Conimbriga is the best-preserved Roman site in Portugal and one of the finest on the Iberian Peninsula. The camino passes directly by the ruins, and you'd be foolish to skip them.
The city was a prosperous Roman settlement from the 1st century BC through the 5th century AD, when Suebi invaders overran its defences. The hasty defensive wall built to repel them — cutting straight through existing houses and streets — is itself a dramatic piece of evidence of the city's final days.
The highlights are the mosaics. The Casa das Fontes (House of the Fountains) preserves elaborate floor mosaics and a sophisticated water garden. The Casa dos Repuxos has hunting scenes in remarkable detail. The museum at the entrance contextualises everything and is included in the ticket.
The only option for food or drink is in the visitor centre. Allow at least an hour, ideally two.
Conimbriga gave its name to Coimbra — when the bishopric relocated to the more defensible hilltop 16 km north in the 6th century, the name travelled with it (Conimbriga became Colimbria, then Coimbra). The site was excavated systematically from the 1930s onward, and only about 10% of the city has been uncovered — the rest lies under farmland to the south.
Leave by way of the road that exits the site. Turn right at the first intersection, heading straight towards and underneath the highway.Once past the highway, you will pass a series of hamlets (Valada, Atadoa, Orelhudo, Ribeira de Casconha, and Casconha) before crossing back over the highway and arriving in Cernache. Along the way, only Casconha has a bar.
Accommodation in Conímbriga.
| Albergue privado de Conímbriga 15€ 10 |
|
Comments