Wise and sensitive eyes know, as someone once said, that Évora is “the world of the unforeseen, of contrasts”. Here, a Renaissance doorway; up ahead, a Baroque façade; then a medieval fountain or a Roman temple. In between, the popular architecture, white and embroidered in blue.
90 minutes south of Lisbon, in the heart of the Alentejo, this solar city, one of the oldest in the country and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is where the cliché “time travel” is no longer a cliché. And right now is the perfect time to visit, while the hot weather is still months away.
Start with the imposing Água de Prata Aqueduct, built in the 16th century and still intact. Enter the National Museum of Évora: the collection of ancient painting is extremely rich. The cathedral deserves a couple of hours’ visit: in its kind, it is the oldest medieval building in Europe. Also impressive: the 17th century Chapel of Bones in the Church of St. Francis, decorated with more than 5,000 skulls and other bones! It’s a message about the transience of human life.
The Roman temple is one of the most grandiose and best preserved in the Iberian Peninsula. It’s the city’s ex-libris. It was built in the first century AD and pays homage to the emperor Augustus, then worshipped as a god, forming part of the Roman forum.
These powerful paths of history intertwine with streets where popular culture stands out in handicrafts shops full of identity. And, of course, there’s a whole world of gastronomy and wine that can’t be ignored, whether in small tavernas or sophisticated restaurants.
Let yourself be carried away by Évora. It always rewards our desire to be amazed.
