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The Lower Town is the name used to refer to that part of Coimbra built outside the mediaeval walls, where some religious and military orders were initially established, close to the natural frontier formed by the River Mondego.

Anyone arriving in Coimbra is immediately welcomed by the Largo da Portagem, in front of the Santa Clara bridge, which crosses over the River Mondego and establishes the connection with the main road leading to either Lisbon or Porto. The tourist information office is on the left in the wide Avenida Emídio Navarro.

This tour begins with a walk along the Rua Ferreira Borges, one of the main streets in the city, accompanying the outer perimeter of the old part of the city, the Upper Town. Standing at the crossroads marking the intersection of Praça do Comércio with Rua Visconde da Luz, the Igreja de Santiago is one of the earliest buildings in this area, as can be seen by its robust mediaeval appearance, with Romanesque decorations on the portals.

From here, carry straight on into Praça 8 de Maio, an administrative centre, where the Town Hall stands. On your right, you will not fail to notice the Mosteiro de Santa Cruz, a most important religious reference in the History of Portuguese Art, for it was here that kings and princes were educated and where the most important Renaissance artists worked. Here, you will also find the tombs of the first Portuguese kings, Dom Afonso Henriques, who was born in Coimbra, and his successor, Dom Sancho I.

Next, make your way through the area between Rua da Sofia and Praça do Comércio, enjoying the picturesque narrow streets of the lower town with their old names (Rua Velha (Old Street), Rua da Fornalhinha (the Street of the Small Furnace), Largo do Poço (the Square of the Well), amongst others) or retrace your steps to the Arco de Almedina in Rua Ferreira Borges and enter the Upper Town.