Evora

Evora is the main city of the Alentejo region, about 130 km east of Lisbon, and its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The journey takes roughly one and a half hours by car via the A6, and the Comboios de Portugal train from Oriente station and the Rede Expressos bus take about 1 hour 40 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Public transport works well because the centre is small enough to cover on foot, so a car is not needed.

The best-known monument is the Roman Temple of Evora, a first-century AD structure with Corinthian columns standing on a raised platform at the top of the old town. Nearby are the Se Cathedral, a mostly Gothic building with cloisters and a rooftop walkway, and the Church of Sao Francisco, whose Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos) has walls lined with human bones and skulls. The city is also known for the Praca do Giraldo, the central square, the Roman-era aqueduct (Aqueduto da Agua de Prata) and the university quarter. The surrounding Alentejo countryside has cork oak forests, megalithic sites, wine cellars and olive oil estates that can be visited by tour or taxi.

A workable one-day arc is to take a morning train or bus, begin at the Roman Temple and cathedral, and reach the Chapel of Bones at opening time at 9 AM when it is quietest. Late morning suits a walk through the lanes to Praca do Giraldo. For lunch, Alentejo cooking is hearty: pork with clams, migas, lamb stews, local cheeses and wines from the surrounding vineyards. The afternoon can be spent on a wine tasting or a visit to a nearby estate, with a train or bus back to Lisbon in the evening.

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. Summer in the Alentejo is very hot, with afternoon temperatures that make midday sightseeing tiring, so early starts and long lunches are the local norm. Winter is mild but can be cool and damp, and some countryside venues keep shorter hours.