Coimbra lets go of you slowly. First there are still city streets, roundabouts and the last bakeries, then the houses thin out and the roads get narrower. The Mondego stays behind you.
It’s an average day, around 23 kilometres with short climbs and descents that your legs will feel, but that won’t break them. You’ll be on the go for a good six hours, so there’s time for a long coffee stop. Mealhada greets you as a no-nonsense little town known for its suckling pig. You’ll certainly want to eat something here. On the last stretch you walk past rows of vines in the Bairrada, with the scent of eucalyptus in the afternoon sun.