Usually very crowded (students) and noisy.
"Café Museu" for beer, 'moelas' and 'tremoços' in Rua da Matemática.
"Piano Negro" in Rua Borgues Carneiro. For beer, listen to jazz and chat. The owner is a French guy who lives in Portugal for ages.
The Dutch bar "De Sjöelbak" in Rua do Brasil for beer and darts (although, unfortunely, lately the bar is not as good as I remember it was).
"Diligência" in Rua Nova. I believe they have live fado concerts. Although, in Coimbra, the best fado is listened in the middle of the street near "Arco da Almedina" when there are students singing and playing in the street at night (you have to be lucky to find them). Remember: NEVER clap your hands when listening to Coimbra's fado. http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/39ca4/46a30/a/
"Café Com Arte" in Av. Dr. Elísio de Moura is also nice. Popular among architects and architect students.

For night eating:
"Cantinas Amarelas". in Rua Oliveira Matos (a short walk from "Praça da Republica"). Open until 3 in the morning. You can be asked for student card!
"Arco-Bar" in Pç. Machado Assis, 26 for inexpensive meals until 3 in the morning (at least it was) except weekends.

Discos:
The inevitable and extremely crowded "Via Latina" in Rua Almeida Garrett.
"Vinyl" in Av. Afonso Henriques.

Good luck.

Cheers.
RP