Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Coimbra
A botanical garden founded in 1772, one of the oldest in Portugal, with over 1,200 species spread across terraces that descend toward the river, plus greenhouses and a central pond.
The essentials
- Tickets
- Entrada gratuita
Founded by the Marquis of Pombal in 1772
The University of Coimbra's Botanical Garden was created in 1772 at the initiative of the Marquis of Pombal, as part of the sweeping reform he drove at the university itself, aimed at supporting the study of Natural History and Medicine. Its first director was Italian naturalist Domingos Vandelli, succeeded from 1791 by Portuguese botanist Félix de Avelar Brotero, a key figure in the country's botany.
A garden of over 20,000 m² with centuries of history
The grounds combine a geometric layout of 18th-century flowerbeds with more romantic areas added in the 19th century, plus tropical greenhouses and a small arboretum with century-old specimens. It holds thousands of plant species from around the world, many brought over via Portugal's old colonial trade routes, making it a living archive of the country's botanical history.
Visiting hours
The garden is open every day except December 25, January 1, and the days of the Cortejo da Latada and the Queima das Fitas. Hours run from 9am to 5:30pm between October 1 and March 31, and until 8pm the rest of the year; the greenhouses, on the other hand, keep fixed hours year-round, from 9am to noon and 2:30pm to 5pm.
World Heritage status and a quiet stroll
Since 2013 it has formed part, along with the rest of the Alta and Sofia, of the site declared a UNESCO World Heritage property. It's a few minutes' walk from the Paço das Escolas and the Sé Nova, set on a sloping hillside with views over the valley, and it's one of the calmest stops in the historic center compared with the crowds at the Joanina Library.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to enter Coimbra's Botanical Garden?
When does the Botanical Garden close?
Who founded the Botanical Garden?
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Other places in Coimbra
Biblioteca Joanina
monumentoAn 18th-century Baroque library inside the Paço das Escolas, with gilded Portuguese-carved shelving and a colony of bats that protects the old books at night. Visits are only in 20-minute slots with a ticket to the university complex; there's no standalone ticket.
Universidade de Coimbra — Paço das Escolas
monumentoA former royal palace turned university campus since the 16th century, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It includes the Sala dos Capelos, the Capela de São Miguel and the Torre da Universidade, with views over the whole city and the Mondego valley.
Sé Velha de Coimbra
iglesiaA 12th-century Romanesque cathedral, one of Portugal's best-preserved, with a fortress-like look and a Gothic cloister added later. Its facade was the setting for the Serenata Monumental that opens the Queima das Fitas.
Sé Nova de Coimbra
iglesiaA former 17th-century Jesuit church with a Mannerist Baroque facade, built as the city's new cathedral after the Society of Jesus was expelled. It houses a Baroque organ and the baptismal font of Pedro I.
Portugal dos Pequenitos
parqueA theme park opened in 1940 with miniature replicas of Portuguese monuments and sites from the country's former overseas expansion, designed for families with children. One of Coimbra's classics for over eight decades.
Mosteiro de Santa Cruz
iglesiaA monastery founded in 1131 right in the heart of the Baixa, the burial place of Portugal's first two kings (Afonso Henriques and Sancho I). Its Manueline facade and tiled choir are must-sees.
Queima das Fitas de Coimbra
fiestaEight days at the end of May when Coimbra becomes one of Europe's biggest academic festivals: midnight fado at the Sé Velha, black-caped fourth-year students in floats, and concerts until dawn. The 2026 edition ran from May 22 to 30, with the city closed to traffic for a full day.
Festas da Rainha Santa Isabel
fiestaEvery two years (even years), Coimbra honors Isabel of Aragon, the 14th-century queen and patron saint of the city. In 2026 the religious festivities run from July 1 to 12, with the two processions on July 9 and 12. Everything is free and outdoors; July 4 is a municipal holiday.
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