When to visit Coimbra |
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Visiting Coimbra is marvellous all year long, as every season has its advantages. During the Summer months, temperatures vary between 25ºC and 30ºC, ideally warm for walks in the parks, for an afternoon ice-cream whilst taking a stroll by the river and for outside activities in a city with such a wide cultural offer. Just 48 km away from the beautiful long beaches of Figueira da Foz, Coimbra has everything for you to enjoy your summer holidays to the fullest. The city’s holiday is on the 4th of July. It celebrates the life and miracle of Queen Saint Elizabeth, known for her devout heart and sometimes called the Peacemaker. This day is celebrated every two years, on even numbered years. During the winter months, the student life of the city is at its peak, with frequent cultural events: bars and restaurants are filled with young people and the city’s everyday life is visible around every corner. Temperatures are lower, varying between 3ºC and 10ºC, and the city sees fewer tourists than during the warmer months; making it an ideal time to visit Coimbra for less queues and more available tickets to shows and Fado de Coimbra performances. Coimbra’s academic schedule makes it a particular kind of city; most things revolve around the students. During the first and last months of the student calendar, there are many traditional events happening throughout the city. The Latada (Tin can parade) in November marks the beginning of the academic year with a large student parade through Coimbra’s streets ending with the baptism of the new students in the Mondego River. This is a celebration of academics and of student life and may be a little noisy, as the objective is to celebrate as loudly as possible by hitting tin cans. At the end of the student calendar are the commemorations of the end of the Academic year, with the “Burning of the Ribbons”. It is one of the biggest student parties in Europe, lasting a whole week with parades, parties, and lots of other events. This is an exciting time to visit Coimbra if you enjoy being in a whole city involved in the celebrations. To give you a clearer picture, allegedly, more beer is drunk here during this time than during the Oktoberfest in Munich! If you enjoy traditional festivities, visit Coimbra during May, when the Praça da República is filled with typical arts and crafts from the region, providing a very interesting shopping experience. The Medieval fair happens in June. People dress up with costumes imitating those of Medieval times; food and wine is served copying the customs of the time; music is played and the city is decorated with motifs of the Medieval period, bringing a true feeling of what that epoch was like. One thing is true; Coimbra won’t fail to surprise you. It’s an academically involved city, filled with great weather, dynamic events and beautiful green areas all year long. For more information on the climate, please visit the Coimbra Weather page.
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