The 7th Biennial Conference of the European Rural History Organisation (EURHO) will take place in Coimbra. The city is located in Portugal and is the capital of the district of the same name, 200 km north of Lisbon and 115 km south of Porto. The average temperature in September is around 20-21 degrees Celsius.
The closest airports to Coimbra are: Sá Carneiro/Porto Airport (1h20) and Humberto Delgado/Lisbon Airport (2h20).
The main transports available to reach the city are the train and the bus. It is possible to buy tickets on the following websites or on the application of these companies:

Train
+ CP

Bus
+ Rede Expressos
+ FlixBus

Coimbra has two railway stations:
Coimbra A, next to the Mondego river in the lower part of the city. Regional trains depart from this station.
Coimbra B, the main station. Further outside the city, from where all types of trains can be taken, including high-speed trains that link the city with the rest of the country, with regular departures to Lisbon and Porto.

The 7th Biennial Conference of the European Rural History Organisation (EURHO) will be held by University of Coimbra in two different buildings: the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FLUC) on 9-11 September and the Faculty of Economics (FEUC) on 12 September. Both Faculties are accessible to people with reduced mobility. To access the buildings there are ramps, and elevators to move in the inside. Additionally, there are also accessible bathrooms available.
The layout of the building of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FLUC) can be consulted here, and the Faculty of Economy (FEUC) here.

Local Transport

To move around the city, there is a network of buses adapted to accommodate people with reduced mobility and/or vision and other limitations. It is possible to pay the ticket in cash to the driver or buy a card with several trips in the SMTUC stores. Check all the available information here.
To use public transport the ticket prize is around 2€.
To know the schedules and routes you can use the MOOVIT web or the app version.
Besides public transportation, there are also taxis and other services available, such as Uber, Bolt, etc., which can take you until the entrance of both Faculties. We recommend to enter in contact with any of these entities beforehand, so that accommodations are made in the best way possible.

Mobility

Coimbra has many places worth appreciating, but its hills and narrow streets can difficult the mobility, as so, we recommend you to plan your itineraries and accommodation location taking this into account (see local transport above). The Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FLUC) and the Faculty of Economics (FEUC) where the event will take place are accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Places to visit

The city of Coimbra stands on the banks of the river Mondego. An important cultural centre where the country’s first university was established. Its historic centre has several churches and convents, an aqueduct, two cathedrals, museums such as the Natural History Museum and a botanical garden. There are also panoramic views and interesting local sweet shops. Some places of interest are the following:

Biblioteca Joanina
Largo da Porta Férrea

Sé Velha (Old Cathedral)
Largo da Sé Velha

Sé Nova (New Cathedral)
Largo Feira dos Estudantes

Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra
Calçada Martim de Freitas

Parque Verde do Mondego
Av. Lousã

Docas Rio Restaurant – Close to Parque Verde do Mondego
Av. Lousã n.98

Pastelaria Briosa Coimbra – Portuguese traditional sweets
Largo da Portagem

Doce Meu Handmade – Portuguese traditional sweets
R. Visc. da Luz n.8

Gelataria COSÌ
Rua do Quebra Costa n.1

DOPPO Gelataria
Praça do Comércio n.9

Passaporte Coimbra Restaurant – Panoramic view of the city
Couraça da Estrela n.13

Attendants are required to book their own accommodation.
The city of Coimbra has a variety of accommodation options. Below is a short list of some optional choices of hotels, which are close to the conference locations and the city centre.

Studios Greenside
Rua das Parreiras 31 Celas, 3000-326 Coimbra, Portugal

Celas Dream Studio
Rua das Parreiras, 34 – 3 Esquerdo, Celas, 3000-326 Coimbra, Portugal

CSI Coimbra & Guest House – Student accommodation
Rua Bernardim RIbeiro, 76, 3000-069 Coimbra, Portugal

Hotel Residencial Alentejana
Rua Dr. Henrique Seco 1, 3000-145 Coimbra, Portugal

Hotel Tryp Coimbra Aeminium, Affiliated by Meliá
Av. Armando Gonçalves, Lote 20, 3000 059 Coimbra, Portugal

HI Coimbra – Pousada de Juventude
Rua Dr. Henriques Seco nº14, 3000-145 Coimbra, Portugal

Stay Hotel Coimbra Centro
Av.Fernão de Magalhães, 199, 3000-176 Coimbra, Portugal

