Evora is the capital of the northern part of the Alentejo in Portugal. It is a delightful and harmonious city in the image of its square, the Praça do Giraldo with its elegant arcades, majestically enclosed by the Santo Antão church. If it appears first of all as a museum city (for many the most beautiful in Portugal), because it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Évora is also an important university city and the centre of an agricultural and industrial region. In the summer, the city organizes many events.
A cathedral, but not only that..
Imposing in its Gothic granite, the cathedral (Sé) is framed by two towers that can be seen from afar. Its façade is an interesting mixture of Romanesque and Gothic, developed between 1180 and 1204: it is preserved by the detailed statues of the twelve apostles. Inside, you will once again find a mixture of styles, this time between Gothic and Baroque. From the first floor, it offers a magnificent view of the main (scaled) tower of the cathedral and the city. And then there is the pleasure of walking on the roofs of the cathedral, so to speak. In the Museum of Sacred Art, you can see the Virgem do Paraiso (late 13th and early 14th centuries), an ivory statuette that opens into a triptych and then presents, remarkably carved, the main scenes of Mary's life (birth of Christ, ascension of Mary, etc.).
To the north of the Sé, the amazing 16th century aqueduct runs from Rua do Carmo to cross much of the Alto Alentejo. Very picturesque: some of the houses along the building were built just below its arcades
Then we go to the historical complex of the church of São Francisco. The church itself is rather sad. The most plastic representation of the vanity of this world awaits you in the chapel of the Bones encrusted... with 5,000 skulls and tibias! This "meditation chapel" is the work of a 16th century Franciscan. Above the entrance, just an inscription that is not quickly forgotten: "We, the bones here, are waiting for yours"!
Remarkable megalithic sites
The surroundings of Évora have remarkable megalithic sites. They bear witness to the practice of the last hunting and gathering communities of the Neolithic period. There were therefore two very dynamic basins on the Atlantic coast at that time: Brittany and Évora! There are some 800 dolmens in the region.
The menhir dos Almendres, alone and isolated, like many menhirs in the region, is 1.20 m high, with an elongated oval shape characteristic of the region. A stick is engraved at the top. Here, as in Brittany, it played a role in the Neolithic economy. Aligned with the Chrolmech dos Almendres a little further away, it points towards sunrise on the day of the summer solstice. Mystical!
After a track through a cork oak wood, we come to Cromlech dos Almendres, a surprising arrangement of 95 granite monoliths in two semi-circles face to face. It is the most important Celtic site in the entire Iberian Peninsula. Built between 5000 and 2000 BC, the first stones were laid more than 7,000 years ago. Not to be missed!
Then, near Valverde, the dolmen of Zambuleiro, nearly 6 m high, is one of the largest in the world. According to researchers, it was built at the end of the Neolithic period, nearly 6,000 years ago. The whole was covered with a hat, but today it is a sheet metal roof that inhabits the structure, somewhat abandoned. Too bad.
Finally, the Escoural cave, discovered less than 50 years ago, contains engravings dating from the time of Cro Magnon's man, between 18,000 and 13,000 BC. It is necessary to hurry to go there before - to protect the artifacts - the authorities take the decision to ban their visit, as was the case in Lascaux.
Other must-see visits
At the Evora Museum, the visit begins with the cloister and several beautiful recumbents, including the sarcophagus of Fernão Gonçalves Cogominho (14th century) with an almost Assyrian face. Just behind, very beautiful Roman funeral stelae from the 1st and 2nd centuries BC
The palace of the Dukes of Cadaval was founded in the 14th century on the Roman and Visigothic ramparts of Évora. It presents a mixture of Mudéjar, Gothic and Manueline architecture. At the back, admire the extraordinary pentagonal tower Torre das Cinco Quinas. In addition to the gardens and numerous rooms, the palace has a collection of 15th and 18th century sculptures, paintings and armour. The church was founded in 1485 and has magnificent polychrome azulejos from the 17th century.
Then head for Praça do Giraldo. For more than five centuries, walking under the arcades of this large square has been one of the inhabitants' favourite pastimes. This 500-metre route links the two most important religious centres of the medieval era: São Fransisco and São Domingo. It hosted celebrations, knights' tournaments, executions and burning at the Inquisition's bonfires. Today, there is the town hall, the church of São Antonio, the former Casa de Ver el peso where it was verified whether the weights given were falsified, the stables of the Royal Crown and an 18th century marble fountain. On the sides, many cafés with pleasant terraces for a drink.
Finally, it will be necessary to visit the Roman Temple, the city's emblematic monument. Long known as the "Temple of Diana", this beautiful ensemble of fourteen Corinthian columns is one of the symbols of the Alentejo
Alentejo, to prolong the pleasure
Moreover, making an excursion to the Alentejo is the promise of discovering a land full of treasures. Still not very popular with tourists, vast plains and hills dotted with olive trees and vines await you. The light is always intense, accentuating both the colours of nature and the whites of the houses.
Alentejo is a land of history and traces of ancient civilizations can be found everywhere. Almost every town or village has its own castle, which was once used to defend itself from enemy invasions. Built on hills, they guarantee an unbeatable view of the surrounding countryside.
Alentejo is also a land of flavours and the cuisine is rich and varied, influenced by the region's resources, be it olive oil, fresh herbs such as coriander, vine and wine. A land of traditions that has also preserved its cultural heritage and is proud of it. Each city has craft skills that have been perpetuated for generations
Finally, the Alentejo is a place where time is suspended, where life flows at a softer pace. Here, we learn to see, listen and feel differently. We also take the time to meet the people who make this region, with incredible kindness and politeness
Smart info
When? When? Alentejo has a variable climate, depending on whether you are on the coast or inland. The region has large temperature variations between summer and winter and between day and night. As in France, the high season is summer, July and August, the mid-season from May to June and from September to October, the low season is the rest of the year.
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