"It is the musical genre most cherished and most popular among the academic community and which students have always interpreted and created with unparalleled feeling and richness."

Fado de Coimbra has always had a very close connection with its city and its Academy. Since the 16th century, students have been known to sing in the streets of Coimbra, where the erudite and the popular often met and mixed. It was in the second half of the 19th century that academic fado and student serenades began to take on their own unique characteristics, giving rise to the so-called Fado de Coimbra.

Unlike the Fado of Lisbon, of the taverns and fado houses, the Fado of Coimbra is, in its essence, a serenade fado, a street fado, with lyrics and music, not only of popular origin, but also of erudite origin, having been set to music poems by the most illustrious poets who passed through the University of Coimbra.

It is the musical genre most cherished and most popular among the academic community, and students have always interpreted and created it with unparalleled feeling and richness. Over time, this musical genre has been remodelled, giving rise to the Canto and Canção de Coimbra, which the city, its University and its people proudly recreate, respecting its essence and genesis.

During the Monumental Serenades, students must wear their capes drawn, remain silent and refrain from applauding. In the Street Serenades (serenades held under the window of the person to whom the serenade is to be dedicated, as a demonstration of love), the cape is also drawn. The girl expresses her gratitude by turning the light on and off three times.