The Noble Floor of the Biblioteca Joanina at the University of Coimbra — gilded baroque shelving in exotic dark wood, painted ceiling and a portrait of King João V, in one of three halls aligned like the naves of a basilica.

Biblioteca Joanina Tickets — Youth (16–17)

Same full visit, reduced youth rate

The Youth (16–17) option at Biblioteca Joanina Tickets — Same full visit, reduced youth rate. Includes timed entry to the Biblioteca Joanina — your reserved 20-minute slot, plus 4 other concierge inclusions. Reserve directly — we secure the official slot the moment you confirm.

What's included

Every booking includes the elements below — handled by our concierge team before your visit and confirmed at the door.

• Timed entry to the Biblioteca Joanina — your reserved 20-minute slot • The Royal Palace, St Michael's Chapel and the historic museums — including the mineral gallery • Reduced rate for visitors aged 16 to 17 • 5-minute audio history sent before your visit • 24/7 concierge in your language — before, during and after your visit

Who this is for

This option is designed for same full visit, reduced youth rate. If you're booking for a different group composition, see the other tiers in our booking widget — each is matched to a specific visitor profile.

On the day

The Biblioteca Joanina is the jewel of the University of Coimbra, one of the oldest universities in the world, set on the hilltop Alta above the city. Commissioned by King João V and built between 1717 and 1728, it is the finest baroque library in Portugal: three halls aligned like the naves of a basilica, two storeys of gilded jacaranda-wood shelving, painted ceilings, and around 40,000 rare volumes from the 16th to 18th centuries — famously guarded at night by a colony of bats that eats the insects which would otherwise destroy the books.

Frequently asked

What's included in the ticket?
A combined University of Coimbra visit: timed entry to the Biblioteca Joanina (your reserved 20-minute slot), plus the Royal Palace (Paço das Escolas), St Michael's Chapel and the university's historic museums — the chemistry laboratory, the cabinet of curiosities, the mineral gallery and the academic museum. The library is the highlight; the ticket covers the whole monumental university.
Can I buy a ticket just for the Biblioteca Joanina?
No. There is no library-only ticket. The Biblioteca Joanina is visited as part of the combined University of Coimbra ticket, which also includes the Royal Palace, St Michael's Chapel and the museums. The library is what most people come for, but it is always sold within the wider university visit.
Why does the library have a 20-minute time slot?
To protect the books and the building, the Biblioteca Joanina admits only small groups — around 50 people at a time — in strict 20-minute slots. The time printed on your ticket is your library entry time. It is enough to take in the three halls; the rest of the university you visit before, after, or on a second day.
Do the library slots really sell out?
On busy days, yes. Because each 20-minute slot is capped, popular times — late morning and early afternoon in high season — can fill up, and same-day visitors are sometimes turned away from the library while still seeing the rest of the university. Booking ahead locks in your entry time.