Bologna's main square, where one of the oldest universities in the world is located
In Spain, two cities take Cum laude in these matters. The first, tradition and ancestry is Salamanca . Its university, one of the oldest in the world, dates back to the 13th century. Since then, Salamanca has grown in wealth and prestige to form one of the most overwhelming heritage complexes in Spanish territory. As can be seen in the overwhelming facade of the University.
This is where you will have a pending challenge. Tradition tells what everyone wants to hear: that whoever finds the famous carved frog among the thousand watermarks of the porch will pass all the exams . Comfort for the desperate, but who cares. Meanwhile, the batrachian continues to laugh at the thousand adventures it has witnessed: students intoning the Gaudeamus Igitur at dawn, ruthless hazing, Erasmus who will never want to return home, and more than once destabilized, by the way and compás, bandurria in hand.
If you find the frog on the facade, you will pass all your exams
And for beautiful cities, make way, gentlemen, here it comes Grenade . We can quote Lorca, Washington Irwing and all the compliments in the dictionary. And we would still fall short. An indisputable cultural reference as the capital of the Nasrid Kingdom, as evidenced by the Alhambra, it regained its prestige thanks to the founding of the Colegio Imperial de San Miguel de Granada in 1531. Today, the city has won the hearts and pockets of all students with insatiable stomachs thanks to their legendary offer of caña plus 'tapita', courtesy of the house . That is why the taverns of the Elvira Street , such as 'La Antigua Bodega Castañeda', 'Taberna Salinas', 'La Cueva de 1900' or the essential battered aubergines from 'Julio'. And if the waiter isn't nice, take a picture of him. Because you'll just meet the only nasty Granadan on the face of the earth.
We have the next pending exam in Bologna . Known by all for having lent its name to the plan that has reformed the European university system, it is none other than the The world's oldest university in continuous operation . And also, a coveted destination for students from all over the world who want to get to know the beautiful city of arcades (it has, no less, 45 kilometers of arcades between its facades). And as an inherited custom, long before the word 'ecofriendly' existed, all students traditionally use the bicycle to move around its streets.
A cyclist rides through the arcades of Bologna
If we imagine that the bike lane continues to the north, and that pedaling is effortless, we will go to Ghent , in the Flemish part of Belgium. It is easy to recognize it by its extraordinary old town, and perhaps for this reason it is one of the most famous university cities in Europe. About 45,000 students would agree with this data without blinking an eye. And others with their eyes closed without a solution. But we are in the homeland par excellence of beer : Just look at emblematic places like Bierhuis, Waterhuis aan de bierkant , or De Dulle Griet , with more than 250 overwhelming types of beer to prove it.
Ghent old town at night
In England, the most famous university towns are oxford and cambridge . Affectionately known as Oxbridge, they are the educational stronghold of the British and international elite. In Oxford the pubs are packed with students of exorbitant academic average. The oldest is The Turf Tavern, from the 13th century. Another landmark is Eagle and Child, frequented in his younger years by Lord of the Rings author J.R.R Tolkien and C.S Lewis. Another institution is The Kings Arms, which boasts of having the highest IQ per square meter of all the bars in the world . If it is wasted there, that is another story.
The beer from The Eagle and Child animated the fantasies of Tolkien and C.S Lewis
In France, the most important university city (Paris always on the sidelines) is lyons . All students know that the best way to eat is to drop by the old town in any of its ' **bouchon' (typical city restaurants) ** like the Laurencin or La Machonnerie . The menus of the day are usually very cheap, and in English, but if you dedicate yourself to making dangerous incursions through the menu (especially in the drinks section) you will end up vigorously animating the bill and discouraging your little face when paying.
The Laurencin is an emblematic bouchon of Lyon
In Portugal we find another little gem: the city of Coimbra . With only 150,000 inhabitants, it is a manageable and very attractive destination for students from half of Europe. Since the mid-16th century, the history of the city revolves around the University, as evidenced by the impressive Joanina Library. A deep-rooted university tradition is to form 'Republicas', that is, student associations where political, cultural activities and the occasional soiree are carried out . In principle, they do not admit intruders from outside the organization... but at certain times, there is nothing like being nice to be let in.
Coimbra's impressive library has more than 300,000 volumes