Evora, located in the central Alentejo region of Portugal is often called a ‘well preserved jewel,’ due to its UNESCO status. However, after spending a weekend there earlier this year, I can attest to the fact that you don’t need more than a day there. Read on for my guide on your 1 day itinerary for Evora.

Evora (pronounced Ebora) is a town with a rich and varied history. Occupied by Celts, Romans and Moors throughout its existence, this town of only 57,000 is often fraudulently called the ‘prettiest’ city in Portugal. While that may not be strictly true (whats up Porto?), the town is known for winding alleyways, gorgeous Roman ruins, and beautiful colours.

After spending two days wandering the streets of Evora, eating the local food, and sampling some of the excellent Vinho Verde (read more about Vinho Verde here), I can safely say that the town is worth a visit. However, for backpackers looking for excitement, hoping to avoid yet another church, or wanting a town with something more than just ‘pretty’ going for it, Evora may not be the best stop-over.

HOW TO SPEND A DAY THERE

The big ticket item for Evora is surely the Roman Ruins located in the heart of the city. Templo Romano is a well preserved Roman Temple, dating from the 2nd or 3rd century AD. Easily found in the centre of town, the Temple comprises the excellent Fourteen Corinthian columns in granite support a marble entablature. The temple is said to be attributed to the Goddess Diana. On the topic of Roman options, Evora also has the Termas Romanas (Roman baths) which can be visited Monday-Friday 9 am-5.30 pm. The baths aren’t hugely impressive for anyone who has been to Bath, England - however, they include an arched brick doorway, leading to a room with a circular steam bath about 9 metres in diameter.

Wanna read about Portugals best wine, Vinho Verde? Head over here!

Evora is certainly church country - among Evora's many fine churches, the standout is the Igreja de Sao Francisco with its macabre Capela dos Ossos. Gothic in style and substance, the Capela dos Ossos contains a small chapel behind the main altar containing the bones of an estimated 5,000 people and two dessicated corpses. Fairly morbid stuff.

In the heart of the city is the central plaza, Praça do Giraldo, where the tourist office is now located along with numerous pavement cafes for relaxing and watching the world go by. The price of food and drink here, however, is hugely steep.

Outside of that, the city is known for having beautiful alleyways. this I can truly agree with. All of the alleyways leading to and from the Templos Romano are really pretty, and it’s pretty wonderful to watch people squeezing modern cars through these medieval spaces.

In terms of things to see and do in Evora, that’s about it. I’m not going to lie - I found the town somewhat boring. However, I would say that it is absolutely worth visiting for a day. For somewhere slightly more exciting, go for Coimbra - which you can read more about here. If looking for some food and drink options whilst in Evora, I’d recommend eating at O Aqueduto (Rua Joao de Deus, 5) and having a drink at Bar de Teatro (Praça Joaquim Antonio de Aguiar.) Realistically, Evora is good for a few hours of exploring, alleyway wandering, and a scope fo the Temple - but not much more for a backpacker. Maybe I’m just sick of churches.

Been To Evora? Convince me its worth checking out in the comments below. Have any questions? Fire away!