According to Maria Carlos Pêgo, director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Coimbra City Council, “the programme will take place in its usual location, in the square in front of the Old Cathedral, but will then extend over a larger area this year”.

At a press conference, she informed journalists that, in addition to Quebra-Costas, the Castilho courtyard and square, and Borges Carneiro Street, the event will also take place at the Almedina tower and arch, on Ferreira Borges Street, and at the Machado de Castro National Museum, maintaining the three days of the last edition, which turned out “very well.”

Concerts, tournaments, workshops, parades, as well as historical reenactments and theatrical performances by the Almanach cooperative are expected at Portugal's “oldest medieval fair,” whose theme is “The Reign of the Almost Perfect Couple: Dom Dinis and Santa Isabel.”

The programme kicks off on Friday 18th, with the highlight of the evening being the medieval supper in the cloisters of the Old Cathedral.

The dinner, which is already sold out, will feature a menu prepared by the Social Action Services of the University of Coimbra (SASUC) and entertainment provided by the Almanach cooperative.

‘Greater involvement from some commercial establishments’ is another feature of the 2025 edition, with Gelataria Così and the restaurants Fangas Maior and Piano Negro standing out.

The three establishments will “present gastronomic and cultural offerings in line with the medieval theme,” added Maria Carlos Pêgo.

In total, eight associations from the municipality, which will ensure the taverns are lively, and 40 merchants and artisans will transform the streets into “an authentic medieval market.”

Another new feature of the 30th edition is the institutional partnership with the Machado de Castro National Museum, which will host various activities, such as a medieval concert and workshops.

The museum, classified as a World Heritage Site, has also created an exclusive programme for the fair, based on its collections, revealed communications coordinator Marisa Martins.

“A game visit that explores the collections of stone sculptures from the medieval period and the treasure of Queen Santa” and a “multimedia workshop, where participants use their mobile phones to create a short-animated film” are the proposals of that cultural facility.

According to the vice-president of Coimbra City Council, Francisco Veiga, “in two years, the municipality of Coimbra has more than doubled its investment” in the initiative.

The event, with free programming, has as its partners the Diocese of Coimbra, the Association for the Promotion of Downtown Coimbra, the University of Coimbra, the Machado de Castro National Museum, the Coimbra School of Hospitality and Tourism, and the Union of Parishes of Coimbra.