Hotel Ibis Coimbra Centro
Avenida Emidio Navarro, 70, 3000-150 Coimbra, Portugal

Hotel Astoria
Av. Émidio Navarro 21, 3000-150 Coimbra, Portugal

Hotel Coimbra Dona Inês
Rua Abel Dias Urbano, 12, 3000-001 Coimbra, Portugal

[01] Study Visit

Lower Mondego River Area and Salt Museum

In addition to being the longest of the Portuguese rivers (that is, having their source and mouth in Portugal), the Mondego can be understood as a symbolic border between the north and south of Mainland Portugal. Furthermore, it was a historical route for transport and exchange of natural products between two geomorphologically distinct areas and two complementary geoeconomies: from the lowlands and seascapes west of Coimbra, to the eastern rougher soils and environments of the agro-forestry-pastoral complex of mountain landscapes. This study trip will travel through the Lower Mondego region, between Coimbra and Figueira da Foz, in which will be discussed its historical and contemporary dynamics, covering topics such as human landscapes, sustainability, floods, hydraulic works, agriculture, the planting of species such as rice or tourism. Finally, nearby the Atlantic, at the river mouth, with a visit to the museum centre and surrounding area of salines, the group will be presented with the topic of salt production.

Additional information: this visit is on foot and by bus, and is limited by the number of vacancies available. Advance booking is required and the cost is €15 per person.

[02] Study Visit

From Seed to Plate: the Europe’s Northernmost rice-growing region

This fieldtrip is focused on the Estarreja area (Aveiro region) that is the northernmost location where rice has been cultivated in Portugal and is also one of the oldest. The earliest records of rice production date back to the early 19th century, with the crop gaining socio-economic significance, as in other parts of the country, particularly from the early 20th century onwards. However, due to less favourable climatic conditions and a highly fragmented landownership structure, local rice cultivation declined when the “green revolution” brought significant productivity increases further south. The lower yields of local landraces and a lack of capital largely contributed to the near extinction of Estarreja’s rice sector. Currently, the Estarreja municipality is working to revitalize this heritage, primarily as a means of territorial promotion. This visit will explore the entire rice production chain, from agricultural cultivation to industrial processing and final consumption, including a visit to a former rice milling factory that has been converted into a museum.

Additional information: this visit is on foot and by bus, and is limited by the number of vacancies available. Advance booking is required and the cost is €15 per person.

[03] Study Visit

Changing Rural Territories: Long-term Perspectives on Heritage and Innovation

This visit explores the transformations in rural territories around the Serra de Sicó area (slightly south of the city of Coimbra) over the past 2000 years. Departing from the town of Condeixa-a-Nova, the itinerary follows Roman vestiges embedded in landscapes, infrastructures, artefacts, and cultural values. While these remains highlight the centrality of these territories during the Roman Empire, they also reveal the profound changes that shaped the centuries following its decline. The itinerary includes a visit to the Fernando Namora House-Museum. As a physician, writer, and painter, Fernando Namora observed and documented rural daily life in the second half of the 20th century, a period marked by structural transformations in Portugal’s economy and society. So, this visit offers a glimpse into the social and economic changes that have taken place in rural areas over the long term.

Additional information: this visit is on foot and by bus, and is limited by the number of vacancies available. The cost is €15 per person and advance booking is required.

[04] Study Visit

Building the city of Coimbra: the Roman marks through time

 In Coimbra there is one of the best preserved Roman cryptoporticus in the Iberian Peninsula. After being crucial to building the Roman city, this monumental structure now serves as the foundation of the Machado de Castro National Museum. The walking tour includes a descent into the cryptoporticus, an exploration of the museum’s collections, and a visit to other areas associated with the construction of this urban space.

Additional information: this is a walking tour and is limited to 30 people. The visit requires prior registration and is free of charge.

[05] Field trip

Between the rural and the urban: itinerary of Coimbra’s House-Museums

The itinerary includes visits to the homes of three important intellectuals in 20th century Portuguese literature and science. The tour begins at the house museum of Miguel Torga, an essential writer for understanding the soul of rural Portugal. The next stop is the Bissaya Barreto House Museum, an impressive architectural and artistic ensemble that also reveals the dimension of this doctor’s social and scientific work. The visit ends at the former home of João Cochofel (poet, writer, essayist and literary critic), which was a privileged meeting place for the neo-realist movement in Coimbra and is now a cultural and artistic space of the Municipality of Coimbra. All in all, these visits offer plural visions of the city and its cultural debates during the decades between dictatorship and democracy in Portugal.

Additional information: this is a walking tour and is limited to 30 people. The visit requires prior registration and is free of charge.

[06] Study Visit

University of Coimbra: education, science and the city

Founded in 1290, the University of Coimbra, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2014, has influenced the organization and development of the city in several ways. This visit explores the impacts of the university’s infrastructure on urban space, from the first buildings still preserved to the new constructions of the mid-20th century, which forced the destruction of medieval neighbourhoods. This walking itinerary through the history of the university includes the impacts of the Enlightenment reforms on science and teaching, visible in buildings as the first laboratories, the astronomical observatory and the botanical garden.

Additional information: this is a walking tour and is limited to 30 people. The visit requires prior registration and is free of charge.