Free Tour Évora

We begin the route through Évora at the Aqueduto da Prata, considered a National Monument since 1910. The most impressive thing about this aqueduct is its size. With 18 km of aqueduct that go from the Herdade do Divor to the center of the city. Its origins date back to the year 1532 when the construction works began, ordered by João III and commissioned to the royal architect Francisco de Arruda.

After discovering the aqueduct, we arrive at the historic center of Évora through the Roman Arch of Dona Isabel, one of the ancient gates of the Roman city. Built between the end of the second century and the beginning of the third century AD, only a large extension of the wall remains.

During the Free Tour Évora we will also enjoy the beauty of religious spaces in the city such as, for example, the Former Salvador do Mundo Convent, located in the Sertório Square and part of the Santo Antão Church. We are facing an example of baroque art from the seventeenth century that has an old tower as a viewpoint of the monastery. Built between 1557 and 1563, it replaced the previous hermitage of Saint Antonio, it has three Mannerist portals and a facade flanked by bell towers. In 1610 the convent was consecrated by the Order of Santa Clara.

In this ancient Roman city, all roads lead to Giraldo Square, also the Free Tour Évora itinerary. Built approximately in the year 1571, it is a tribute to the gentleman and military man “Gerardo without fear” (Geraldo Sem Pavor), a historical figure from the time of the Reconquest. In fact, he volunteered to take Évora and nowadays is part of the city's emblem, mounted on his horse and sword in hand, surrounded by the heads of Moors whom he killed in the reconquest of the municipality.

Other essential places in Évora that we will visit are the Cathedral of Évora, the largest in Portugal; the Palace of the Inquisition; or the Roman Temple, also known as the Temple of Diana, an example of Greco-Roman religious art, with classical lines. We will also visit some more basilicas:

• Church of Grace, of a paladin character, with a mannerist façade and a portico covered by angels.
• Church and Monastery of Saint Francis: Gothic in style, it was built in 1376, more than 100 years after the first Franciscans from Galicia arrived in Évora. At present, part of the cloister remains. However, the kings wanted to install in part of the convent the Palace of Évora, which led to the reconstruction of a new basilica.

The last minutes of the route of our Free Tour Évora, the protagonists are the Royal Palace of Évora, also known as the Palace of King Manuel I. The palace is integrated into the garden and is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. The royal family spent long periods in this palace and some works by Gil Vicente, a popular Portuguese playwright, were performed. The garden has a great variety of plants and colors with some charming corners that you can enjoy as a couple, in addition to enjoying monuments such as the False Ruins or remains of the Medieval Wall.