How many days in Évora? 3 days for the Roman temple, the Chapel of Bones and the Alentejo
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Évora is the walled capital of the Alentejo, the wide, hot plain of cork oaks, olive groves and vineyards east of Lisbon. Its compact centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, packs a Roman temple, a fortress-like Gothic cathedral and a chapel lined with human bones into a 15-minute walk. Most visitors come on a day trip from Lisbon and leave at 17:00. Give it three days: one for the old town, one for the megaliths and the wine estates, and one for a hilltop village such as Monsaraz.
Short answer
Two days covers the old town and the Almendres Cromlech. Three adds a slow day in the Alentejo countryside, which is half the reason to come.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: The Roman Temple, the cathedral and Praça do Giraldo
Morning. Start at the Roman Temple (free, open at all hours), the granite and marble columns of a 1st-century temple on the highest point of the town. Next door, the Sé, the cathedral, has a cloister and a roof terrace you can walk on, with views across the plain (about €5-8 depending on what you include; check current prices).
Afternoon. Walk 5 minutes down to the University of Évora, in the 16th-century Jesuit college, where classrooms are lined with blue-and-white azulejo tiles (a few euros; check visiting hours). Then continue to Praça do Giraldo, the main square with arcades and a marble fountain.
Evening. Have a glass of Alentejo red on Praça do Giraldo, then dinner in a tasca on one of the side streets; a main of black pork costs about €14-20, and a bottle of local wine from about €12.
The cathedral roof is hot and bright in summer. Go there in the morning, and leave the indoor chapels for the afternoon.
Day 2: The Chapel of Bones, the aqueduct and the megaliths
Morning. Visit the Church of São Francisco and its Capela dos Ossos, the Chapel of Bones, whose walls are covered with the bones and skulls of thousands of people. The ticket (about €6-8) usually includes parts of the church and a small museum of religious art. Allow 1 hour.
Afternoon. Drive or join a tour about 15-20 minutes west to the Almendres Cromlech, a stone circle of about 95 standing stones among cork oaks, one of the largest in the Iberian Peninsula and older than Stonehenge. It is free and unfenced. On the way, a short track leads to the Almendres Menhir, a single tall stone.
Evening. Back in town, walk along the Água de Prata aqueduct, a 16th-century aqueduct that enters the walls in the north-west; on Rua do Cano, houses are built into its arches. Dinner around the old market area.
The dirt track to the cromlech is fine for a normal car in dry weather. After heavy rain, drive slowly or go with a tour.
Day 3: Monsaraz and the Alentejo wine estates
Morning. Drive about 50 minutes east to Monsaraz, a white walled village on a hilltop above the Alqueva reservoir, one of the largest artificial lakes in Western Europe. Walk its two main streets to the castle, with views over the lake and into Spain.
Afternoon. Visit a wine estate on the way back. Many quintas between Monsaraz, Reguengos de Monsaraz and Évora offer tours and tastings for about €15-35 per person; book ahead, especially at weekends. Closer to town, Cartuxa, run by a local foundation, is a well-known estate a few minutes from the walls.
Evening. Final dinner in Évora: try migas with pork, and sericaia, a cinnamon egg pudding served with a preserved plum from Elvas.
Monsaraz has very little shade, and from June to September midday temperatures often pass 35°C. Go early, and leave the wine tasting for the hottest hours.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do Day 1 as written and combine the Chapel of Bones and the Almendres Cromlech on Day 2. You lose Monsaraz and the wine country.
Got extra days?
A 4th day can go to Estremoz (about 45 minutes), a marble town with a hilltop castle and a large Saturday market, to the carpet village of Arraiolos (about 25 minutes), or to the fortified border town of Elvas, also a UNESCO site, about 1 hour away.
Where to stay in Evora
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Guesthouses inside the walls, west side | Simple rooms in old houses, 10 minutes' walk to the temple. | €55-90 |
| Mid-range | Old town near Praça do Giraldo | Walk to every sight and restaurant; cars stay outside the walls. | €85-150 |
| Mid-range | Outside the walls near the station | Easy parking and trains to Lisbon, 15 minutes' walk in. | €70-120 |
| Comfort | Converted convents or wine-estate hotels | Historic buildings in the centre, or pools among the vineyards. | €160-350 |
Getting around
The old town is small: the Roman Temple to the Chapel of Bones is about 10 minutes on foot. Trains from Lisbon (Oriente or Entrecampos) reach Évora in about 1.5 hours (roughly €12-15 one way; check CP), and Rede Expressos buses take about 1.5-2 hours from Sete Rios. The station is about 15 minutes' walk from the centre. Driving inside the walls is difficult; use the car parks outside. For the cromlech, Monsaraz and the wine estates, rent a car or join a tour. Lisbon airport is about 1.5 hours by road.
What to eat in Evora
Alentejo cooking is built on bread, pork, olive oil and herbs. Order porco preto (black Iberian pork), migas (fried bread with garlic and pork), açorda alentejana (bread soup with coriander, garlic and a poached egg) and carne de porco à alentejana, pork with clams. Local sheep's cheeses, including queijo de Évora, appear as starters; check the price before eating the bread and olives put on the table, which are not free. A lunch menu costs about €12-16; dinner with wine €20-35 per person.
Best time to visit
March to May for green fields and wildflowers, and late September to November for the grape harvest and mild days, with highs of 18-26°C. July and August are very hot, often 35-40°C, so plan sightseeing early and late. Winters are cool and sunny, about 12-15°C by day, with cold nights. Évora is set to be European Capital of Culture in 2027, so expect more events then.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €30 | €60 | €130 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €35 | €65 |
| Sights & tickets | €8 | €20 | €40 |
| Local transport | €3 | €20 | €35 |
| Total per person, per day | about €60 | about €135 | about €270 |
Approximate 2026 prices; the transport row assumes a shared hire car on the countryside days. Some Portuguese towns charge a small tourist tax per person per night; ask your hotel whether Évora's applies.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Évora worth more than a day trip from Lisbon?
Yes. A day trip shows the old town in the busiest and hottest hours. Staying overnight gives you quiet evenings on Praça do Giraldo, early mornings at the Roman Temple, and time for the Almendres Cromlech and the wine country, which day tours squeeze into an hour or skip altogether.
What is the Chapel of Bones?
The Capela dos Ossos is a chapel inside the Church of São Francisco whose walls and pillars are lined with human bones and skulls, arranged by Franciscan friars from old cemeteries. An inscription over the entrance reminds visitors of death. It is unsettling but respectful, and photography is allowed. Allow about an hour with the church and museum.
Do I need a car in Évora?
Not for the old town, which is compact and best on foot. A car makes sense for the Almendres Cromlech, Monsaraz, Estremoz and the wine estates, which have few buses. Without one, local agencies run half-day megalith tours and full-day Alentejo tours from the centre.
How hot does Évora get in summer?
Very hot. The Alentejo is one of the hottest parts of Portugal, and in July and August afternoons often reach 35-40°C. Sightsee before 12:00 and after 18:00, rest in the afternoon, and carry water. Spring and autumn are far more comfortable for walking and visiting the countryside.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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