Évora - Place of Yew Trees

Our road trip from Faro ended 250 km north in the lovely walled city of Évora. What we have learned about Évora is that it is an ideal small city (population - close to 60,000 people) to spend an extended period of time. And why?

1. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
2. Located in the centre of Portugal
3. the Culture
4. Food and Wine experiences
5. Megalithic Monuments nearby
6. Peacefulness and Ease of Walking Around the City
7. Hiking and Other Activities in the Countryside
8. Handicrafts
9. Nature
10. Great home base for Road Trips

It has all the things that we enjoy and need, nearby, and it is lovely. Yes, we could stay here longer! A future footprint will go into more detail about what we saw.

Évora’s roots go back to prehistoric times. It reached its golden age in the 15th century, when it became the residence of the Portuguese kings. The whitewashed houses decorated with blue, yellow and white tiles and wrought-iron balconies date back to the 16th to 18th century.

The Historic Centre of Évora, where our Inn is wonderfully located, has been shaped by more than twenty centuries of history, going as far back as Celtic times. It fell under Roman domination and still has, among other ruins, those of the Temple of Diana. During the Visigoth period, a Christian city occupied the area surrounded by a Roman wall, which was made bigger at a later time.

Under Moorish domination, which came to an end in 1165, further improvements were made to the original defensive system. There are a number of buildings from the medieval period, the best known of which is the Cathedral that was completed in the 13th century.

But as mentioned, it was in the 15th century, when the Portuguese kings began living in Évora. At that time, convents and royal palaces sprung up everywhere. When the University of the Holy Spirit, where the Jesuits taught from 1553 onwards, was established, Évora became Portugal’s second most important city.

Évora remained mainly undamaged by the great earthquake of 1755 that destroyed many towns in Portugal, including Lisbon and the towns in the Algarve.

Our first impressions of the city were great. It was colder here than the Algarve but we were ready for it with our layers of clothing. We did go into the Chinese shop (that has everything!) and buy toques, and I bought a pair of flat, warm slippers.

Due to the nature of the city with narrow, winding, cobblestone streets, our hosts suggested that we park the car in a parking lot outside the old city walls. It’s safe here. There are more university students in Evora studying for exams, than tourists.

Donna was arriving by bus on Saturday afternoon from Faro, so we didn’t do a lot, not wanting to explore a lot before she came. We did go to the Saturday market though. Lots of fresh vegetables, fish and local sausages and cheese. A little slice of Portuguese life.

The pictures are just random photos of the city.Læs mere