Evora

Evora, one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal, whose historic center was listed as World Heritage in 1986 by UNESCO. The lovely museum town of Evora is perched on a hill sheltered by its medieval walls. Formerly an important religious center and a leading commercial crossroads, Evora is today a young and dynamic city, where plenty of students come to study in one of the oldest universities in the world. With its glorious past, Evora offers you an authentic experience of Portugal: historic monuments, cuisine full of flavors and relaxed rhythm of life. Much less famous and frequented than other big cities in Portugal, Evora is to be preferred in your list of essential places to visit during your stay in Portugal.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of different unmissable sites in Evora:
– Roman Temple of Diana: the best preserved of the entire Iberian Peninsula. Built in the 1st century this temple was, in fact, dedicated to Emperor Augustus. The temple has been so well preserved that it was incorporated in the Middle Age into the palace that stood there. Then came the demolition of the palace, the temple then served as a slaughterhouse and storage place for wood!
– The chapel of bones (capela dos Ossos) whose walls are decorated with bones of more than 5,000 bodies exhumed from the cemeteries of Evora. An unreal and timeless atmosphere bathes this place. The sentence above the entrance reinforces the macabre character of the place: “we Bones, wait for yours” Sensitive souls abstain!
– The aqueduct which brought water to the historic town (Aqueduto da Agua de Prata), was achieved in 1537 and is connected to the sources of Graça do Divor distant of 18km; you’ll discover the houses and shops built between its arches. Unique and impressive. The name of this aqueduct means “silver water aqueduct”, which has a double meaning: the 1st refers to the color of the water under the summer sun; the second is more “down to earth” and recalls the astronomical cost of its construction, a cost that almost completely ruined the region.
– Palacio de Dom Manuel: formerly the royal palace of Évora, of which only one wing remains today.
– The Cathedral of Évora (Sé d’Evora), superb example of a Gothic architecture with 2 mismatched towers. Be sure to climb on the cathedral roof , you will enjoy a superb view of the city of Évora. Certainly one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedral in all of Portugal.
– Praça do Giraldo: the place where the heart of the city beats. Enjoy a cool drink and watch life go by at its own pace: slow and sweet.
We recommend visiting Evora before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m., knowing that most of the tourist sites managed by the municipal council are closed for 2 hours, often between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. for the lunch break.