Coimbra
With its wonderful old town, the Portuguese city of Coimbra in the Baixo Mondego region is an ideal destination for a study trip. The culturally very attractive city looks back on a long history and is one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal.
Lively university town with a special flair
Where in other Portuguese cities a fortress or cathedral towers over the city, in Coimbra the university watches over the city. As the oldest university city in Portugal, Coimbra presents itself with a diverse range of cultural activities. The city, which is characterized by student life, also has numerous cafés and restaurants that offer a wide range of culinary options. Anyone who strolls through the ancient alleys and is inspired by the numerous historical buildings should also take the time and enjoy the flair of the city with a coffee. Located halfway between Porto and Lisbon, Coimbra is off the beaten track and has retained much of its original charm.
The city of impressive sacred buildings
The city of Coimbra had its origins in the time of the Celts. The city experienced particular growth when it became the second capital of the Kingdom of Portugal in 1139. Today the historic city center is characterized by magnificent buildings and, above all, by impressive sacred buildings. The most famous church in the city is the new Sé Nova Cathedral, which was built in 1598 by the Jesuits. The Romanesque cathedral Sé Velha from 1140 is at least as worth seeing. When visiting Coimbra, visits to the botanical garden and the monasteries of Celas and Santa Cruz should not be missed.
A look into the past
Coimbra is also characterized by an eventful past and so the city also has historical treasures such as the medieval Torre de Almedina, which today serves as a museum of the city’s history and was once part of the fortification. But there are still other sights awaiting you. The Museu Nacional de Machado de Castero, on the other hand, takes you back to the time of Roman rule. The jewel of the city, however, is the baroque university located above the city with the Biblioteca Joanina, which can call 300,000 precious books its own.
Evora
The city of Evora in the Portuguese region of Alentejo is in its entirety as an open-air museum a single historical attraction. Because of its uniqueness, the medieval city center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the mid-1980s.
Palaces, churches and other buildings worth seeing
The municipality of Evora is the capital of the district of the same name. It is divided into more than a dozen localities. Almost 60,000 people live in the district and municipal area, which is 1,300 square kilometers in size. Alentejo is a 27,000 square kilometer region in the south of Portugal, and Evora is one of a total of four districts in the Alentejo.
The city and district are well connected to the road and rail network in the Alentejo as well as to the national long-distance bus network of Portugal. Participants in study trips to the Alentejo and to Evora can choose from several travel options.
The rental car is ideal for sightseeing itself, so that you can reach the desired destinations independently. They are as numerous as they are diverse. Above all the cathedral from the beginning of the 13th century. It is considered to be one of the most important Gothic buildings in the Alentejo. Evora is the seat of the archbishopric of the same name, which was established in the fourth century after the birth of Christ. A nine kilometer long aqueduct from the 1530s supplied the city and the surrounding area with water in earlier centuries.
The former temple of Diana from the first century AD is still well preserved and is unique in the country. Evora State University was founded by Jesuits in the mid-1550s and reopened after a long period in the mid-1970s.
The square of the marble fountain with its arcades and the city center with its white houses and their striking roof tiles are downright unique. Well-known palaces in Evora are the Vasco da Gama or the palace of the Duke of Cadaval.
On a study trip to Evora
A trip to neighboring towns such as Estremoz, Monsaraz or Arraiolos is definitely a must. The royal palace in the marble city of Estremoz, megalitic stone monuments in Monsaraz and the remains of a Moorish castle in Arraiolos are as interesting as they are worth seeing not only for historians but also for interested visitors to Portugal.