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Coimbra, Portugal

C&M

Hello,

Can anyone provide information on living in Coimbra?  We are a US couple looking into Portugal as a place to retire as soon as the pandemic is under control/over.  We will not be looking for work, and are interested in Coimbra because it is inland and a university city (which we hope adds vitality.)

Thank you,
CJM

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mrosephoto

I'm sorry we are all full up. LOL. Sorry, just kidding. It does seem that Coimbra is definitely on the radar now whereas a couple of years ago it wasn't so much. Americans still are definitely an oddity in the eyes of the Portuguese here. The presence of the university definitely affects life here. It's a little different now with COVID, there are far fewer students here now. In a normal year, the streets during the school year are awash with black capes. There is a vibrant bar scene here. Summers have outdoor music concerts, everything from Jazz to Fado to rockabilly. If you are into Portuguese food there is plenty of inexpensive restaurants to choose from. If you are a foodie, not so much. The healthcare here is excellent, with free or near-free public medicine to inexpensive private hospitals. Coimbra has the best healthcare system in the country some would argue because of the University and it is one of the best in Europe and far surpasses the US. Housing is less expensive than Porto and Lisbon by a lot but is higher than in other places in the country. If you venture into the countryside and are okay to be 20-45 minutes out of town, prices drop considerably. Food is far less expensive than the states and most things that originate in Portugal are quite inexpensive. Electronics are very expensive equal or more than the states. English is widely spoken here although it is always a good idea to have at least a basic understanding of Portuguese as many people don't speak English and it's just polite to try and I think fun. The weather here can get hot in the summer.. but mostly the temps are in the low to mid-eighties. Winters are cool but rarely below freezing and can be damp. Coming from the Northwest, they are an improvement over Seattle winters. Hope this is helpful.