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|  | Coimbra is what it would be like if the Sorbonne or Oxford were on the Mediterranean. The hillside city enjoys a peaceful life built mainly around its prestigious university.
Time revisited
Most likely you'll feel right at home here. Wandering around, seated at an outdoor cafe, or in the hubbub of one of the many cheap eateries in town, you'll happily recall your own student days.
Black parade
University events enliven the city. For some, the students parade through the streets, cloaked in black. At the beginning of the academic year, new arrivals sport a small ribbon color-coded to their field of study. |
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| | Seat of knowledge
The University of Coimbra is not new: it was founded in 1308. Meander through the hallowed halls; you can feel knowledge and learning in the air, you sense the lingering presence of the umpteen thousands of students who have passed there before you.
Male chagrin
If you think the fado is about a woman expressing sorrow and grief, then you're only familiar with the Lisbon version. Here, it's the men who sing. They perform at bars where you can eat and listen to traditional music.
Class party
Student partying reaches fever pitch in May. In their black academic gowns, they go crazy during the two-week festival punctuated by special events and parades. |
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