VISITING ÉVORA
Évora is a museum town of roman origins, with a historic center classified in UNESCO's International Heritage list. It was wrested from the moors by the Christian Knight Geraldo Sempavor in 1166 and flourished as one of the most dynamic cities in the Kingdom of Portugal during Middle Ages. The court was resident here for long spells and Évora became the scene for many royal weddings and a place where many important decisions were made. Particularly thriving during the Avis Dynasty (1385-1580), it was formerly a major center for the humanities.

The city´s Cathedral, built between 1186 and 1204, includes a Gothic entrance with the sculpted figures of the Apostles, an 18th-century main altar and many other treasures of sacred art; the 15th-century church of São Francisco is famous for its fascinating but rather sinister Chapel of Bones, made from the remains of monks.

But Évora is also a lively town due mainly to its University. The Jesuits first installed a school there in 1559, but they were banned and the school closed in the 18th century; now, it is still part of the new University, with its elegant cloister, a Baroque chapel and magnificent azulejos (painted tiles).