The Details
It’s often said that Evora’s beautiful patchwork architecture reflects the history of Portugal itself. From the Romans in 57 BC to the Moors in 715, and the Portuguese themselves from 1166 onwards – each ruler has endeavoured to make their mark on Evora’s medieval city walls, churches and palaces.
As a result, modern-day Evora is a living museum and you’ll have a chance to explore the grand Praca do Giraldo, the Manueline Se Cathedral, and the ancient Templo Romano de Evora in the capable hands of our resident guide. You’ll also visit the Igreja e Mosteiro de Sao Francisco – home to the infamous Capela dos Ossos, or Chapel of Bones, whose walls and vaulted ceilings are decorated with the remains of 5000 human skeletons.
Exploring further afield, you’ll head south for a visit to one of the unsung gems of Portugal: the 13th century hilltop village of Monsaraz. You’ll also sample the traditional cuisine of this agricultural Alentejo region of Portugal: Farinheira de Borba, Queijo de Evora, Pao de Testa and Barrigas de Freira.
You’ll end your stay with a visit to a local vineyard and olive farm. Alentejo’s warm Mediterranean climate encouraged the Romans to farm olives here in pre-Portuguese times: the ancient cordovil variety is still popular today for its distinctive spiciness. There’s also been a recent renaissance in Roman-style Talha wines: organic wines which are fermented in clay amphoras with oversized cork stoppers. Portugal has thirty-one Denominacao de Origem Controlada wine regions across Portugal, five of which are in or around Evora, producing many of the country’s most-revered vintages.
