It is almost impossible to describe Évora in one word. “Spectacular” doesn’t even come close, with all that it has to offer. A UNESCO world heritage city, the history and culture of the place dates back 2000 years and can’t help but walk around with a sense of wonder.
We arrived mid-morning by Flixbus (a short 90min trip from Lisbon) and headed straight to the ruins of the Roman Temple. Don’t expect the size and grandiose structure of something you would find in Rome or elsewhere in Italy, but prepare to be awed nevertheless, when faced with a temple erected for the goddess Diana in the first century CE. It has been destroyed several times over the course of time, and the pillars that remain now are but a fraction of the original building that once stood.
©FrogDiva Photography
From there we made our way to the Cathedral of Évora, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption. This is the biggest and by far one of the most spectacular medieval cathedrals in Europe that I ever visited. If you have even read Ken Follet’s Pillars of the Earth, you will certainly feel transported into one of his scenes. No photograph can do this architectural masterpiece justice, and you just have to deconstruct it photographically and explore it in peace and quiet. Dating back to 1166, this cathedral has a sense of castle and fortress more than a basilica, especially when you walk around it. I recommend you get the full ticket to explore all the areas full, which include the tower, the treasure room, and the “terrace”.
In hindsight, visiting Évora on a weekday was the wiser choice. The streets are narrow and if you visit in summer, the last thing you want is to be another sardine in the throng of tour groups. It is difficult enough to get a decent shot of the landmarks without too many photo bombers, so I needed to wait a while with some of the shots and then shoot quickly before the next batch walked through. It is easy to lose track of time in the cathedral but there is so much to explore, after all, this is the Alentejo region, known for its wine and cuisine as well!
Meandering through the quaint little alleys of any medieval city is always a joy. Just as well it was Sunday and many of the shops were closed, but it was great to window shop and not leave a substantial donation to the city economy! However, if there is one thing you have to splurge on in Évora it is the food. We chose a lovely little place called TascaTosca, and indulged in both the liquid and solid offerings to the palate! It felt very much a like being in a movie, and if my daughter had not been sitting across from me I could hardly believe any of it was true!
In addition to the museums and panoramic views the city has to offer, one of the highlights is the Chapel of Bones. Yup, you read that correctly, bones. The Capela dos Ossos or Capilla de Huesos, is not for the fainthearted, so I strongly recommend you visit this place after lunch, lest you lose your appetite. The first thing that crossed my mind when stepping foot in this chapel was whether Steven Spielberg got his inspiration for some of the Indiana Jones movies. It is a chilling experience, and Maike didn’t hold out long before she had to step out. Quite frankly, if I didn’t have my camera with me I would have ran out of there as well.
Located inside the the church of St. Francis, this bizarre chamber is lined with the bones of over 5000 exhumed skeletons and was constructed in the 16th century. The idea, well, one of the ideas, behind it is to make you reflect on your own mortality while the souls in purgatory linger there and await your own. Catholic though I am, I had trouble wrapping my brain around this one.
Évora is recommended by most tourist websites as a day trip, but if you want to have the full experience and on a wine tour in addition to exploring the museums and the many nooks and crannies the magical place has to offer, a weekend is better. Oh, and don’t forget to wear loose fitting clothes as well, not because of the heat but because of the food! Needless to say, our feet were burning up by the time we got back on the bus. The adventures of the two FrogDivas continue!
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