Visiting the University of Coimbra and the Joanina Library

The University of Coimbra is one of the oldest universities in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its hilltop courtyard, grand halls and dazzling baroque library are among the highlights of central Portugal. Here’s how to visit, what you’ll see and how to fit it into a day in Coimbra.

Quick answer: buy a ticket at the university’s visitor centre or online. The ticket with the library (about €16.50) includes a timed slot for the Biblioteca Joanina, so book ahead in busy months. Allow 2 hours. Highlights are the Joanina library, the Sala dos Capelos (Great Hall), the Chapel of São Miguel, the Academic Prison and the views from the courtyard. See Coimbra tours.

Why go

Coimbra is a university town in a way few places are. The old university sits at the very top of the hill, in a former royal palace, and the whole upper town grew up around it. You come for the library, which is one of the most beautiful in the world, but you leave with a feel for seven centuries of student life, from black capes to serenades on the cathedral steps.

About the university

King Dinis founded the university in Lisbon in 1290. It moved back and forth between Lisbon and Coimbra several times before settling in Coimbra for good in 1537, under King João III. It took over the royal palace on top of the hill, which the university later bought from the crown. In 2013 UNESCO listed the “University of Coimbra, Alta and Sofia” as a World Heritage site. Students still wear traditional black capes, and the city’s life revolves around the academic year, including the Queima das Fitas festival in May.

What to see

• Biblioteca Joanina: a baroque library begun in 1717, named after King João V. Its three rooms are covered in gilded and lacquered wood, with painted ceilings and tens of thousands of old books. A colony of bats lives inside and eats insects that would damage the books. Visits are short and timed, and photos are not allowed.
• The Paço das Escolas: the main courtyard, framed by the old palace, with views over the River Mondego and the old town.
• The Royal Palace rooms: including the Sala dos Capelos, the Great Hall where doctoral ceremonies still take place under portraits of Portugal’s kings, and the smaller Private Exam Room.
• The Chapel of São Miguel: tiles, a painted ceiling and a spectacular baroque organ.
• The Academic Prison beneath the library, where students were once locked up for misbehaving.
• The bell tower: the 18th-century tower is the symbol of the university, but it’s permanently closed to climbs, so admire it from the courtyard. Students nicknamed its bell “a Cabra” (the goat).
• The Science Museum: historic scientific instruments, in a separate building nearby. Some tickets include it.

Tickets and opening hours

• Tickets: in 2026 an adult ticket for the main circuit costs about €16.50 with the Joanina library, or €12.50 without it. The bell tower is closed to visitors (the university lists it as permanently closed). Check the official university site for current prices and concessions.
• The library slot: your ticket shows a set time for the Joanina. Arrive on time, as you can’t enter late. Slots sell out on busy days, so buy online or first thing.
• Hours: usually open daily, with longer hours from spring to autumn than in winter. Closed on a few holidays such as Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Getting there

• By train: fast Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains stop at Coimbra-B on the Lisbon to Porto line, about an hour from Porto and under two hours from Lisbon. The old shuttle train into the centre closed in 2025. Since September 2026 the Metrobus (Metro Mondego) has run from Coimbra-B into the centre and on to Praça da República, and there’s also a bus link. See Lisbon to Porto by train.
• By bus: Rede Expressos and FlixBus run from Lisbon and Porto.
• By car: on the A1 motorway between Lisbon and Porto. Parking in the old upper town is very limited, so use a car park lower down.
• Up the hill: the university is at the top of a steep old town. Take a taxi or a city bus up and walk down. There’s also a public lift (Elevador do Mercado) from near the market that cuts out part of the climb. It reopened in January 2026 after maintenance and takes any valid SMTUC city bus ticket.

A one-day route

• Morning: go up to the university for your library slot, then the palace, chapel and courtyard.
• Late morning: walk down through the old town past the Old Cathedral (Sé Velha), a fortress-like Romanesque church. The Machado de Castro National Museum next door has been closed for works since February 2026, so check before planning around it.
• Lunch: in the lower town.
• Afternoon: the Santa Cruz Monastery, then the Botanical Garden or a walk by the Mondego.
• Evening: a Coimbra fado show.

See the Coimbra guide and the Coimbra day trip.

Food

• Leitão: roast suckling pig, the speciality of nearby Mealhada and the Bairrada area.
• Chanfana: goat slow-cooked in red wine.
• Pastel de Santa Clara: a sweet almond and egg pastry from the city’s convent tradition.
• Pastéis de Tentúgal: paper-thin, crisp pastry filled with sweet egg cream, from the village of Tentúgal near Coimbra.

When to go

• Spring and autumn: pleasant weather and a busy student atmosphere.
• Queima das Fitas (mid to late May): a week of student parades and concerts, opening with a midnight serenade at the Old Cathedral (21 May in 2026). Lively, but the town is packed.
• Summer: hot and busy with tour groups. Book the library slot early.

Tips

• Book the library slot first, then plan the rest around it.
• Shoes: wear comfortable shoes with grip for the cobbled hills.
• Fado de Coimbra: hear the city’s own style of fado, traditionally sung by men in student capes.
• Stay over: see where to stay in Coimbra.

FAQ

How much does it cost to visit the University of Coimbra?

In 2026 an adult ticket costs about €16.50 with the Biblioteca Joanina, or €12.50 without it. Check the official site for discounts.

Can you take photos in the Joanina library?

No. Photos aren’t allowed inside the library, so enjoy it in person and take your pictures in the courtyard.

Can you climb the university tower?

No. The bell tower is permanently closed to visitors, but you can see it from the courtyard and from all over the city.

How do I get from Coimbra-B station to the university?

Take the Metrobus or the bus link into the centre, then a taxi, a city bus or the Elevador do Mercado up the hill.

More: the Coimbra guide, UNESCO sites in Portugal and Lisbon to Porto by train (Coimbra is on the way).

Some links in this guide are affiliate or referral links (GetYourGuide, Booking.com, Discover Cars, Welcome Pickups, Airalo, Yesim, Saily, Tiqets, Radical Storage, EKTA, AirHelp, Uber). If you book or sign up through them we may earn a small commission or ride credit at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our groups and this site free.