Évora is a walled university city in the Alentejo, further from Lisbon than the other day trips on this list, with a well-preserved Roman temple, a striking bone chapel, and a historic centre that functions as a genuine working city rather than a tourist village. The distance makes it a longer day than Sintra or Cascais, so it suits travellers willing to spend most of a day in transit and exploration rather than beach or coastal time.
| Distance | 130 km east of Lisbon |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 1h45m by bus |
| Getting there | Rede Expressos bus from Sete Rios terminal (1h45m, €13/$14); or drive via A6 (1h30m) |
| Address | Praça do Giraldo, 7000-508 Évora |
How to get there
- Mode
- Bus (Rede Expressos)
- Cost
- €13 ($14) each way
- Frequency
- Several daily; Sete Rios terminal (Metro: Jardim Zoológico)
- Mode
- Car
- Cost
- Fuel only (A6 motorway; no toll)
- Notes
- 1h30m drive; good parking in Évora near walls
Location
Praça do Giraldo, 7000-508 Évora
38.5668, -7.9062 View on map
Highlights
- Templo Romano de Évora (Roman Temple of Diana) - the well-preserved Corinthian-column temple standing in the middle of the old town, one of the most intact Roman structures in Portugal
- Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) - a small chapel inside the Church of St. Francis with interior walls and columns lined in human bones and skulls, unsettling but historically notable
- Évora Cathedral (Sé de Évora) - the city's granite cathedral, with cloisters and a rooftop terrace that can be climbed for views over the old town
- Praça do Giraldo - the main square, a natural base for orienting the visit and for lunch
- Évora's city walls and Alentejo countryside views - the town sits on a low hill, and short walks near the walls give a sense of the flat Alentejo plain surrounding it