University of Coimbra tour: how to visit and what to expect

What’s it like to take a University of Coimbra tour ?

The University of Coimbra, Portugal, is one of the oldest universities in the world.

It’s also the main attraction for anyone visiting Coimbra, in particular the famously stunning Baroque library.

The University of Coimbra is worth visiting if you’re into architecture and design, royal history, academic history, and Portuguese culture. It’s a rich experience.

I took the University of Coimbra tour to make the most out of my visit. I enjoyed having a guide who could answer my questions and point out all the significant (and beautiful) details.

In this guide I share my own impressions of visiting the University of Coimbra and explain how you can visit it too and what to expect.

University of Coimbra tour and tickets

You can either take the University of Coimbra tour or visit the university complex without a tour.

After doing a bit of background reading about the university, I chose to take a guided tour because I felt there was a lot to see and I needed some commentary and guidance.

It was a good choice.

Our guide was excellent in telling us the story of the university with enough detail to keep us engaged during the entire tour.

If you choose to see it without taking the University of Coimbra tour, you need to head to the university’s ticket booth (which is opposite the Faculty of Medicine in the modern part of the university) and get your tickets there.

You can then access several different buildings in the university complex with the same combined ticket. Ask for directions to the old building at the booth.

My first impressions of the University of Coimbra

When I climbed up the hill to see the University of Coimbra for the first time, I was taken by surprise.

Instead of one of the oldest universities in the world, I found some very modern looking, 20th century buildings.

Though I’m a fan of Art Deco, this obviously wasn’t what I expected to see.

I soon found out that the historic buildings are right next to the modern ones, but you have to pass through a gate to see them.

They are beautifully preserved. I felt they were both imposing and modest at the same time.

My experience on the University of Coimbra tour

I decided to join a University of Coimbra tour to see the historic buildings with a guide.

Our guide welcomed us and immediately started sharing historical stories about the university campus, as we made our way to the first stop.

The biggest highlight of the tour was the library, which is why most people visit this university, but this wasn’t the first stop. This tour saved the best for last.

Our University of Coimbra tour started in the courtyard, where we saw the university tower and then entered into the ancient royal palace.

The Palace of Schools

This was the first Portuguese royal palace.

The first room we saw inside was the armoury room, historically used to store weapons, but these days it only has a few symbolic weapons and a beautiful painted ceiling.

Actually, all the ceilings we saw on this tour were stunning, so always look up.

Next, the guide led us along a corridor with great views of the city from above on one side.

On its other side, there were windows overlooking the Great Hall of Acts.

The guide gave us more than enough time to take pictures, and we needed it, because this hall is magnificent.

This used to be the old Throne Room and the king’s residence. The university turned it into a space for its ceremonies.

It’s been renovated and it’s in a great state today, with so many design details to notice, especially the amazing wooden ceiling, and the red and blue tiles on the walls.

From there we went out onto the balcony for a view of the courtyard and in the distance, the river. It was a sunny day and the view was beautiful.

The guide explained that the garden and most of the trees were removed from the courtyard when Roman ruins were found underground.

Our next stop was the Examination Room, with yet another gorgeous ceiling. The guide pointed out the symbols in the design.

This used to be the king’s quarters, and the university turned it into an examination room for graduates.

On the walls there are portraits of the 38 university rectors.

The Chapel of St. Michael

The next highlight on this University of Coimbra tour was the chapel, between the palace and the library.

The Chapel of St. Michael (Capela de São Miguel) is another beautiful building.

It’s an ancient chapel but it went through many renovations over the years, so it has a mix of architecture and design styles.

When we stepped inside, the first thing we noticed was the disproportionately large organ hanging above the pews.

It’s heavily decorated, has over 2000 tubes, and a semi hidden staircase leading up to it. It is still played today.

I loved all the decorative features in the chapel: the ceiling, the altars, the balcony, the tiled walls. There are so many design details to notice. Golden gilt is pretty dominant in the decoration.

Our guide gave us interesting explanations about the design elements, such as the statues and other symbols we saw around the altars, and the unexpected Chinese decorations on the organ.

Tip: There are concerts held at this chapel, so check the university website for events. I got to see a vocal concert there and the acoustics were wonderful.

The Baroque library

The final stop of the guided tour was the Baroque library, or Joanina Library, probably the most famous attraction in Coimbra.

Entry time is strictly controlled and only a number of people are allowed in every 10 minutes. If you take a guided tour, this is taken care of by the guide who times the entry, but if you visit without a guide, your time slot is included in your ticket.

Just before entering the library, you have to go through a prison!

