Évora: The Unexpected Beauty of Portugal
Source: www.adventurouskate.com
When I added Évora to my Iberian itinerary, I didn’t have many expectations. I heard it was a lovely town, but my main goal was to see the Capela dos Ossos, the bone chapel. Anything else would be a fringe benefit.
Sometimes, going into a place without expectations is best — because I was absolutely bowled over by the beauty of Évora!
The first thing you notice in Évora is the Moorish influence — the streets are filled with short whitewashed buildings with mustard-yellow trim. You see this style throughout the old part of the city.
Like many small towns in Europe, the town square is the center of activity. Évora’s Plaça de Giraldo doesn’t disappoint — it’s the kind of square where you could sit for hours.
It reminded me more of Italy than anywhere else in Portugal — you can have an Italian-style plaza experience, down to the well-groomed people sitting at the cafes, without needing to book Italy flights or Rome short stay apartments.
And yes, I made it to the Capela dos Ossos. The chapel was small, but filled with so many bones, skulls and femurs stacked tightly on each other. Expect to see much more on this soon.
And finally, I’ve been eating lots of pasteis de nata, or Portuguese custard tarts, in Portugal, but I had THE BEST ONE EVER in Évora! The filling was so smooth, the crust had the perfect amount of crunch, the sugary top was melted but not charred — it was perfect.
I don’t remember the name of the cafe, but it was a modern place with “Inn” in the name, right on Plaça de Giraldo.
Finally, I decided to see where I could get a great aerial view of Évora. It turns out that you can climb the towers of the Se, the cathedral, and walk around on top.
I wouldn’t call it the safest activity in Évora. This is one you should skip if you have young kids — the barriers are more or less nonexistent!
But the views are pretty remarkable.
And just for good measure: Évora has a Roman temple!
It’s easy to get to Évora from Lisbon — it’s a 90-minute bus ride, and several run each day. The train is a bit slower and less frequent. You could do it as a day trip from Lisbon, but I’d recommend spending a few days there to soak up the atmosphere.
This is one place in Portugal you shouldn’t miss!
Related Blogs
-
Jan 1, 1970Serra da Estrela
Source: A great family destination is Serra da Estrela, located in center Portugal. This one is a popular destination during..
-
Jan 1, 1970Visit Athens
Source: Image source: Athens is the historical capital of Europe, with a long history, dating from the first settlement in..
-
Jan 1, 1970St Paul’s Bay in…
Source: https://santorinidave.com/best-beaches-greece A great little swimming spot near the castle at Lindos. The east coast of Rhodes is loaded with..
-
Jan 1, 1970Amazing places: Why you…
Source: Image source: Europe most visited places like Italy, France and Spain overshadow a very interesting country, and maybe, because..
-
Jan 1, 1970Plenty to Braga about…
Source: It's a sleepy, ancient city, but also brimming with a modern, youthful energy. Check out Braga, the loveliest..
-
-
Aug 11, 2020
Visit Athens
Source: Image source: Athens is the historical capital of Europe, with a long history, dating from the first settlement in..
-
Jan 1, 1970
Visit Athens
Source: Image source: Athens is the historical capital of Europe, with a long history, dating from the first settlement in..
-
-
-
Dec 2, 2018Feira da Ladra Lisbon’s…
Source: Feira da Ladra - Lisbon´s Flea Market Lisbon's flea market is called locally the Feira da Ladra, often thought..
-
Dec 1, 2018
Visit Athens
Source: Image source: Athens is the historical capital of Europe, with a long history, dating from the first settlement in..
-
-
Dec 11, 2017
Feira da Ladra Lisbon’s…
Source: Feira da Ladra - Lisbon´s Flea Market Lisbon's flea market is called locally the Feira da Ladra, often thought..
-
-
-
Dec 8, 2017Peneda-Gerês National Park
Source: The Peneda-Gerês National Park, also known simply as Gerês, is the only national park in Portugal (although many natural..
-
Dec 7, 2017The Art Foundation (TAF…
Source: Such a really nice place in the centre of Athens, close to Monastiraki square! Trees inside of the place..
-
Dec 6, 2017
St Paul’s Bay in…
Source: https://santorinidave.com/best-beaches-greece A great little swimming spot near the castle at Lindos. The east coast of Rhodes is loaded with..
-
-
Jan 1, 1970
Plenty to Braga about…
Source: It's a sleepy, ancient city, but also brimming with a modern, youthful energy. Check out Braga, the loveliest..
-
Nov 5, 2017
Discovering Sintra
Source: Sintra, the Moon Hill, is a place full of magic and mystery, where Nature and Man have combined..
-
Nov 4, 2017First time Greece: top…
Source: Image source: With its sparkling white beaches, crystalline water and venerable ancient sites, Greece lives up to all..
-
Apr 4, 2017
First time Greece: top…
Source: Image source: With its sparkling white beaches, crystalline water and venerable ancient sites, Greece lives up to all..
-
-
Jan 1, 1970Best Romantic Things to…
Source: Image source: Romance is in the heart of the beholder and even the simplest pleasures become romantic in the..
-
Jan 1, 1970CACILHAS: PERHAPS THE RIGHT…
Source: Viewed from the north bank and the city of Lisbon, the other side of the Tagus River (its..
-
Jan 1, 1970
Best Romantic Things to…
Source: Image source: Romance is in the heart of the beholder and even the simplest pleasures become romantic in the..
-
-
Jan 1, 1970
Amazing places: Why you…
Source: Image source: Europe most visited places like Italy, France and Spain overshadow a very interesting country, and maybe, because..
-
Jan 1, 1970
First time Greece: top…
Source: Image source: With its sparkling white beaches, crystalline water and venerable ancient sites, Greece lives up to all..
-
-
Oct 1, 2017
Visit Athens
Source: Image source: Athens is the historical capital of Europe, with a long history, dating from the first settlement in..
-
Mar 1, 2017Visit Aveiro
Source: Visit Aveiro to discover a landscape dominated by water. Aveiro, next to the sea and the ria (estuary),..
-
-
-
-
Jan 1, 1970
Serra da Estrela
Source: A great family destination is Serra da Estrela, located in center Portugal. This one is a popular destination during..
-
Jan 11, 2016
Feira da Ladra Lisbon’s…
Source: Feira da Ladra - Lisbon´s Flea Market Lisbon's flea market is called locally the Feira da Ladra, often thought..
-
Nov 10, 2016Lisbon’s Doll Hospital
Source: A doll hospital may not be on your top 10 things to see and do in Lisbon but if..
-
Apr 10, 2016Évora: The Unexpected Beauty…
Source: When I added Évora to my Iberian itinerary, I didn’t have many expectations. I heard it was a lovely..