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COIMBRA was Portugal's capital from 1143 to 1255 and it ranks behind only the cities of Lisbon and Oporto in historic importance. Its university, founded in 1290 and finally established here in 1537 after a series of moves back and forth to Lisbon, was the only one existing in Portugal until the beginning of this century. For a provincial town it has remarkable riches, and it's an enjoyable place to be, too - lively when the students are in town, sleepy during the holidays. The best time of all to be here is in May, when the students celebrate the end of the academic year in the Queima das Fitas , tearing or burning their gowns and faculty ribbons. This is when you're most likely to hear the Coimbra fado , distinguished from the Lisbon version by its mournful pace and complex lyrics.