Best things to do in Coimbra

Coimbra Essentials

Coimbra serves as Portugal's historic academic center, home to one of Europe's oldest universities and the ornate 18th-century Baroque Biblioteca Joanina. The city’s landscape is defined by the 12th-century Monastery of Santa Cruz, the resting place of Portugal's first kings, and the National Museum Machado de Castro, built over a preserved Roman cryptoporticus. From the 16th-century Aqueduct of São Sebastião to the lush University Botanical Garden, Coimbra preserves a dense heritage of Manueline architecture and medieval sacred sites.

Coimbra Essentials — Map

Manuelvbotelho / CC BY-SA 4.0

A

Monastery of Santa Cruz

The Monastery of the Holy Cross, also known as the Church of the Holy Cross, is a National Monument in Coimbra, Portugal.

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Universidade de Coimbra

Founded in 1290, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the world's oldest universities. It occupies the former Paço das Escolas, featuring an 18th-century clock tower and the Great Hall of Acts.

Daniele Biacchi / CC-BY-SA

C

Biblioteca Joanina

A mid-18th-century Baroque library commissioned by King John V. It features three grand rooms decorated with gilded wood carvings and frescoed ceilings, housing over 200,000 volumes dating from the 12th century.

Alvesgaspar / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra

The Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra is a botanical garden in Coimbra, Portugal.

Alvesgaspar / CC BY-SA 3.0

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National Museum Machado de Castro

The Machado de Castro National Museum is an art museum in Coimbra, Portugal, named after the renowned Portuguese sculptor Joaquim Machado…

Carlos Luis M C da Cruz / Public domain

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Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova

The Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova is a monastery in Coimbra, Portugal.

HenGomes / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Aqueduto de São Sebastião

Also known as Arcos do Jardim, this 16th-century aqueduct was built on the remains of a Roman structure. It features 21 arches spanning the area near the Botanical Garden and the university campus.

pcortesao / CC BY 2.0

H

Escadas Monumentais

Constructed in the 1950s, these 125 steps serve as a primary pedestrian link between the lower city, the Praça da República, and the upper university campus.

Katalin Behina / CC-BY-SA

I

Capela de São Miguel

A 16th-century chapel within the university complex, noted for its Manueline architecture, 18th-century azulejo tile panels, and a massive Baroque pipe organ decorated with gilded wood carvings.

Other Lists

Coimbra's Hidden Gems University of Coimbra Heritage Coimbra's Sacred Sites Coimbra Culinary Delights