Cycling through History: UC Marks World Car-Free Day with Bicycle Tours

Organised by the Office for Sustainable Development, the rides were part of the third edition of UC’s Sustainability Days. For the Vice-Rector for Planning, Sustainability, and Quality, Patrícia Pereira da Silva, these activities aim to strengthen environmental awareness across both the academic community and the city.

“To mark World Car-Free Day, we decided to promote a bicycle tour, also to remind the UC community that our UCicletas programme is available for students, faculty, researchers, and technical staff,” she explained. She added that, “even though there are no dedicated bike lanes in this historic part of the city, it is still possible to explore beautiful routes safely.”

The Vice-Rector also highlighted the importance of opening the event beyond the university: “What makes this unique is precisely the wide range of activities designed to motivate, raise awareness, and engage the community in the broadest sense—not only students and faculty, but also technical staff and, often, civil society.”

Desporto UC (UC Sports) joined the initiative by providing its fleet of electric bicycles. “The UC Office for Sustainable Development invited us to organise an activity for World Car-Free Day. We thought it would be a great idea to combine cycling with the knowledge and heritage offered by the University of Coimbra to its community,” said Mariana Cardoso from Desporto UC. "In partnership with UC Tourism, we offered a cycling tour through history, combining utility and fun."

The UC Tourism Office also played an active role, leading the guided tours on two wheels. For guide Oscar Cumps-Ruelle, the experience was both innovative and fun: “This is a somewhat unusual tour to celebrate World Car-Free Day, offering a different way to explore Polo I and enjoy its panoramic views. Don’t worry about safety—we only talk during stops, not while riding.”

Throughout the day, participants cycled through the history of the University, discovering iconic sites while celebrating more sustainable mobility options.

The full programme is available at www.uc.pt/sustentabilidade/dias-da-sustentabilidade/.