This ancient city listed as a World Heritage Site . It’s one of Portugal's top destinations for culture tourism, with architecture from different periods of history. Named "Ebora" by the Celts, it’s known for one of the best-preserved Roman monuments in Iberia, and its medieval streets give an idea of what Lisbon looked like before its destruction by the Great Earthquake of 1755

Évora’s most iconic landmark is one of the best-preserved Roman monuments in the Iberian Peninsula. Built 2000 years ago, it was traditionally believed to have been dedicated to Diana, the goddess of hunting, but scholars now say it was actually dedicated to emperor Augustus. Although it has lost its roof, the reflecting pool that surrounded it, and four of its 18 columns, it’s easy to imagine what it looked like intact.

It’s a fascinating and impressive display of human bones and skulls, creating decorative patterns on walls and columns. It’s the city’s most memorable sight, and is part of a royal church from 1480, which should be visited even if the chapel of bones is just too morbid for you.

Portugal’s largest medieval cathedral looks like a fortress, combining different architectural styles. It was where the flags of Vasco da Gama’s ships were blessed before he departed for India in 1497

It’s known as the “Portuguese Stonehenge,” with nearly 100 oval boulders creating a circle, used for sacred rituals and astronomical observation. Predating the famous English monument by 2000 years, it’s one of Europe’s largest and one of humankind’s oldest prehistoric sites.

It was built as the private temple of a count and his family in 1485, and was also once part of a convent and of a 14th-century palace. That convent is now a hotel, and the palace is still inhabited by an aristocratic family, but the church is open to visitors.

Évora’s main square is the heart of the city and the perfect place to start a walk through the World Heritage center. It’s home to the tourist office and outdoor cafés that make it a lively place at any time of the day. It’s surrounded by arcaded buildings and faced by a Renaissance church that served as a model for others in the region. From here you can walk down the city’s main shopping street or up the street that leads to the Roman temple and the cathedral.

This small church with a plain façade hides a beautiful interior from the early 1700s, created by some of the greatest baroque masters in Portugal. It has a gold-covered altarpiece

Evora's historical town

Aqueduto da Água de Prata, designed by Francisco de Arruda (better known for Lisbon’s Tower of Belém) to bring clean water to Évora. It was completed in the 1530s.