Coimbra
Coimbra is automatically associated with Portuguese culture, the intelligentsia and rebellious students. In fact, the first Portuguese university was created here by Dom Dinis in 1290 .The city has inspired many poets and writers, who were enchanted by its literary and historical atmosphere.
If you are interested in History then you must visit ConÃmbriga, the Roman ruins, the Sé Velha, and the Church of Santa Cruz.
If you are more into nightlife and bohemia, you should visit around Queima das Fitas time, where every single student in town is celebrating - some celebrate their graduation while others celebrate merely for celebration sake.
2. Aveiro
Aveiro is known as the "Portuguese Venice" because of the canal around which it was built, the Ria de Aveiro. This body of water makes Aveiro a unique city in Portugal. It has got everything visitors might be looking for: the city is bith picturesque and cosmopolitan, the beach is minutes away and the Ria is great for a ride on a moliceiro, the Portuguese gondola.
Also the architecture is peculiar in Aveiro. Not only are the Art-Nouveau houses worth mentioning, but in Costa Nova, old fishermen's houses have been painted in bright colours and are now a true landmark of the city.
As most Portuguese cities, Aveiro is also famous for a sweet delicacy, the Ovos Moles de Aveiro, an egg-cream delicacy wrapped in a fine wafer.
For a culture escapade, try the Vista Alegre factory. Vista Alegre is a famous world-renowed ceramics and porcelain manufacturer and it is the oldest factory of the sector in Portugal.
3. Guimarães
The city of Guimarães is also known as the "cradle of Portugal" and it was classified as a World Heritage Site in 2001 by UNESCO, for its history and architecture. Here you will be able to see medieval arches and traditional 16th century wooden houses and Gothic chapels, as well as the beautiful castle, which is a mixture of Romanesque and Baroque styles.
This is a "must visit" citiy in Northern Portugal with the greatest historical legacy, as the old Roman city was chosen by Dom Afonso Henriques, the first king of the country, as the capital of the Kingdom of Portugal.
