Evora – Portugal’s Walled City
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Alentejo
Explore the historic winding streets, art-filled churches and quiet parks of the former home of the Portuguese royal family.
Enjoy the beautiful walled city of Evora leisurely and on foot. Despite being one of the top attractions in Portugal, Evora has only a few must-see sights. Instead, its beauty is in the streets, walls, gardens and squares, and of course, the Roman temple. The walls that encircle the city completely were built under the Islamic rule that dominated southern Portugal through the Middle Ages.
After stopping at the Tourist Office on Praca do Giraldo for a map, begin at the Se -- the cathedral -- built scarcely two decades after the Islamic rulers had been expelled from Portugal. Most outstanding are its rose windows, domed transept, Renaissance organ (the oldest in Europe) and the choir stalls carved with scenes of peasant life. An early cloister leads to the treasury, filled with intricate and jeweled reliquaries.
The Gothic church of Sao Francisco has a beautiful Chapter House with spiral columns and magnificent azulejo panels of the Stations of the Cross. Unfortunately some people miss it in their curiosity to see the Capela dos Ossos, or bone chapel. This bizarre custom, which 16th-century Franciscans seemed to have delighted in, demonstrated the impermanence of life by completely lining the chapel walls with the bones of 5,000 human skeletons, sorted by size and shape and arranged into patterns. The bones decorating the ceiling are arranged in curving lines against the white vaulting. In case you miss the message, a sign reminds you that these bones await your own.
Spend some time strolling through the parks, especially the Jardim Publico, south of Sao Francisco, from which you can see the graceful Galeria das Damas, all that's left of the royal palace.
The Roman temple almost fills the center of a square. Fourteen columns and most of the base remain of this 2nd or 3rd-century temple, among the most memorable remains of Roman civilization in Iberia. Even if you see it by daylight, return to see it lighted at night.
Praca do Giraldo, a long square is the heart of Evora's social world, lined with shops and cafes, busy all day and into the night. Browse here and in the streets leading from it for restaurants, especially along Rua Joao de Deus, where O Antao (066/70 64 59) serves Alentejo specialties, such as partridge and rabbit, in a warm, hospitable setting.
Rua 5 de Outubre also leaves Giraldo, with several restaurants, principally Cozinha Alentejana (066/227 72), popular for well prepared local dishes and reasonable prices.
The tall white walls that completely encircle Evora are one of its greatest attractions, but they confound anyone who must drive to their hotel inside. When you reserve lodgings, ask which gate to use when entering the walled city. If you forget, drive around the walls until you see the sign for your hotel, entering that gate and following the signs to its parking spaces.
Some hotels sit outside the walls, including the Ibis and Hotel Dom Fernando on the ring road that surrounds the wall. Both are modern, with all amenities, including restaurant, but within easy walking distance of the inner city.
Inside the walls, right in the heart of the old city, is the hospitable Solar de Monfalim, on Largo da Misericordia newly renovated with a wonderful breakfast room and second floor patio.
