A walking trip in Portugal, discovering the Alentejo region with a stopover in Evora.
The beautiful, whitewashed city of Evora in the Alentejo region, affectionately known as ‘the Tuscany of Portugal’ is perched on a hill, at an altitude of 300m, just a 1h30 train ride from Lisbon. It is a city rich in history and heritage, an open-air museum of roman ruins, gothic churches, aqueducts, and Renaissance and medieval palaces. The entire historical centre of Evora was classified UNESCO in 1986 as a way of preserving history.
A medieval feel to your self-guided walking holiday in Portugal
The best way to explore Evora is on foot. Take your time meandering along the narrow streets, and marvel at sights such as the Roman Temple, built 1st century, it is the most well maintained and preserved roman temple in the Iberian Peninsula. The Evora Cathedral, considered the most stunning gothic building in Portugal, its fortified walls a reminder that Evora was once a fortified city. On to the Bone Chapel (enter if you are brave enough!), it is made up of thousands of bones form excavated bodies from medieval tombs. A wierd yet very popular tourist attraction. Then take a well-deserved rest on the Praca do Giraldo, the main square, the beating heart of the city with its numerous restaurants, cafés, and large marble fountain.
Another highlight is the Silver Water Aqueduct. A complex hydraulic structure from the Renaissance period that supplied the city with water at a time of great demographic and economic growth, it was inaugurated in 1537 and took about 40 years to build. The aqueduct transports water from the springs of Graça do Divor to the city of Evora, covering about 18 kilometres. It is still active (intermittently) and is an integral part of the historic centre of Evora and is, like other monuments in the city, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Walking in Portugal: through the stunning Alentejo region and cork oak plantations
From Evora, there are many beautiful hiking trails, leading you past centuries old olive trees, orange, almond trees. You will also notice that the landscape is blanketed by cork oak trees. Portugal is the world’s leading producer of cork, which is used in many domains including wine, insulation, the fashion industry, shoemaking or in the field of aerospace. Further afield stand the Almendres cromlech, one of the most beautiful megalithic sites in all of Portugal.
Click here to see our Portugal walking holiday in Alentejo and Evora.
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