Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Deep in the heart of Portugal, in the sizzling, arid plains of the southern province of Alen-
tejo, historic Évora (EH-voh-rah) has been a cultural oasis for 2,000 years. With an un-
touched provincial atmosphere, a fascinating whitewashed old town, museums, a cathed-
ral, a chapel of bones, and even a Roman temple, Évora (pop. 55,600) stands proudly
amid groves of cork and olive trees.
Évora—a traditional, conservative city with a small-town feel—added a university
about 35 years ago. You'll see plenty of college-age students here, along with lots of re-
tirees—but comparatively few 30- to 40-year olds. There's not much to keep graduates
around, and this generation gap gives the town an intriguing mix of old and new—trendy
shops and strong traditions.
With easy bus and train connections to Lisbon (buses almost hourly, four trains a day;
both take 1.5 hours), Évora makes a decent day trip from Portugal's capital city. You can
stop by for an overnight stay en route to or from the Algarve, which is five hours away
(3-4 buses a day). Drivers can sandwich Évora between Lisbon and the Algarve, explor-
ing dusty droves of olive groves and scruffy seas of peeled cork trees along the way. Take
the freeway from the Algarve to Beja, and the nearly-as-fast highway from Beja to Évora.
A super freeway zips you from Évora to Lisbon in 90 minutes.
