Guided Botanical Garden visit
€10.00
Estimated duration 1 hour 30 minutes; subject to guide availability and weather; Tropical Greenhouse excluded.
A thirteen-hectare university garden with formal terraces, glasshouses, systematic beds and a wooded valley. Visitors explore global flora, research collections and historic structures across contrasting garden zones.
A thirteen-hectare university garden with formal terraces, glasshouses, systematic beds and a wooded valley.

The Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra spans thirteen hectares, offering a unique landscape of formal terraces, historic glasshouses, and a serene wooded valley. Visitors can engage with diverse global flora arranged in systematic beds, providing an immersive look into botanical research and history. The site serves as an essential part of the academic and civic identity in Coimbra. By navigating the contrasting garden zones, guests encounter a blend of nature and science that reflects the university's enduring commitment to preserving living plant collections.

The Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra was established in 1772 during the Marquis of Pombal's university reforms to support medicine and natural history. Originally planned by Italian naturalists, the garden later flourished under the direction of Félix de Avelar Brotero, who reorganized its collections in 1791. Spanning 13 hectares, the site is now a **UNESCO World Heritage** component reflecting a significant academic landscape. Its historical evolution transformed medicinal beds into a diverse environment featuring formal terraces, woodland, and scientific glasshouses.
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