Coimbra, Portugal, located 125 mi/200 km northeast of Lisbon, is a 12th-century town with a 13th-century university that is enlivened by 21st-century students. In May, the students celebrate the end of the academic year with a weeklong, colorful party called Queima das Fitas.
Besides the lovely university, there are exquisite botanical gardens, the old and new cathedrals, the fabulous baroque library Biblioteca Joanina and the Roman ruins at Conimbriga. Also worth visiting are the former Convento de Santa Clara Velha, an ornate Gothic structure, and the ruins of the Quinta das Lagrimas, the setting of a famous local love story.
Coimbra is also well-known for its beautiful faience (glazed ceramic ware). While in the city, be sure to stop by a tavern and listen to plaintive fado music—the city is known for its distinctive singing style.
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