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Coimbra ( / koʊˈɪmbrə /, also US: / kuˈ -, ˈkwɪmbrə /, [1] [2] UK: / ˈkɔɪmbrə /, [3] Portuguese: [kuˈĩbɾɐ] ⓘ or [ˈkwĩbɾɐ] [4]) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population of the municipality at the 2021 census was 140,796, [5] in an area of 319.40 square kilometres (123.3 sq mi). [6]
Coimbra 2024 Deals! Get a discount of anywhere between 15% and 70% on accommodation in Coimbra -- look for deals here: Coimbra Hotels, Apartments, Hostels. Before you travel: 1. Explore the 10 must-see attractions. 2. Decide where to stay. 3. See your transportation options. 4. Also going to Lisbon or Algarve?
- University of Coimbra. The oldest university in Portugal is a World Heritage Site, high on a hill in the middle of the city. It’s a big tourist draw and has hundreds of years of history to show off.
- Biblioteca Joanina. This esteemed Baroque library is on the Paço das Escolas, where Portugal’s earliest kings once lived. It goes back to the 1720s and needs to be seen to be believed.
- Chapel of São Miguel. The university’s chapel is from the first decades of the 16th century and abounds with history and sumptuous fittings. The main portal is Neoclassical and from the 18th century, but if you step across to the side entrance there are some extraordinary Manueline carvings.
- Machado de Castro National Museum. With a very atmospheric venue Coimbra’s episcopal palace, this fantastic Museum is named for the 18th and 19th-century sculptor, Joaquim Machado de Castro.
- Coimbra University. One of only five universities in the world listed as a World Heritage Site, Coimbra University is also one of the oldest on the planet.
- Conimbriga. Portugal’s largest Roman site is just 25 minutes outside Coimbra, and is remarkable for having some of the best-preserved mosaics in Europe.
- Machado de Castro Museum. Down the street from the university is the former bishop’s palace, which is now one of Portugal’s most important museums. Its collection of sculptures from the 14th to the 16th centuries stands out, but the vaulted passageways underneath it (that survive from the city’s Roman occupation) is the highlight, and it alone would be enough to make a visit here worthwhile.
- Santa Cruz Monastery. This 12th-century monastery was the reason why the university was established in Coimbra, as it was long known as a school and center of culture (St.
- Universidade de 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…
- Biblioteca Joanina. 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…
- Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro. 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…
- Sé Velha. Coimbra's 12th-century cathedral is one of Portugal's finest examples of Romanesque architecture. The main portal and facade are particularly striking,…
Apr 10, 2024 · 1. Stroll Through the Historic Coimbra University. 2. Visit the Stunning Biblioteca Joanina. 3. See the Chapel of São Miguel. 4. Listen to Coimbra Fado at Fado ao Centro. 5. Take in the Views Machado de Castro National Museum. 6. Step back in time at the Old Cathedral of Coimbra. 7. Explore Santa Cruz Church. 8.
Coimbra. Understand. Get in. Get around. See. Do. Buy. Eat. Drink. Sleep. Go next. Coimbra is the traditional capital city of Central Portugal 's historic Beira Litoral region. With over 140,000 inhabitants (2021), it is the largest municipality there and one of Portugal's four largest metropolises.
