Rua da Sofia was a royal project. In the 1530s, King João III wanted to make Coimbra a centre of learning, and the street, a straight line unusual in a medieval city, was laid out along the foot of the hill to house new colleges for the monastery of Santa Cruz and for the university. Its fronts, in the late Gothic and Manueline styles, with carved doorways and twisted columns, still line the way, and they give a rare sense of what a planned Renaissance street felt like in Portugal.
Coimbra was the capital of the kingdom in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when it was the seat of Afonso Henriques, the first king, who is buried in the nearby church of Santa Cruz alongside his son. Walking from Sofia toward the old cathedral, you cross a city that still carries those centuries in its stones. Further up the hill, the Sé Velha, a squat Romanesque cathedral built like a fortress, recalls the years of war against the Moors, and the arch of Almedina, once a city gate, leads into a labyrinth of steps and lanes.
Riding here is a matter of patience. The street is narrow, with limited access, and the surrounding centre is a maze of one-way lanes, cobbles and stairs. Wet stones are slippery. It is easiest to park along the river or in a lot nearby and walk, which also lets you take in the details of doors and windows. A short ride south takes you to Conímbriga, the best-preserved Roman city in Portugal, with mosaics and an intact water system, and to quiet roads through eucalyptus, pine and olive groves.
Fuel is available on the main roads around Coimbra, a city of over a hundred thousand, and cafés and bakeries line the streets near Sofia. Try pastéis de Santa Clara, small almond-and-egg pastries, or a plate of leitão at a restaurant along the road toward Mealhada, where the suckling pig is a regional pride.
Mid-morning is a good time to come, after the delivery vans have gone and before the lunchtime crowd.