University of Coimbra guided tours without queue
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Coimbra, Portugal
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Offered in: English
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Overview
One of the world's oldest universities, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Portugal's University of Coimbra is a special place—but it can be tricky for first-time visitors to know where to go. Instead, leave all the planning to someone else on this small-group, guided tour of the university's highlights. Look forward to discovering the magnificent Joanina Library, St. Michael's Chapel, and more, all while learning insider facts and stories.
- Spot highlights and learn history that you'd likely miss on your own
- See the University of Coimbra's key attractions in one comprehensive tour
- Explore with just a small group: Tour is capped at eight participants
- Admission tickets are included for your convenience
What's Included
- Tickets
- Private transportation
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Praça Dom Dinis, 3000-393 Coimbra, Portugal
Attention: The meeting point is in front of the statue of Dom Dinis in the middle of the square.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Universidade de Coimbra
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Biblioteca Joanina
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 576 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Fellipe gave us a lovely tour of the library and the Palace. He was very knowledgeable about the University and it's history. We so appreciated learning from him. If you visit Coimbra, you should definitely take this tour. And, just walk through the streets of Coimbra. It is charming and a lovely place to visit.
Felipe did a wonderful job explaining the history of the university as a former student himself. We were able to tour a portion of the palace and the library. The cathedral was closed due to a funeral. We appreciated his thorough explanation to our questions and his recommendations after the tour. If you’re staying at the bottom of the Coimbra please be aware it is a steep climb to the top, so not for the faint of heart on a warm day.
Knowledgeable guide, well-organized, no better way to see and learn about the library, chapel, and royal palace.
I did this tour in April and I am back in Coimbra with my adult son this time. Both times, our guides were so well versed and studied. This time our guide, Rennanl, was super great, very patient and gave us lots of interesting information. He was super good. And I like this tour because it's a small group and you get to see a lot of interesting things.
Filipe was an excellent guide and was very knowledgeable about the university and its history. We had a small group (only 5 of us) and it was a great experience. He made sure to answer all of our questions and also was kind enough to provide us with some recommendations for restaurants and bars in the area. I would definitely recommend this experience for anyone looking to have a more in depth visit to the university.
If you’re looking to have the in’s-and-outs tour of the old university then choose this! Our tour guide was a student here so he definitely was the right one to give the tour. Detailed and on time!
Coimbra university was an enjoyable and worthwhile tour. The library and chapel were beautiful and our guide was knowledgable interesting. We would recomm the tour.
Fantastic tour with Guide Renan who brings history to life. Excellent knowledge of the past in good English. Very enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Amazing tour! Was great to have tickets and entry coordinated and our guide Filipe was very knowledgeable and had great local recommendations too!
Very interesting and informative guided tour. The library is absolutely gorgeous. Definitely worth it. I highly recommend!
Filipe was an excellent guide! I can’t imagine going to the university without the inside knowledge of the history he provided. The library information alone was outstanding, but we learned so much more than that on his tour. Highly recommend!
This is a fabulous 90-minute tour of the Royal Palace, the Chapel and the Joanina library. Our guide Felipe gave us just the right amount of history and explanations, with a fun sense of humour. He was extremely knowledgeable and easy to chat with. The tour allows you to bypass any lines into the sites, and you don't have to deal with tickets for each one. Felipe did it all with his phone. The pace of the tour was just right - not rushed nor too slow. We highly recommend it!
We all really enjoyed our tour experience and Renan was such a pleasant man with so much enthusiastic information, he made our tour special.
Renan did a very good tour and taught us quite a bit about both Portuguese history and the University history. Very interesting!!
This was a very educational experience. We learned about the former king’s palace, the history of the university, the chapel where the Kings worshipped and the Coimbra library, which was beautiful.
Renan is a passionate, knowledgeable, and friendly guide that provided a detailed overview of the history of Portugal, Coimbra, the University, and insights into the monument itself. Our group of four had a wonderful time and I would highly recommend this tour.
