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Guimarães, which is reportedly the oldest city in the whole of Portugal, was built in the middle of slightly hilly landscape. In 1139, Alfonso Henriques proclaimed himself king Alfonso I. and chose Guimarães for his royal seat. Although the capital city of Portugal moved quickly to the city of Coimbra and the seat of a king to the city of Porto, Guimarães remained forever a birthplace of the nation. The proof of the city’s importance is the characteristic shape of the local castle, which appears on the Portuguese coat of arms in the middle of the state flag.

The city center is full of the narrow medieval streets that are lined with shops and cafes and invite you to a pleasant walk. The oldest street is Rua de Santa Maria, which is paved with cobblestones and decorated with the old houses with ornate statues. It leads from the main square, Largo da Oliveira, along the palace Paço dos Duques up to the castle. This is the biggest tourist attraction of the city.

Castle Castelo de Sao Miguel is composed of huge square castle tower, which is surrounded by eight smaller towers with battlements. It was built in the 10th century to protect the city against attacks of Moors and Normans. About 200 years later, it was spread thanks to the initiative of Henry of Burgundy. According to the legend, Alfonso I. The chapel inside has a mysterious character because the floor is made of gravestones of the first Portuguese kings and their ancestors.

During your visit you should not miss a visit to the charming church of São Francisco, which was built in 1400 in the Gothic style.

City of Guimarães is also known for its football club Vitória de Guimarães. The stadium is located in the northwestern part of Guimarães and is quite large in comparison with the city. Forests surrounding Guimarães consist mainly of non-native eucalyptus. The current population of the city is more than 52,000 inhabitants.

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Coimbra is famous for its university, which dominates the city. It is the oldest university in Portuguese-speaking world. It was founded in the 1290. Coimbra is divided into two parts, upper and lower town. Both of them offer lots of monuments. The main center of the lower town is the square Praça do Comércio. The main center of the upper town is the square Praça da República.

Among major attractions of Coimbra is the Cathedral Sé Velha, which was built in 1064 in honor of the victory against the Moors. Then it is a botanical garden, cathedral Sé Nova, founded by Jesuits in 1598, the church of Santa Cruz from 1131 and two monasteries, the Santa Clara-a-Velha and Santa Clara-a-Nova. Coimbra has many more sites, that you cannot visit in one day.

Coimbra hosts during the year many celebrations and festivals. Among the most important there is a student ceremony Quiema das Fitas, during which students are celebrating the end of graduation courses, symbolized by the ritual burning of the ribbons representing each faculty of the University of Coimbra (UC), it takes place at the second semester (starts on the first Friday of May at 00:00), being among the biggest student festivities in Europe. It lasts for 8 days, one for each UC’s Faculty: Letters, Law, Medicine, Sciences & Technology, Pharmacy, Economics, Psychology & Education Sciences and Sports Sciences & Physical Education. During this period, a series of concerts and performances are held, turning Coimbra in a lively and vibrant city. It also includes a parade of the university students, sport activities, gala ball, and many other public events and traditions, such as the historical nighttime student fado serenade (Serenata Monumental) which happens in the stairs of the Old Cathedral of Coimbra for a crowd of thousands of students, tourists and other spectators.

Other festivals are e.g.:
In May – Festival de Queima das Fitas
In June – Festival de Santos Popular
In July – the Festa da Rainha Santa Isabel and Festa da Cidade

If you are planning your trip to Portugal, you shouldn’t miss Coimbra.

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