Post by @miotravelapp

60,000 ancient books, guarded every night by a colony of bats 🦇 
📍 Biblioteca Joanina, University of Coimbra, Portugal Bats have lived in the ceiling of this 18th century library since the 1700s. They come out at night and eat the insects that would otherwise destroy its 60,000 books. The leather is for the droppings. 3 pro tips for the best time: 1. Don't leave when your slot ends. The same ticket gets you into the academic prison in the basement, student graffiti still on the walls. 2. Slots are timed and sell out, so book online ahead. Last entry around 4:40pm. 3. You won't see a bat, they're nocturnal. Best odds are a rainy late afternoon when they stir behind the shelves. 4. Photography is banned on the Noble Floor and bags usually go into lockers before you go in, so travel light. 5. Coimbra sits on the train line between Lisbon and Porto, so it works as a day trip or a stopover between the two. Send this video to the mio app and it'll save Biblioteca Joanina straight onto your travel map. #BibliotecaJoanina #Coimbra #PortugalTravel #BookTok #oldlibraries