Evora, Tourist Guide

Évora is the beautiful and enchanting capital of the Alentejo region. The people of the Alentejo region have a reputation for a very slow pace of life due to the heat of the summer months and Évora seamlessly blends this pace with a diverse selection of tourist attractions. Évora should be high on a tourists itinerary of Portugal.

 

To discover Évora full it is suggested that two full days should be selected, Évora is also an excellent base for exploring the Alentejo region due to coach and road links. Évora can be visited as a day trip from Lisbon as the distance is only 110Km (2 hours by coach, less by car) but the day is very long.

Though the Alentejo has a reputation for a slow pace of life, Évora has a large student population, with a selection of late night trendy bars and family orientated cafés. The Alentejo has many distinct regional dishes and these are served in the excellent restaurants of the city.

 

Accommodation is slightly cheaper than in Lisbon and covers are of the price spectrum but during the summer months it is advisable to book ahead. Évora is not just popular with tourist; it was ranked second in a list of the most liveable cities of Portugal, many tourist find that a short break turns into a much longer stay.

 

Évora has had a rich history and this reflected in the number of historic buildings and attractions, Évora is second only to Lisbon for the number of buildings of public interests. Contained within the ancient Moor walls is the best preserved example of Roman architecture on the Iberian peninsular through to the ghoulish chapel of bones.

It should be no surprise to discover that Évora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The popular sights of Évora include:

The Se Cathedral	Templo Romano	The Moorish Walls	Igreja de Sao Francisco
Aqueduto da Agua de Prata	Museu de Évora	Capela dos Ossos	Cromeleque dos Almendres
Praca do Giraldo	Pretty Streets	Great Food	Palacio de Dom Manuel

 

The most famous site of Évora maybe the Roman temple but the history stretches well before the Roman era. The name Évora originates from the ivory workers of the Astolpas kingdom which cover most of ventral Alentejo region. During the Lusitanians era Évora became a major trading city based upon the bountiful plains surrounding the city and at the height of the era was the regional capital.

 

The unstoppable Roman conquest of Europe engulfed Évora in 57BC and fortified the city with its first set of defensive walls. Évora prospered under Roman rule, grand temples and bathing complex where constructed, the output from the lands doubled and Évora became an important city on the major trade routes.

Again with much of Europe and the demise of the Romans the prestige of the city faulted and was successfully invaded by barbarians in 584. The Moors later invaded and ruled the city between 715–1165, they increased the fortifications of the city, the city walls which can be seen today originate from this era. The moors also constructed a grand mosque, but the Christians lead by Afonso I in 1166 captured the city burned the mosque and built the fortress Se cathedral.

Évora golden era was during the 15th century as the Portuguese royal family choose Évora as their proffered places of residence. This royal connection funded the construction of grand churches, royal residence and made Évora a place of learning specialising in the humanities.

 

Many of the monuments of public interest originate from this era. Évora declined after the forced closing of the city’s university on the orders of the Marquis of Pombal in 1759 who wanted the limit the power Jesuits in Portugal. Évora returned to the rural capital of the region focusing on the sale of agricultural goods. This is how Évora remained right up to present day; a city right in the heart of the Alentejo region baked by the heat of summer and flourishing on the lands surrounding the city.