Coimbra was one of Portugal's first capitals, and for centuries it was the country's only university town. The university still crowns the hill above the Mondego river, students still wear black capes, and the steep lanes between the upper and lower town are full of stories about kings, queens and a tragic love. Here are the facts and stories that make Coimbra special.
10 fun facts about Coimbra
- Portugal's oldest university: King Dinis founded the university in Lisbon in 1290. It moved between Lisbon and Coimbra several times before settling here for good in 1537.
- A World Heritage campus: since 2013 the University of Coimbra, together with the Alta and Rua da Sofia, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- A library guarded by bats: the baroque Joanina Library was built between 1717 and 1728. A small colony of bats lives inside and hunts the insects that would damage the books, which is why the old tables are covered at night.
- The resting place of the first kings: Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, and his son Sancho I are buried in the Church of Santa Cruz.
- An early capital: Afonso Henriques made Coimbra his seat in the 12th century, and it remained the centre of the kingdom until the court moved to Lisbon in the 13th century.
- A bell called the goat: the university tower's bell is nicknamed a Cabra, the goat. For generations it marked the rhythm of student life, ringing to call students to class.
- A fado of its own: unlike Lisbon fado, Coimbra fado is sung only by men, traditionally students and former students wearing the black academic cape, often as a serenade at night.
- Ribbons on fire: every May, during the Queima das Fitas, graduating students burn the ribbons in the colours of their faculty, the start of a week of parades and concerts.
- Coffee in a church: Café Santa Cruz opened in 1923 inside the former Church of São João de Santa Cruz, built in 1530 as part of the monastery and deconsecrated in 1834.
- A cathedral like a fortress: the Sé Velha, the old cathedral, dates from the 12th century and is one of the finest Romanesque buildings in Portugal, with battlements that make it look like a castle.
Pedro and Inês: Coimbra's tragic love story
In the 14th century Prince Pedro, heir to the throne, fell in love with Inês de Castro, a lady-in-waiting from Galicia. His father, King Afonso IV, feared her family's influence, and in January 1355 Inês was killed in Coimbra on his orders. When Pedro became king two years later, he hunted down two of the killers and had them executed. Legend says he had Inês's body dressed as a queen and made the court kiss her hand. In the gardens of the Quinta das Lágrimas, the Fountain of Tears is said to have sprung from the tears she shed, and the red algae on its stones, the legend says, are her blood.
The Alta and the Baixa, explained
Coimbra is two towns in one. The Alta, the upper town, grew around the hilltop castle and later the university, with student houses and the old cathedral. The Baixa, the lower town by the river, was the town of merchants and craftsmen, with narrow shopping streets, the Church of Santa Cruz and the Praça do Comércio, the old market square. The two are linked by steep lanes and stairways, such as the Quebra-Costas, the back-breaker, and by the Arco de Almedina, a gate in the medieval walls.
What to eat in Coimbra
- Leitão à Bairrada: crisp suckling pig roasted with pepper and garlic, from the Bairrada region just north of Coimbra, best with a glass of local sparkling wine.
- Chanfana: goat slow-cooked in red wine in a clay pot, the classic dish of the hills around Coimbra.
- Pastéis de Santa Clara: half-moon pastries filled with sweet egg and almond, a recipe linked to the convent of Santa Clara.
- Pastéis de Tentúgal: paper-thin, flaky pastry filled with egg cream, from the village of Tentúgal nearby.
- Arrufadas de Coimbra: soft, sweet bread rolls flavoured with cinnamon, sold in the bakeries of the Baixa.
Good to know before you go
- Entry to the Joanina Library is limited, so buy your university ticket in advance, especially in summer.
- Coimbra is hilly. Wear good shoes, or take the Elevador do Mercado, a lift and short funicular that link the Baixa with the upper town.
- Across the river, Portugal dos Pequenitos, a park of miniature Portuguese buildings opened in 1940, is a favourite with children.
- The Roman ruins of Conímbriga, with some of the best-preserved mosaics in Portugal, make an easy half-day trip south of the city.
Explore Coimbra with World City Trail
Our Coimbra scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 37 minutes of walking, and leads you past the Church of Santa Cruz and the Praça do Comércio, among other sights.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch or Portuguese.
Play the Coimbra scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.