Évora

Spring (mid-April, mid-June) and autumn (mid-September, early October) are ideal, offering sun without the scorching heat. Be warned about the summer: the Alentejo interior often reaches 40°C+ from June to mid-September (the record is 45.4°C in August 2018), and sightseeing over the sun-baked cobblestones can be tough, although nights cool down significantly. Winter (December, February) is mild and sunny during the day, cold at night, and pleasantly quiet. For the best balance between weather and crowds, choose the shoulder months.

Évora is located ~130 km / ~1.5 hours east of Lisbon. It is a Lisbon/Alentejo trip, not an Algarve trip (Faro is much further away). From Lisbon, you have three options: the train (~1.5 h, ~€12.50, but note there are only ~5 trips on weekdays and 3 on weekends, so check the timetable), the bus (Rede Expressos/FlixBus from Sete Rios, ~1.5 h, ~€12.50, with 1-2 per hour, making it the better choice on weekends), or the car (A6, ~1.3 h, which is the best option if you also want to visit the megaliths and wine towns).

Not for the city itself: the walled centre is small and easy to explore on foot (though it is cobbled and hilly). For the Cromeleque dos Almendres, you will need a car or a tour, as there is no public transport and the final kilometres are on an unpaved road. The same applies to the surrounding wine towns and quintas. If you only want to see the city, take the train or bus and leave the car at home; if you want to explore the Alentejo, a rental car is key.

Évora is the place for hearty Alentejo cuisine. Taste porco preto (black Iberian pork), açorda à alentejana (bread and garlic soup with coriander, often with a poached egg), migas, ensopado de borrego (lamb stew served over bread), and carne de porco à alentejana (pork with clams). Pair these with sheep cheeses (queijo de Évora/Serpa) and the great Alentejo red wines (Cartuxa, Pêra-Manca, Esporão). Finish with conventual sweets: Pão de Rala and sericaia. Book at the small top spots (Quarta-Feira, Fialho); Botequim is lunch only and does not take reservations.

Both are possible, but our honest advice: stay overnight if you can. If you visit as a day trip from Lisbon (by train, bus, or organised tour), you will see the highlights just fine. However, Évora's magic emerges in the evening once the day tourists have left: illuminated, empty streets, a quiet terrace on the Praça do Giraldo, and an authentic Alentejo dinner that you won't want to rush through just to catch the last train. One overnight stay elevates Évora from 'ticked off' to 'experienced'.

The Capela dos Ossos is located in the Igreja de São Francisco, just south of the Praça do Giraldo. The walls and pillars are lined with the bones of approximately 5,000 people, with the famous inscription 'We bones that are here, wait for yours' above the entrance. Entry is €7 (some aggregator sites still show the older €6) and includes access to the church and the sacred art spaces. It is one of the busiest spots in the city, so go early. And to avoid confusion: this is the famous Évora bone chapel, not the smaller one in Faro.

Évora is the perfect base for the Alentejo. The Cromeleque dos Almendres (~15 km) is your own prehistoric highlight. Monsaraz (~55 km) is a tiny walled hilltop village above the Alqueva Lake, famous for its sunsets and dark starry skies. Arraiolos (~20 km) is known for its hand-embroidered wool carpets and a circular castle. Estremoz (~45-50 km) is a marble city with a renowned Saturday market and pottery. Surrounding it all is the Alentejo wine route (Reguengos de Monsaraz, the Cartuxa estates). With a car, you can link these together in a few days.