🔜
17th Arts' Festival Quebra Jazz
Celebrating the 17th edition of the QuebraJazz Arts Festival means reaffirming Coimbra as a place of creative freedom. Over the course of nearly two decades, we haven’t just built an event. We’ve established a shared space where tradition and the avant-garde come together, under the watchful eye of an audience that, like us, isn’t satisfied with the obvious.
This year, that desire to carry on is put to the test in the Gardens of Quinta das Lágrimas.
But the Festival pulses throughout the region. It’s in the open-air cinema under the stars in Santa Clara-a-Nova, in the visual arts, in the cuisine, and in the unique vibe of the Quebra Costas Stairs, where jazz rediscovers its most authentic and spontaneous essence.
12.07 - 29.08
Website
Meridians of the Future – The Coimbra Imperial Students’ Hall (1945–1965)
Convento de São Francisco
The exhibition ‘Meridians of the Future’ aims to highlight the importance of the Coimbra branch of the Casa dos Estudantes do Império, which operated in the city between 1945 and 1965. Although financially dependent on its Lisbon headquarters, the Coimbra branch had its own distinctive characteristics and welcomed a significant number of students from the then colonies, some of whom played a key role in cultural production and, later, in the political activism that led to independence. We shall seek to highlight the cultural and sporting activities organised at the Casa or by its members; the way in which African identities were taking shape at the time; the relationship between the Coimbra branch of the CEI and other spaces and organisations in the city; the persecution and political surveillance of some of its members; and the unique way in which the Casa and its members contributed to the politicisation of a changing student community.
06.08 - 18.10.2026
Website
A ‘luggage body’ in the imagined library, with Ondjaki – Meridians of the Future Exhibition
Convento de São Francisco
What is a library, and how might one imagine a library based on the body?
What struggles does this body embody, and how are they reflected in the books she writes or the books she reads?
Drawing on Beatriz Nascimento’s concept of the ‘body-baggage’, as well as Sónia Vaz Borges’s idea of ‘walking archives’, the researcher and artist Raquel Lima is leading four sessions to bring the library of the exhibition #Meridianos de Futuro" to life, inviting intellectuals to discuss a book, a thought or a journey associated with the Casa dos Estudantes do Império in Coimbra. The aim of these meetings is for the conversation to address not only knowledge printed in a fixed format, but also to reflect on the knowledge carried within bodies and experiences.
23.09.2026
Website
⏭️ In 2027
Michelin Gala in Coimbra - Convento de São Francisco
This will be the 4th time that the Portuguese edition of the most prestigious event in international gastronomy has been held, and the first time it will take place in Central Portugal. This choice represents a clear recognition of the development, quality and authenticity of the region’s gastronomic offer.
The Michelin Guide gala is the most eagerly awaited event of the year for the gastronomic community. It is at this event that the new Michelin stars awarded to restaurants in Portugal are officially revealed, along with the mentions in the Michelin Guide – distinctions that symbolise culinary excellence and have a direct impact on the profile of the award-winners. The ceremony brings together chefs, critics, journalists and leading figures from the world of gastronomy, serving as a prestigious and influential showcase with international impact.
Date to be announced
Queima das Fitas
In May, the university city of Coimbra will host the iconic university celebration known as the Queima das Fitas. An exceptional opportunity to visit this student city and experience a unique tradition. In Coimbra, of course!
May 2027
Website
Coimbra Book Fair
The 48th edition of the Coimbra Book Fair, which takes place in June at Manuel Braga Park, will host 60 stands and over 100 renowned publishers and representatives. The programme includes talks, debates, book launches and events for children and families.
June 2027
Website
⏭️ Warm up for 2028
Manifesta 2028
The 17th edition of Manifesta (the European Nomadic Biennial) will take place in Coimbra in 2028, marking the first time the event has been held in Portugal. The project is being co-created in partnership with the local biennial Anozero, the City Council, the University of Coimbra and the Coimbra Circle of Fine Arts.
Every two years, the European Nomadic Biennial Manifesta is hosted by a different city or region in Europe, drawing on local cultural, urban and environmental conditions while reimagining—together with citizens and local communities — how we live, work and conceive our collective future in Europe.
Website
