The Chapel of Bones is an amazing, if not eerie, place to visit in Évora, Portugal. Decorated with the bones of 5,000 dead from the local cemetery, this room certainly gives you a chill when you step inside.  Apart from the Chapel of Bones, what else is there to do in the small town of Évora, located in the Alentejo region of Portugal?

There are actually quite a few attractions, and now that you’re in Evora, you’ll be able to find plenty to do. Counting down from the top five attractions, we start off with a buoyant wood and its fashionable uses…

5. Cork

Cork is widespread throughout Portugal, and Évora is no exception. Taken from nearby cork trees and manufactured into postcards, purses, and much more, it is sold in many shops and can be a cool souvenir! Though not exactly an attraction, it is certainly an interesting thing to look at, and several hours can be spent not only checking out the surprisingly soft wooden handbags, but also seeing the many cork trees around the area.

4. Sé de Évora- Évora Cathedral

With its high arches and impressive stone carvings, the Évora Cathedral certainly deserves to be one of the most important monuments in Évora. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary and built on the highest spot in the city, it is awe-inspiring to walk below the curved ceiling, and see the Gothic Apostles in the main portal.

3. Água de Prata Aqueduct-Aqueduct of Silver Water

The Romans helped make aqueducts famous, and there are quite a few around Spain and Portugal. When visiting Évora, this local 16th century Aqueduct is a good place to see and take pictures, as well as being easily accessible via road (mostly because it goes directly over it). When you trace your fingers across the rough stone, marvel at its integrity, and how the modern town has been woven into the structure itself, creating an elegant blend of old and new.

2. Templo Romano de Évora - Roman Temple of Évora

Often wrongly referred to as the Temple of Diana, the Roman goddess of the moon and the hunt, these Roman ruins are the site of an ancient temple that is believed to have been built in the first centaury A.D to honour the first Roman Emperor, Augustus. It is amazing to stand by the now-crumbling ruins, and see a creation from almost two thousand years ago. Near the centre of the city, it should not to be missed when visiting all the sights in Évora.

1. Almendres Cromlech

This group of stones is believed to be 2,000 years older than Stonehenge. This collection of standing stones, whose true purpose is still shrouded in mystery, is located only about 10km away from the more famous Chapel of Bones. Even with such close proximity, in the heat of the day there are often very few people who travel to these stones. With the quiet that seems to surround the area, visiting the Almendres Cromlech is a bit of a surreal experience.

Évora is a wonderful city, and is definitely not a town to be missed when going to Portugal. There are plenty more interesting things to see and do while you’re there, and you may even find yourself extending your visit to this town!

Sarah Albom is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program

All photos courtesy and copyright Sarah Albom, except word photo: creative commons

Note: this article was originally published in 2014, and updated in 2018