Archive for the History & Culture Category

There is a time of year when Coimbra seems to change its rhythm. After the summer months, September brings thousands of students back to the city. The streets of the Alta come alive once again, and the University prepares to welcome a new generation. Little by little,

There are figures who belong in history books. And there are others whose presence can still be felt centuries later, in the streets, monuments and identity of a city. In Coimbra, King Dinis is one of them. Known as the Farmer King, the Poet King and one

When talking about Coimbra’s culture and traditions, it is impossible not to mention one of the city’s most iconic symbols: Académica. More than just a football club, the “Organismo Autónomo de Futebol da AAC” has an identity deeply connected to the University of Coimbra, student life, and

On March 1st, Rádio Universidade de Coimbra celebrates 40 years on air. Four decades marked by training, debate, and cultural programming that has helped shape the city’s soundscape. Although officially founded in 1986, RUC’s roots go back to the 1940s, when the Experimental Radio Centre, then a

In 2022, at a time still marked by the solitude left by the pandemic and the weakening of social ties, Vânia Couto extended a simple invitation: to create a space where women could come together and sing. The intention was not to launch an ambitious project, but

Coimbra, a city with a millennia-old history, holds not only memories in its winding streets, but also enchanting legends passed down through time. Among them stands out the legend of Coluber, a tale of love and courage said to have inspired the name of our city. According

Carlos Paredes was born on February 16th 1925, in Coimbra. He grew up in an environment full of music and at the age of 4, began learning to play the guitar with his father, Artur Paredes, one of the great figures of the Portuguese guitar. In 1934,

The beautiful but tragic love story between D. Pedro and D. Inês de Castro has left an indelible mark on Portugal’s history and heritage. D. Pedro I, son of King D. Afonso IV and heir to the Portuguese throne, fell deeply in love with Inês de Castro,

Coimbra is associated with the legendary love story of Pedro and Inês but there are many other curious stories as a result, or not, of the people’s imagination. The Legend of Cindazunda, for example, duly documented, tells us the story of the city’s foundation. Aeminium, the ancient