Évora is arguably the most interesting place in Portugal. While Lisbon and Porto remain ever-favorable city breaks, the Douro Valley a visually-stunning wine escape and the Comporta coastline endlessly beautiful; the town of Évora—just an hour outside of Lisbon—has all the components of a dream city break, with beautiful architecture, endless history, and memorable cuisine.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, Évora is the capital of the Alentejo region. It stretches from the Tagus River in the north to the Algarve in the south and is known for its countryside planted with cork trees, hearty food and wine production. Here, though, there’s more to see than nature. Évora has a colorful and fascinating history—which allegedly goes back to Celtic times. Romans began inhabiting the city in the 2nd century BC, and many ruins—including the Temple of Diana—remain from this time. Since then, there have been many occupants, from the Moors to Portuguese royalty, who built palaces and convents in the 15th century that remain, leaving a mismatch of aesthetic styles that remain largely intact, even now.
With its cobbled streets within the city walls, typically whitewashed Portuguese houses, and pretty tiles, Évora has inspired cities elsewhere, such as Salvador da Bahia in Brazil. It’s also set to be the European capital of culture in 2027, and simply strolling around here is endlessly inspiring. Shaped by more than twenty decades of history, there’s nowhere quite like Évora; here’s what you shouldn’t miss.
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Best hotels in Évora
Octant Évora
About a 20-minute drive from the centre of Évora is Octant, a brand making a name for itself in the Portuguese hotel scene with eight properties around the country and on the islands of the Azores. This particular hotel is set on 30 acres. As a result, it makes the most of what the Alentejo has to offer—four contemplation pools (one heated, a rare treat in Portugal) sit on the edge of the property overlooking the low-lying land, where the hotel’s pony and pigs roam free. The sunset sets beautifully over the plain before the stars burn bright.
Simple but beautiful is the best way to describe the aesthetic throughout the property. The hotel’s 56 rooms and 16 villas make the most of local wood and cork, with white walls and blue accents, in true Alentejo style. Views are either of the property’s main pool or the plain, and villas have a small private pool on the outside terrace for moments when you need some time to reflect.
