Evora is one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal. Walking through its ancient center, one cannot but feel the spirit of antiquity and centuries-old history, which was formed under the influence of the Moors and Romans. Many architectural monuments, as well as fine wines from one of the best regions of Portugal – Alentejo, cheeses and local sweets, attract tourists from all over the world to Évora.
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Evora has been the spiritual center of the country for many centuries. The city is located in the south of Portugal in the province of Alentejo among olive groves, vineyards and flowering meadows, just 130 km from Lisbon. The labyrinths of its narrow streets, ancient buildings that seem to suddenly grow out of the ground, arches, squares with fountains sparkling in the sun – all this makes Evora a historical museum city.
The city of Évora was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.
How to get to Evora
Evora can be reached by train, bus or car. The railway station is located in the southern part of the city, a 20-minute walk from the center. A direct train from Lisbon takes about 1.5-2 hours, there are 4 departures per day, tickets from 15 EUR. A trip from Setubal with a transfer to Piñal Nova will take a little less than an hour and a half, tickets from 12 EUR. Trains depart twice a day to Evora from Lagos and Faro, on the road with transfers – 3.5-4.5 hours, tickets – from 30 EUR. Timetables and tickets are on the English website of the Portuguese Railways. {{Prices for|10|2021}
The Lisbon-Évora bus service is operated by Rede Expressos (website in English). Buses leave for Evora from the Sete Rius bus station, the journey takes about 1.5-2 hours, tickets from 15 EUR.
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To get to Évora by car from Lisbon, you need to take the A2 highway, then turn onto the A6 highway, then onto the N114, which goes directly to the town of Évora.
Money
It is most convenient to exchange money immediately at the Lisbon airport: there is a favorable rate and a lower commission percentage. In banks and hotels, the rate may be lower, but the commission is higher. There are many 24-hour ATMs in the city, where Visa, Amex, Eurocard, Eurocheque, Diners Club, Mastercard cards are accepted.
Weather in Évora
The Atlantic influences the climate in Portugal, including Évora. Thanks to the cold Canary Current, the temperature here is lower than in the countries of Europe to the east of Portugal, and the weather is more unpredictable, with more precipitation. See also the current weather forecast in Évora for the next few days.
Évora Transport
The main taxi ranks are in Piazza Giraldo and Largo da Porta di Moura. On weekdays, the fare from Piazza Giraldo costs about 10 EUR (with luggage 15 EUR).
Bicycle rental is offered by Bike Lab, located 800 m northwest of the city center (tel.: 266 735 500; address: Evora, Centro Comercial da Vista Alegre, Lote 14), where the rental price is 16-30 EUR per day. Here you can book guided bike tours.
You can rent a car from Europcar (address: Evora, Est.de Viana, lt.10, website at port.) and Hertz (address: Evora, Rua da Revendedora, Lote 7 Bairro da Torregela, Horta das Figueiras, web -site per port.).
Entertainment and attractions of Évora
History buffs will surely linger in Évora. The entire northern part of the province of Alentejo is famous for the buildings of the Neolithic period (4000-2000 BC) preserved in excellent condition. 16 km west of Évora, near the village of Guadalupe, there is a cromlech – an oval built of 95 giant boulders-menhirs that determine the equinox period.
The city with such a rich past is home to many different monuments, such as the Roman temple of Diana, dating from the 1st century BC. ad. It was built in honor of the emperor Augustus, rebuilt several times, it was destroyed by the conquerors, but it miraculously survived for 2000 years, and is now included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Even more ancient is the aqueduct 18 km long, built in the 1st century BC. BC e. for the needs of the Roman settlement. This grandiose monument of the Roman Empire in the 16th century. was restored by architect Francisco de Arruda.
Giraldo Square (Giraldo) is the central square of Evora, which has seen a lot in Portuguese history, including mass executions at the stake in the 15th century. and fiery debates on agrarian reform in the 1970s. However, now nothing reminds of the actions of the inquisitors, and the fountain in the square is appointed by both locals and tourists as a meeting place.
On one of the streets overlooking Giraldo Square, which is called “The Street of Painted Houses”, you can see on the walls a whole gallery of images of fantastic characters: mermaids, trees and animals from India, ordered by Vasco da Gama when he lived in Evora.
One of the scariest places in Europe is the Chapel of Bones in Évora.
Not far from the central square is the most famous cathedral of Évora – Igreja de San Francisco – a Gothic cathedral built around 1510 in honor of St. Francisco during the reign of Manuel I. Adjacent to the cathedral is the Chapel of Bones, built from skulls and other human bones. The remains of 5,000 buried, collected in local, crowded in those days, cemeteries are lined with patterns on the walls, and the white brick ceiling is painted with frescoes on the theme of death. The dried corpses of an adult and a child hang on chains. The inscription at the entrance reads: “We, the bones, are waiting for you.” In this way, the founders of this church wanted to make parishioners think about the frailty of earthly life.
The Portuguese city of Évora offers tourists an hour-long electric car tour accompanied by a graduate in art history. Tour itinerary: Hotel M’ar de Ar Aqueduto, Garcia de Resende Theatre, ruins of a Roman temple, Santa Monica Convent, Holy Spirit College, Portas de Moura Fountain, Church and Convent of San Francisco, aqueduct, Piazza Giraldo — and finish the tour near the new city wall.
Pay attention to the university building, which was founded in the middle of the 16th century. order of the Jesuits. For a long time, students and masters from all over Europe flocked to Evora to study at this university. However, in the 18th century it was closed, and the Jesuits were driven out of the city. The university was opened only 200 years later, in the 70s. 20th century
Walking along the streets of Évora, it is worth stopping by the monastery of St. Clara (15th century), where the collection of the city museum is temporarily stored. The museum itself is under restoration, and its most valuable exhibits fit perfectly into the interior of the monastery. For a relaxing walk, head to the city garden with a small street cafe south of Igrezhi de San Francisco. Here are the remains of Don Manuel’s palace.
For fans of extreme sports, bullfights are held in a special arena near the city garden from May to October 3-4 times a year.
Theaters of Évora
Actors from the Teatro Garcia de Resende put on a puppet show for children called The Puppets of Santo Aleixo (Tel: 266 703 112, Off Largo de Machede Velho Old Town). A theatrical production, an art exhibition or a concert can be viewed at the Sociedade Harmonia Eborense (address: Evora, Praça do Giraldo, 72, tel. +351 (266) 74-68-74). Walking along the streets of Evora, you can look into the local cinema Eborim Centro Comercial.
Cuisine and restaurants
In Évora, you can easily find a huge variety of restaurants, bars and cafes serving national Portuguese cuisine. Be sure to try the amazing wines, because Évora is also famous for its wine tours.
Clubs and bars of Évora
At night, you should go to nightclubs and bars, listen to music and drink a glass of excellent wine.
- Amas do Cardeal is a popular bar that attracts a huge crowd. Guest DJs play cool and funky house. Address: Evora, Rua Amas do Cardeal 4A Old Town.
- not far from the Garcia theater there are several bars, restaurants and cafes, including a vegetarian one.
- Oficina@Bar is suitable for lovers of a calm and pleasant atmosphere with jazz and blues rhythms. Address: Rua da Moeda 27.