Historically the library basement was the University of Coimbra’s own prison. Students and employees were sent there, instead of being placed in a normal prison.

You can go inside and have a look at the small cells.

From there we went upstairs but still couldn’t enter the spectacular library, as there was another group that entered right before us.

In this waiting room we could already see many of the old books on shelves and some ancient manuscripts.

Just before entering, we were instructed not to touch anything and not to take photos.

Stepping inside the library, I immediately looked up. This space was like a magnificent, colourful house of worship full of bookshelves holding 60,000 books.

Everything from the painted ceilings to the galleries is richly decorated

We walked from one hall to the next in awe, while our guide explained about the history of the library and how it functions today (it’s not used for reading anymore…), and pointed out details in the decoration for us to notice.

He also told us about the bats that come in at night to help preserve the books by eating any pests that might damage them.

This lovely story concluded our visit. We were shown the way out after only 10 minutes of sheer appreciation of this space. I didn’t want to leave…

The Science Museum

The university’s Science Museum wasn’t included in the guided tour I took, so I went there afterwards.

It’s worth visiting if you’re interested in the history of science. It’s only about the past, not about the present or the future of science.

The Science Museum is made up of four different sections inside two white buildings on both sides of the same street.

I started at the Cabinet of Curiosities.

It was a bizarre experience and a little bit disturbing (if you look too closely).

First you walk through a long corridor featuring rock and mineral collections.

Then you enter through a half open door into a dark room and look up to see a massive skeleton hanging above your head.

This room is designed quite cleverly with no exhibition text, just colourful lights lighting up the display, containing mostly animals in various forms – taxidermy, skeletons, mutations…

I noticed some other visitors observing the peculiar creatures up close. I suppose if you want to examine everything in the room, you can spend quite a bit of time there. If you’re easily scared like me, a general look around is enough.

On the same floor, I also saw the Cabinet of Physics.

It had a display about the magic lantern, the first instrument of projecting moving images. It also features an extensive collection of vintage scientific instruments.

Downstairs in the same building, the Academic Museum

features a display on student life that takes you into a classroom. Another part of the exhibition takes you into historical student houses.

I liked the interesting use of the space and mirrors in this small museum.

Just before you leave, there’s a small display on Portuguese music, starring the local drop shaped guitar.

Across the street, another building that’s part of the Science Museum houses the Chemistry Laboratory.

This is a large building featuring historical objects from the colonial past and a collection of old scientific tools and machinery.

You can also see what a historic lecture hall looked like with wooden benches and a blackboard.

I enjoyed the tour especially as I could ask questions and I had plenty of questions. The guide was very friendly, explained everything and was very patient with my many questions.

Is a University of Coimbra tour worth it?

Yes, the guided tour was worth it for the in-depth knowledge and the meaningful experience.

I wanted a more comprehensive understanding of the place, beyond just looking at beautiful buildings.

Our guide knew how to give us the right amount of information and commentary.

He answered all of our questions patiently (I had many!) and was obviously very knowledgeable.

The pace was just right, with plenty of time to take pictures.

It was a smooth, seamless visit. I was also glad I didn’t need to navigate the university complex by myself.

All in all, it was an engaging tour that helped learn a lot about a place I’d known nothing about, with a friendly and passionate guide who answered all of my questions.

A brief history of the University of Coimbra

The University of Coimbra dates back to 1290. It was moved between Coimbra and Lisbon a few times, and eventually settled definitively in Coimbra in 1537–1544.

Its core became the old royal complex, the Palace of Schools (Paço das Escolas) where much of the classical university activity was concentrated.

Over the centuries, other colleges, spaces, and buildings were added as the student population grew.

By the 1940s this historic core, with only a few faculties, was no longer enough to accommodate the university’s needs.

As it expanded, the modernist buildings were built alongside the old ones. Those were the Art Deco buildings that took me by surprise at first.

Older residential buildings and even some older parts of the ancient university were demolished to make room for new university buildings.

The result is a hybrid campus with many different architectural styles.

You’ll also notice the Monumental Staircase leading up the hill with 125 steps. This was part of the new development.

Students climb up those steps every day. I guess when you live in Coimbra you just get used to climbing…

In 2013 the university was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its architecture, for the exceptional integration of a city and its university, and for inspiring the development of universities in the Portuguese colonies.

The university now has a campus called Polo II and another one called Polo III. These are quite far from this historic location on the hill and obviously weren’t part of the University of Coimbra tour.

Plan your trip to Coimbra

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• 1 day in Coimbra itinerary
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• Unique cultural experiences in Coimbra

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