Top Things To See in Evora

Evora has an old town that is surrounded by a medieval wall. It's listed as an Unesco World Heritage Site. From our hotel, the Evora Olive Hotel, we were able to walk to the main sights.

Beginning at Praca do Giraldo, we followed Rick Steves' walking tour. This square was the market during the Moorish period. In one corner stands the Church of Santo Antao.

In front of the church is a 16th century fountain that provided water for the town.

The Banco de Portugal occupies the other end of the square.

The C. M. Evora board is opposite the TI and locals gather here to see who's died.

The square is named for Giraldo. He was a Christian knight who led a surprise attack and retook Evora from the Moors in 1165. Giraldo was made governor of the town and became a symbol of the city. Evora's coat of arms is a knight on horseback walking over 2 beheaded Moors.

Arcades in buildings surrounding the square provide shelter in the winter and shade in the summer.

As you walk through town, you'll see portions of the old wall incorporated into buildings.

Granite columned end of the town's aqueduct.

The high sidewalks used to be the aqueduct channels.

Praca de Sertorio is a traffic-free zone where the Town Hall sits.

Camara Municipal de Evora--the Town Hall of Evora.

The post office used to be a church and convent. The grilled windows in the tower allowed the sisters to look out without being seen.

The Porta de Dona Isabel was once a main gate in the Roman wall.

The Roman Temple sits at the town's high point. The Roman Temple was part of the Roman forum and the main square in the first century AD. On the day of our visit, we ran into the Pre-War Via Iberica 2022 rally. They were not a friendly bunch.

Next to the Roman Temple is the Palacio Cadavel--palace and private chapel of the Cadavel family.

Next door is the Pousada de Evora, which was once a monastery.

Museu de Evora was the old archbishop's palace.

The Se de Evora was built in the 12th century on top of a mosque.

On Rua Cinco de Outubro, you'll find a blue shrine. It was built as a token of thanks to God for sparing the town from the earthquake in 1755 that devastated Lisbon.

The Igreja da Graca was built in the 16th century and is currently used by the Portuguese Armed Forces

The four men on the corners of the church represent the 4 rivers.

Igreja de Sao Francisco and the Chapel of Bones is perhaps the highlight of Evora.

The church is wide with a single nave.

Surrounding the nave are elaborate chapels built by wealthy families of the time.

Leave the church and enter the Chapel of Bones next door. Admission is €5. The inscription to the chapel reads "We bones in here wait for you to join us."

The skulls and bones of 5000 monks are cemented to the walls.

The bones of the 3 Franciscan monks who created the chapel are buried in the white coffin.

After leaving the chapel, go upstairs to find a museum of nativity scenes. Only a fraction of its collection of 2600 scenes are on display.

Across the street is the Public Market.

There is an indoor space as well.

Continue further to the Public Garden and the Royal Palace.

Statue of Vasco de Gama in the Public Garden.

You can find peacocks in the garden.

You'll also find some old ruins.

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