Coimbra
Coimbra's Unesco-listed university, one of the world's oldest, was originally founded in Lisbon in 1290. It was subsequently relocated several times…
Must-see attractions in Coimbra
Coimbra
The university's baroque library is Coimbra's headline sight. Named after King João V, who sponsored its construction between 1717 and 1728, it features a…
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Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro
Coimbra
This great museum is a highlight of central Portugal. Housed in a 12th-century bishop's palace, it stands over the city's ancient Roman forum, remains of…
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Coimbra
Coimbra's 12th-century cathedral is one of Portugal's finest examples of Romanesque architecture. The main portal and facade are particularly striking,…
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Coimbra
Coimbra's science museum is wonderful, with everything from kid-friendly interactive machines to early scientific instruments, fossils and skeletons. The…
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Coimbra
The university's main entrance is the Iron Gate, a 17th-century confection designed by architect António Tavares in 1634 on the orders of Rector D Álvaro…
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Coimbra
Housed in a former royal palace, this is the historic heart of the university, where traditional academic ceremonies are still held. The main ceremonial…
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Coimbra
Overlooking the graceful Praça 8 de Maio, this is one of Coimbra's oldest churches, dating to the 12th century. Little remains of the original Romanesque…
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Coimbra
This heavy-duty Moorish gateway, just off the main shopping drag, leads through to Coimbra's upper town. Follow through the arch and head up the steep…
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Coimbra
This former prison for misbehaving students sits in the basement of the Biblioteca Joanina. Originally located beneath the Sala dos Capelos, it was later…
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Jardins da Quinta das Lágrimas
Coimbra
According to legend, this lovely pocket of parkland is where Dona Inês de Castro (aka Portugal's Juliet to the Infante Pedro's Romeo) was murdered on the…
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Coimbra
The landmark 'new' cathedral, started by the Jesuits in 1598 and completed a century later, dominates the square of the same name high in the old town…
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Coimbra
Another of the university's signature landmarks, this 18th-century tower – and its clock and bells – regulates academic life. Built between 1728 and 1733,…
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Convento de Santa Clara-a-Nova
Coimbra
On the west side of the river, this imposing convent was built in the 17th century to replace the original Convento de Santa Clara-a-Velha, which often…
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Coimbra
The early-16th-century Palácio de Sub Ripas, now home to the university's Instituto de Arqueologia, is a striking example of 16th-century architecture. It…
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Núcleo da Cidade Muralhada/Torre de Almedina
Coimbra
Housed in the medieval tower over the Arco de Almedina, this small museum has a plaster cast of the city's early layout, complete with castle and…
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Convento de Santa Clara-a-Velha
Coimbra
This Gothic convent was founded in 1330 by the saintly Queen Isabel, Dom Dinis’ wife; it served as her final resting place until flooding forced her to be…
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Coimbra
This small square, formerly part of the cloister of the Mosteiro de Santa Cruz, is dominated by its monumental centrepiece: a lemon-yellow, four…
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Coimbra
A serene place to catch your breath, the lovely university-run botanic garden sits in the shadow of the 16th-century Aqueduto de São Sebastião. Founded by…
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Coimbra
A great spot for a restorative timeout, this tranquil riverside park was planned by the landscape gardener Jacinto de Matos in the 1920s. Amidst its tree…
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Coimbra
Bissaya Barreto was a local surgeon, scholar and obsessive hoarder of fine arts, and his late-19th-century mansion is now a small museum. A guide (not…
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Coimbra
Lording it over the main university square, King João III turns his back to the sweeping city views behind him and faces his great centre of learning. It…
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Coimbra
The brainchild of local collector Bissaya Barreto, this is a cute theme park where kids clamber over, into and around micro versions of Portugal’s most…
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Coimbra
At the base of the old town, this park extends from Parque Dr Manuel Braga along the riverfront. It has wooden walkways as well as a giant green bear and…
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Núcleo da Guitarra e do Fado de Coimbra/Torre de Anto
Coimbra
The Torre de Anto, once part of the ancient city walls, takes its name from the poet António Nobre (1867–1900) who lived here in the late 19th century…
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Coimbra
Part of the main university complex, this ornate 16th-century chapel has a brightly painted ceiling, lavish tilework, Manueline features and a gilded 18th…