Excellent and informative tour. Felipe was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Took his time with the group and answered all questions
Had a great time! The tour hit all of the highlights of the location, but also was very informative on the overall history of Portugal and our tour guide presented the information in a very fun way that stuck with us. Highly recommend!
This was a great tour to have done with an extra day in Porto. I took a bus during the morning to Coimbra, and made it in time for the start of the tour. Renan was my guide, and being a local that had attended the university there in Coimbra, he was perfect to show me around and explain the history of the university. The library was incredible. Definitely consider this tour if you have some
Extra time in Porto.
Filipe was a great tour guide, especially since he is a graduate of the university. He was very knowledgeable and explained a lot of history that was helpful to fully understand the university, now and in the past. He also gave restaurant and cafe recommendations for the group.
Renan our guide was excellent. We both enjoyed his humor, and incredible knowledge of the University, where he studied, and wealth of knowledge of Portuguese history. No surprise that he is preparing for his Doctorate in contemporary Portuguese History. He used many current cultural references, was easy to understand and kept the tour lively. I can honestly say this was the best tour we’ve had in our travels. I only wish I could remember it all.
He connected with us via WhatsApp to confirm our meeting. He moved us easily through the rooms on the tour providing added touches, such as a video of the organ being played since that is not a common occurrence, but a very unique sound.
Highly recommend Renan to guide you.
Filipe was very knowledgeable about the university as he studied and worked there previously. It was helpful to have explanations about the rooms/areas and pointing out things we would miss on our own. Also able to skip the lines of waiting for tickets/entrance which was nice.
Coimbra University comes with a rich history, made more engaging by our guide Filipe. He was informative and captivating, sharing plenty of stories and historical insights throughout the tour. He also offered perspectives from a student’s point of view, which made the experience feel more well-rounded and authentic. Joanina Library was particularly impressive and definitely worth the visit.
Very informative guided tour. Well paced and provided lots of interesting history about the university, area and library. Well worth it and highly recommended
Aside from the very strenuous uphill location LOL, this tour was fabulous and fantastic. Pedro, our guide, was very personable and very knowledgeable. He was humorous, friendly, answered all of our questions, and even added other information which was wonderful. I think, though, in the directions for the meeting place, it doesn't specify which statue and I think that should be added as we were at the right location but there are several statues in that area. Of course, the one we needed to be at was about a half a block down. Pedro was very good at letting us know through WhatsApp where to find him as he kind of made his way towards where we were walking. So that was very easy. A great tour. And I highly recommend it.
This is definitely a must-do if you’re in Coimbra. Our tour guide, Renan, a former student of the university, was incredibly knowledgeable about both the university and the history of Portugal, which made the experience even more meaningful.
Our group was small, which made the tour feel very personal and engaging. The university and library were absolutely beautiful, and it was fascinating to learn more about such an important historic place. I would definitely do this tour again if I return to Coimbra!
Absolutely worth your time and money!!! This is the second time I have done this tour. The first time was with my husband, and the second time was with my 10 year old daughter. Our guide is so full of knowledge and so entertaining. He was able to discuss recent events and relate them back to the history of the university. He was charismatic and engaging. Even though I did the tour twice, it felt like the second time was a brand new tour, while still giving all the information on the historical points. My 10 year old isn’t extremely interested in history, but she enjoyed our guides energy and humor and admitted that history could be fun. I highly recommend if you are visiting Coimbra!
Our guide Philip was extremely knowledgeable about the 3 main areas we toured of the university. The tour started a bit slow/sleepy but picked up as we went along
I liked very much the tour. The guide (Renan) had a lot of knowledge an experience related to the history of the University of Coimbra, as well as the history of Portugal. He had a enjoyable and interesting way to explain all details related to the historical areas and landmarks that we visited at the University, as well of those of the City.
My 19 year old daughter and I were so glad that we took this 1,5 hour tour. Renan is an excellent story teller! He was very informative, and at the same time it was easy to comprehend and remember Portuguese history. Highly recommend this tour with Renan, even for children it would be interesting.
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per personWas $70.25(-5%)
-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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University of Coimbra guided tours without queue
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