Évora Travel Forum

We're considering Evora as a short-break destination (coming from London) to celebrate my wife's birthday early next month. Do any travellers who know it have advice on: -
1) whether they think this a good idea;
2) getting there from Lisbon (train? bus? hire car?);
3) mid-range accommodation;
4) and/or unmissable places to see and in which to eat?

Many thanks in advance for any and all tips, Robin

1 - Evora is not a very big city but still it has some nice monuments to be visited.
Also coming from London, the surrounding landscape can be relaxing itself - miles of endless plains, often without a human to be seen.

Here's the webpage (in english) of the local tourism office, so you can decide for yourself:
http://www.rtevora.pt/ing/

2 - You can use either of those 3 methods of transportation, I would recomend to hire a car, because that way it would be easier to visit the surroundings. Evora is conveniently located by the Lisbon-Madrid Motorway so it's only about 1h30m if you drive.

4 - Sightseeing: Diana Temple - a roman temple in fairly good shape on the city centre

Capela dos Ossos - A chapel which has its walls covered wholly by human bones

Eating: The "Fialho" in Evora is considered one of the best restaurants in Portugal:
webpage http://localnet.pt/restaurante-fialho/visite.htm

If you don't want to rent a car, the best way is by bus from Arco do Cego station Bus in Lisbon (near Saldanha).
It will be about 1:45 hours, 9.8 euros per person each way and if you buy the return with the way you'll have 10 % discount.

You'll find a lot to see in Evora city but i agree that there are a lot to see outside Evora, for that the better is the hired car.
About acommodation i think one Residencial inside the wall should be good, some friends stayed in one i'm triing to remember the name.

I am staying now in Evora - in Residential Policarpo (www.pensaopolicarpo.com) just by the Cathedral and the Roman Temple.
And do not miss the Cathedral, it is fantastic.

Many thanks for the responses. I've now booked our tickets, and taken your advice on arranging for car hire from Lisbon. A couple of questions: -

1) The Fialho sounds just the place for a birthday dinner. Do I need to reserve a table in advance, and bring more formal wear (tie and jacket)?
2) Any recommendations on reasonably-priced 3/4* hotels? How's the Policarpo?
3) Given our limited time (3 nights), should I plan on any exploration of the surrounding countryside (esp. the megalithic sites about which I read, and/or the carpets of Arraiolos)?

Muito obrigado a todos, Robin

It is the right palce for a birthday dinner, the clothes don't need to be too good but i think people dress well to go there.. i don't really know how to write this in english...
you have to book.. it use to be need

Obrigado, Catarina. Pode responder em portugues...

Optimo...
O restaurante é muito bom, um pouco caro.
Năo é necessário o uso de fato e gravata.
É aquilo que chamamos um bom restaurante mas também pratico, regional.
Uma roupa prática é comum neste locais, mas poderá ver também pessoas de negocios com fatos e gravatas.
Penso que é um bom local para a festa de anos da sua esposa. Boa viagem.
catarina

I don't know if this is reply is too late but I just got back from vacation and Evora was one of my stops. We stayed at the Albergaria do Calvario (www.softline.pt/calvario). It was a nice hotel located just inside the city walls with a very friendly staff, clean large rooms, and a small parking garage. We paid 100 euro a night.

We enjoyed our visit to Arraiolos and I noticed that the type of pillow cover I purchased was about 20 Euro more in the shops in Evora.

Many thanks, Catarina and Ivy. I'm looking forward to our departure on Wednesday.

Hi Robin, I was actually born in Evora. Coming from Lisbon you can take the bus from the Central Bus station, it takes 1,45h and it costs around 10 Euros. Otherwise, rent a car and cross the Vasco da Gama bridge, either of the briges are very nice to cross and there is a higway all the way.

Once in Evora you have Fialho, a very nicxerestaurant and O Passo, near the Roman Temple and the Cathedral. Food is good is most places though. If you can afford the Pousada dos Loios , with the EuRO/poind rate is probably affordable for a weekend. Otherwise try the central Pensiones like the Giraldo.

Rgds

Elisabeth

Very many thanks to you all for the advice. We had a wonderful break in Evora, and love the place. Hired a car from Lisbon, and stayed in the Hotel da Cartuxa, which was splendid. Intended to eat in the Fialho, but it was fully booked, and so settled for the Sto Humberto, which was also good. Neolithic sites were very well worth seeing, too, and we bought a small carpet in Arraiolos. Best of all was an unscheduled fado evening at a small restaurant which we stumbled upon on the Thursday....

Muito obrigado a todos, Robin

I’m glad it was a good trip and you liked it.

I love Arraiolos carpets I’ve some of them at my home

Hi Robin, I was in Evora for a few days this summer and I'd recommend it. It's a lovely city, much smaller than Lisbon, but still plenty to see. You can see most of the sights in a day/day and a half while if you have a car the surrounding Alentejo region is supposed to be great.
We travelled by bus as it is quicker than the train. There are regular buses from Sete Rios station in Lisbon, it takes about 2 hours. Can't remember the price but it was very good value i remember.
We stayed in Hotel Policarpo which cost 57 Euro for a night for a double and was in a good central location.
Evora is famous for its Roman temple, also worth seeing is the cathedral, university and the many churches around the city. The chapel of Bones in St. Francis church is very popular with tourists though I thought it was a bit disturbing.
Hope this helps,
Barry

oops - replied to question without reading previous replies! hope you had a good trip...