Évora is a city that is almost a little insider tip in the south of Portugal and is located less than 2 hours away from the capital Lisbon. The small city has only 57,000 inhabitants, but many times that number of visitors each year. This is not surprising, because the old town of Evora was already in 1986 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Which Evora sights there are to discover and whether a visit to the medieval city is really worthwhile, we tell you now.
Hi Guys!
We are Sabrina and Andreas, two adventurous travelers who never miss an opportunity to discover the world. Whether by plane to distant countries or with our campervan Bruno, we just love to travel. We hope to give you helpful tips for your next trip on our blog.
Sabrina & Andreas Globetrotters, Travelers, Adventurers
Evora Portugal – The Best Things To Do
Since the old town of Evora is a World Heritage Site, it is not surprising that most of the sights are located in the old town. However, one highlight in particular drew us to Evora, and that was Evora Cathedral. Why we liked the cathedral so much and which Evora sights are still worth seeing you can read now.
Evora Cathedral
The cathedral is the absolute highlight in Evora Portugal and was also the reason why we wanted to visit the city. The church was built from the 13th century in several stages and is therefore a hodgepodge of different eras.
You can visit the cathedral from the inside, but that should not be the reason why you come to Evora. Because the special thing about the Evora Cathedral is that you can also climb up to the roof and walk around up there to your heart’s content. This opens up whole new photo opportunities. We really loved the cathedral (especially from above)!
- Tickets for the cathedral cost 1.50€ for the church interior and 3.50€ if you also want to climb on the roof.
Roman Temple
The remains of the Roman temple can be found at the edge of the old town. The 14 columns that remain from the old temple can only be visited from the outside and stand at the highest point of the city.
Strolling through the Old Town
The old town is really one of the most beautiful old towns in Portugal. The houses are painted in the most beautiful colors and between beautiful architecture of the old Romans are colorful homes on old cobblestones and in places abandoned house ruins. Many of the buildings date back to the 15th century and are silent witnesses of times long past.
It is fun to explore the old town on foot and discover the unexpected.
Bone Chapel of Sao Francisco (Capela dos Ossos)
Inside the Sao Francisco church, which in itself is not even worth seeing, lies the so-called Bone Chapel. This is a small room inside the large church where the walls are completely lined with bones and human skulls. The bones of allegedly more than 5000 people are said to have been processed here. The Franciscan monks of the time wanted to remind us of the transience of man.
- You pay 6 Euro entrance fee for the church, although actually only the bone chapel is interesting
Jardim Publico de Evora
The public park of Evora is located at the entrance to the old town and is a very beautifully landscaped city park. There are green meadows, magnificent pavilions and colorful flowers. It is fun to rest here after an exhausting city walk. But the special thing about this park are the peacocks running around freely, which you can see and especially hear everywhere here.
- The entrance to the park is free of charge and dogs are also allowed on a leash.
Evora Portugal Travel Tips
Is Evora worth a visit?
In our opinion, definitely. We found Evora almost a little insider tip next to the big cities like Lisbon and Porto. It is far less touristy here, but no less beautiful. If you want to see a wonderful old town that most other Portugal vacationers leave out, then come to Evora and especially the cathedral.
Evora Hotel Recommendation
In this cute little hotel* in Evora you are right in the old town and at the same time you have a beautiful view from the roof terrace.
– central location in the old town
– Infinity pool on the roof
– Rooms have balcony with great view
– great breakfast included
How long should I stay in Evora Portugal?
In our opinion, you can visit the best Evora highlights and the old town in one day and not stress yourself out, because the old town is not super big and is perfect to explore on foot. If you want to have it more comfortable, then plan an overnight stay in Evora and stay two days.
Free Parking in Evora
Just outside the old town there is a large free parking lot (Google Maps) where you can park your rental car or camper. From there you are in the old town in a few minutes.
We hope you enjoyed our report about Evora Portugal. If you have any questions or further tips about Evora Portugal, please leave us a comment.