Uncovering Roman Ruins to Medieval Treasures: 3 Days in Evora, Portugal

My bus from Lisbon pulled into Evora's small station just before noon, and I immediately felt the difference from Portugal's bustling capital. The air was warmer, drier, and somehow seemed to carry whispers of ancient stories as I walked the 15 minutes to the walled city center.

I'd booked a small guesthouse within the medieval walls—a strategic choice that saved both money and time. At €45 per night, the family-run Pensão Policarpo offered a simple but comfortable base with the bonus of staying in a 16th-century building lovingly restored using traditional techniques.

After dropping my bags, I headed straight to Evora's most iconic Roman landmark: the Temple of Diana. Dating back to the 1st century CE, these perfectly preserved columns stand proudly in the heart of the city. Unlike Rome's crowded ruins, here I could sit quietly on a nearby bench, sketching the temple's elegant proportions while watching locals go about their day—the ancient world seamlessly integrated into modern life.

For lunch, I followed my guesthouse owner's recommendation to Tasquinha do Oliveira, where I enjoyed a hearty plate of migas (bread crumbs sautéed with garlic, olive oil, and seasonal vegetables) for just €8. The restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients, supporting the region's small-scale farmers.

The afternoon called for a self-guided walking tour using a travel guide I'd downloaded to my e-reader to save paper. I traced the path of the ancient Roman walls, discovering hidden corners and quiet plazas where elderly residents played cards in the shade of orange trees.

As evening approached, I joined a free walking tour (tipping €10) that departed from Praça do Giraldo, the city's main square. Our guide, Maria, shared fascinating stories about how Evora served as a crucial meeting point between Christian and Moorish cultures during medieval times. The tour ended at a local wine shop where we sampled Alentejo's famous reds—produced using sustainable viticulture methods that have been practiced in the region for centuries.

I started my second day with a €1.20 espresso and traditional pastel de nata at Pastelaria Conventual Pão de Rala, a tiny bakery using recipes passed down from the city's medieval convents. The owner, Ana, explained how these sweets originated when nuns used egg whites to starch their habits and created desserts from the leftover yolks—a historical example of zero-waste cooking that made my sustainability-loving heart happy.

Fueled by sugar and caffeine, I headed to Evora's crown jewel: the Cathedral of Evora. Dating from the 12th century, this imposing granite structure showcases the transition from Romanesque to Gothic architecture. The €4 entry fee includes access to the rooftop, where I spent nearly an hour photographing the city's terracotta rooftops and surrounding plains with my compact camera. The camera's zoom capabilities let me capture details of distant cork oak forests that sustain the region's traditional economy.

After descending from the cathedral heights, I walked to Evora's most unusual attraction: the Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos). Built by Franciscan monks in the 16th century, this chapel has walls lined entirely with human bones and skulls—a memento mori designed to prompt reflection on life's impermanence. The inscription above the entrance translates to: "We bones that are here, for yours await." At €5, it's worth the entry fee for this unique, if macabre, historical experience.

For lunch, I discovered Botequim da Mouraria, a tiny tavern with just four seats at the counter. Here, I enjoyed a simple meal of locally-cured presunto (ham) and sheep's cheese for €7, watching the owner prepare each plate with practiced precision. This spot exemplifies slow food at its finest—no menus, just whatever's fresh that day, served with minimal waste.

I spent the afternoon exploring the University of Evora, founded in 1559 as a Jesuit college. The beautiful azulejo tile panels depicting academic subjects offer a glimpse into Renaissance education, while the courtyard's original water collection system demonstrates sustainable design principles that predate modern environmental consciousness by centuries.

As evening fell, I joined locals for a sunset stroll along the aqueduct. Built in the 16th century to bring water to the drought-prone city, this engineering marvel stretches over 5 miles. Houses and shops have been built into its arches over the centuries—a perfect example of adaptive reuse that continues to this day.

For my final day, I decided to venture beyond Evora's medieval walls to discover the region's prehistoric heritage. Rather than booking an expensive tour, I rented a bicycle from Evora Bike Rental (€15 for the day) and packed my daypack with water, snacks, and my trusty solar charger.

My destination was the Cromeleque dos Almendres, Europe's largest megalithic stone circle after Stonehenge, dating back 7,000 years. The 7-mile ride took me through cork oak forests and rolling countryside dotted with wildflowers. Unlike its famous British counterpart, this prehistoric site has no entrance fee, no gift shop, and often no other visitors—just 95 ancient standing stones arranged in an oval pattern, silently witnessing millennia pass.

I spent a peaceful hour sketching the stones and reflecting on how this landscape has been continuously inhabited and cultivated since Neolithic times. The sustainable agricultural practices I'd been volunteering with nearby weren't so different from what these ancient people might have used—working with the land rather than against it.

Cycling back toward town, I stopped at Adega da Cartuxa, a winery established by Carthusian monks in the 15th century. Their sustainable viticulture tour (€12) explains how traditional methods are being combined with modern technology to adapt to climate change while preserving the region's winemaking heritage. The complimentary tasting included three organic wines produced with minimal intervention.

For my final Evora meal, I visited the Saturday farmers' market near the city walls, where local producers sell seasonal produce, cheeses, and bread. I assembled a picnic of tomatoes still warm from the vine, sheep's cheese aged in olive oil, and crusty bread for under €8, then found a quiet spot in the public gardens to savor these simple flavors while watching locals play pétanque.

Before catching my evening bus back to Lisbon, I made one last stop at Pastelaria Conventual to buy a box of traditional sweets made with local honey and almonds—sustainable souvenirs that supported local artisans and would let me share a taste of Evora with friends back home.

What made Evora particularly special for me was discovering how deeply sustainability is woven into the fabric of daily life here—not as a modern trend, but as centuries-old wisdom. The city offers numerous opportunities for environmentally-conscious travelers to minimize their impact while maximizing cultural immersion.

Water Conservation: Evora sits in one of Portugal's driest regions, and locals have developed ingenious water conservation methods over centuries. You'll notice ancient fountains and cisterns throughout the city that once served as communal water sources. Do your part by taking short showers, reusing towels, and carrying a reusable water bottle to refill at public drinking fountains—the water is excellent and safe to drink.

Transportation: Evora's compact size makes it perfectly walkable, eliminating the need for carbon-emitting transportation within the city walls. For trips to outlying sites, consider bicycle rental or the local bus system rather than taxis. I found that walking allowed me to discover hidden courtyards, tiny chapels, and local cafés I would have missed otherwise.

Eating Locally: The Alentejo region is Portugal's breadbasket, known for its organic farming and traditional food production. Support restaurants displaying the "Km0" logo, indicating they source ingredients from within 100km. The slow food movement is strong here, with many establishments serving dishes that have remained unchanged for generations—sustainability through culinary preservation.

Cultural Preservation: Tourism can either damage or support cultural heritage. Choose locally-owned accommodations in restored historic buildings rather than international chains. Many guesthouses in Evora, like the one I stayed in, have been family homes for generations, with restoration work done by local craftspeople using traditional techniques.

Shopping Ethically: Evora offers wonderful opportunities for ethical souvenirs that support local artisans. Look for cork products (Portugal produces over 50% of the world's cork, harvested sustainably without harming trees), hand-painted ceramics, or local wines. The traditional Alentejo blankets make beautiful, useful souvenirs that support regional textile traditions dating back centuries.