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The event takes place in some of the most important cultural heritage sites of our city, such as Jardim da Sereia, Parque Verde do Mondego, Praça do Comércio, Praça 8 de Maio, the convent of São Francisco, Terreiro da Erva, among others, and, in addition to the cultural initiatives, it integrates a wide range of activities to promote tourism and sports.
The Festivities of the City of Coimbra are, in this way, one of the most important events of the cultural and sports schedule of the Municipality, a project that has been strengthened over the years, giving form to a daring, diversified and differentiating program. In addition to the diversity of content, and public spaces, the Festivities of the City of Coimbra come out as a shared organization whose large bet is to call to itself the cooperation and participation of the entire city, of the institutions and of the social and heritage spaces. It is this feature that also makes this a comprehensive and dynamic celebration counting, therefore, with the mobilization of everyone, in an event that belongs to everyone.
There is plenty of music, dancing, exhibitions, guided tours, activities for children, workshops, theater, cinema, folklore and ethnography, crafts, sports and fireworks. Highlight for “Dia da Cidade de Coimbra”, (=Day of the City of Coimbra), on the 4th of July, date on which takes place the official ceremonies in the City Council of Coimbra.
In even-numbered years, the event includes celebrations in honor of Rainha Santa Isabel. The “Festas da Rainha Santa Isabel” are celebrated in Coimbra for about four centuries and, thanks to the prestige of its patron saint, have won the admiration of generations, in Portugal and abroad. The religious party, organized by the Confraria da Rainha Santa Isabel includes exhibitions, conferences, galas, church services, sermons and the famous processions in honor of Queen Santa Isabel: The Procession of Penance, in which the image of the patron saint is carried from the Church of Rainha Santa to the Church of Santa Cruz, and the Solemn Procession that takes the image from Sé Novato to the Church of Rainha Santa.