Holiday in Coimbra

About Coimbra

Coimbra is the oldest university city in Portugal and home to the Universidade de Coimbra, founded in 1290, whose historical core has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013. Perched high above the Rio Mondego, the university's clock tower dominates the skyline, and students in black capes wander through the steep streets of the upper town — a tradition that has shaped the city's character for centuries. The Biblioteca Joanina is the crown jewel: three magnificently decorated halls from the 18th century house over 250,000 volumes in gilded shelves under illusionistic ceiling paintings. A colony of bats protects the books from insects at night. The Capela de São Miguel right next door impresses with one of the most beautiful Baroque organs in the country. Coimbra has its own form of Fado — more serious and intellectual than in Lisbon, traditionally sung only by men and deeply rooted in student culture. In May, the whole city celebrates the Queima das Fitas, the end of the semester, with a week of music, parades, and Fado concerts. The old town (Alta) with the Romanesque-Gothic Sé Velha, the Monastery of Santa Cruz (the burial site of the first Portuguese kings), and the winding stairs offers discoveries at every corner. The Jardim Botânico and Portugal dos Pequenitos (Portugal in miniature) are additional highlights. Coimbra is centrally located between Lisbon and Porto and is an ideal stopover.