Living in Covilhã

The city of Covilhã

Characterized by being an industrial city, UBI buildings were born from deactivated factories, always maintaining the features of the manufacturing world and the history of the city.

Located on the slopes of the largest mountain range in Portugal, Serra da Estrela, Covilhã offers to its visitors the beautiful landscape of a city framed in a majestic mountain amphitheater.

Traditionally associated with the wool industry, Covilhã grew in permanent dialogue with the mountain range, shaped by the buildings linked to the industry, many of which were recovered by the University of Beira Interior and reconverted into teaching and research spaces.

Respect for the past has marked the philosophy of the institution, which contributes significantly to the rehabilitation of the heritage of the city and the region, through structures such as the Wool Museum, installed in the Pombaline Real Fábrica dos Panos and Real Fábrica Veiga.

The city has in its narrow streets a distinctive peculiarity, which gives it a singular character. The challenging staircases connecting the various levels of the city are now accompanied by a modern system of bridges, elevators, and funiculars, resulting from the adoption of an innovative development model to facilitate pedestrian circulation.

The historic center of the city is now populated with paintings and sculptures of urban art performed by many nationally and world-known artists, who have already created a script of their own, parallel to that of the city's history.

Living cost

Because Covilhã is a city located in the inner part of Portugal, the cost of living is significantly lower than that of bigger cities, which is reflected in the prices of food and housing, for example.

Safety is another factor that distinguishes the city: Covilhã is a small/medium-sized city where the University of Beira Interior is well integrated, creating an atmosphere of closeness and safety.

Housing

UBI’s administered Students Residences

The University of Beira Interior manages a network of currently seven residences, with a total of 808 beds, for the use of students and teachers displaced.

Residences I (temporarily closed), II, III, IV, V and VI are located close to the Faculty of of Arts and Letters, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Sciences, and the Pedro Álvares Cabral (PAC) Residence is located next to the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences.

Please visit this link for details regarding each space/ building as well as regulations, prices and how to apply. Please contact aloja@ubi.pt to know more about the vacancies available.

Private Accommodation

There are also other options, private, that can be found by contacting real estate agencies operating in Covilhã, private developments like Andy Living, Royal Prime, 2 Live Coliving, Sineiro Apartamentos and also by researching social media groups dedicated to the dissemination of accommodation opportunities in the city, namely on Facebook.

Hotels, Residentials, Hostels and Local Lodging options

Covilhã has several options close to the University of Beira Interior for your first days in Covilhã. You can find more in Booking, TripAdvisor and HostelWorld.

If you are a mobility student, you will be having the support of an Erasmus Student Network Covilhã mentor to help you with these questions.

Transportation and mobility

The city of Covilhã has a public transportation system, car rental companies, cab services, a central train station and a coach and bus central station. There are several daily connections by bus and train to villages nearby, other cities in Portugal and also internationally. Please see the mobility options below:

In the city: bus system, elevators, funiculars, parking options, U-Bike with electric bikes long term rentals, cabs, Uber
To visit Serra da Estrela, see Covilhã Mobilidade option with the Serra Shuttle. Other companies also provide tours. For the latter please review TripAdvisor
To visit towns and other cities in Portugal using Train – CP- Comboios de Portugal
To visit other cities in Portugal and abroad using Coach - Rede Expressos and Flixbus
Car rental – Avis/Budget, Europcar

For all of these options, make sure to ask if there are special discounts for University of Beira Interior’s students and/or age-related special fares you can access.

Sports and leisure

Sports and leisure activities at UBI

The competition modalities (Handball, Athletics, Basketball, Soccer, Futsal, Judo, Karate, Kickboxing, Swimming, Taekwondo, Tenis and Volleyball) are addressed to all students who aim to participate in the National University Championships. You can find more about the competition sports here and here and by contacting rdomingues@ubi.pt.

Several leisure activities are directed to the entire UBI community and aim to provide regular practice of physical and sporting activities. You have available Hiking groups, Pilates, Tennis, Kickboxing and Tennis. You can also find more about the sporting activities here or by contacting rdomingues@ubi.pt.

Sports, leisure activities and volunteering in Covilhã

Covilhã has a variety of activities and sports that promote a healthy lifestyle, such as gyms, running tracks and ski tracks for the wintertime. For more information, please contact Covilhã’s Municipality at desporto@cm-covilha.pt and the Federation of Winter Sports of Portugal through the email geral@fdiportugal.pt.

Covilhã is also a city that hosts several volunteer-run associations in sports, music, dance, theater, etc. making it a city with something always happening. Find out how to explore better the city and the region by visiting Visit Covilhã, where you can find new routes and trails to do, places to eat and have fun, must-go viewpoints, events to attend, activities to enroll in, and volunteering opportunities.

Health

UBI’s Medical and Sports Support Center provides preventive medical and sports medicine services to students and the rest of the academic community, as well as Counselling support and guidance support to people with chronic diseases.

Covilhã’s Health Center (Centro de Saúde da Covilhã) also provides a more extensive primary medical care. To access it, students from the European Union will need to present the European Health Card or health insurance. If you are not a student from the EU you will need to present health insurance. It is highly recommended that insurance coverage includes at minimum a health insurance, liability and accident insurance, travel cancellation and repatriation.

Specialized medical care and Emergency care is provided at the Cova da Beira Teaching Hospital Center (Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira) located next to UBI’s Faculty of Health Sciences.

Covilhã also has private Clinics like Clínica da Luz, Clínica Médica Fátima Salvado, Clínica Sra. da Saúde, among others.