Coimbra is a city that rises from the banks of the Mondego River and is home to the oldest university in Portugal. The university is housed in a former palace, with a stunning courtyard and a lavish Baroque library, and its students give the city a youthful feeling that juxtaposes with the medieval cobbled lanes and ancient city walls. Coimbra is packed with restaurants and bars, which really bring the city to life at night, too.

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