The Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) is a small, interior ossuary chapel in Évora, southern Portugal. It’s famous because the walls and supporting pillars are entirely lined with human skulls and bones — about 5,000 skeletons — arranged in patterns cemented into place. The effect is both macabre and powerful as a historical and spiritual reminder of life’s fragility.

Igreja de São Francisco is a major historic church in Évora, dating mainly from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. It’s a fine example of Gothic architecture with Manueline influences, and over time became one of the most impressive religious buildings in the region.

Évora Cathedral is the largest medieval cathedral in Portugal and one of the most important religious monuments in the country. It stands at the highest point of Évora’s historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Its construction began in 1186 and it was consecrated in 1204; the building was largely finished by 1250.

Roman Temple of Évora, often wrongly called the Temple of Diana.

Built in the 1st century AD, and dedicated to Emperor Augustus (imperial cult).

It’s one of the best-preserved Roman temples in the Iberian Peninsula, with elegant Corinthian columns still standing almost 2,000 years later.

At this time we all need some food and relax to get more energy for the afternoon time.

Évora is fantastic for cosy, traditional Alentejo food hearty, slow-cooked dishes, great local wines, and small, intimate restaurants. Here’s a hand-picked list of authentic + cosy places right in or near the historic centre: