Home to the oldest university in Portugal and former capital of the country, Coimbra is a cultured and elegant city, full of historical and cultural attractions. It is an ideal city both for those who want to fill up with museums and monuments and for those who want to slow down the pace of their holiday and enjoy relaxing walks along the river or in the city centre. For young people Coimbra is a must-see thanks to its lively nightlife. Students often sing "Coimbra has more charm in the hour of farewell": tourists fall in love with it and don’t want to leave anymore. Lying on the banks of the Mondego River, Coimbra was Portugal’s capital for over a hundred years and boasts the oldest university in Portugal and one of the oldest in Europe. Its centuries-old history has not trapped Coimbra in a static past: the present is lively and full of cultural ferment; modern buildings such as the Pólo II of the University, the pedestrian bridge Pedro and Inês, the pavilion Centro de Portugal in the Parque Verde del Mondego are the pride of Coimbra today.
