Évora was my first destination this new year. In a cold yet sunny day of January, I went to one of the most beautiful and historical portuguese cities. Located in Alentejo region, Évora is a special place for me, as I´ve been there several times during secondary to visit my sister, who did there her university studies.

Évora is, together with Coimbra, one of the most important students’ city in Portugal. The local university was established in the 16th century and the local vibe is result of the thousand of students that are lucky enough to study and live (…and, of course, party!) there.

Nonetheless, Évora has more attractions: the old town is circumscribed by fortified walls and the local architecture is unique – two/three storey buildings are all painted in white and distinguished by a yellow charismatic line.

For me, Giraldo square – the heart of the city – was the starting point to rediscover Évora: every morning I took breakfast in one of the several esplanades, reading my lovely newspapers and planning what to do and see for the day.

The options are countless, and in two days I saw (and review) Évora’s cathedral, Diana´s roman temple, the Bones Chapel, the University, the San Francisco church… taking the chance to wander calmly in its charming streets.

In fact, the streets are among the highlights of Évora! Every cobblestone and narrow streets lead to infinite stories and traditions that can be perceived by their names. Here and there I was fascinated by the peculiar toponyms: if the ‘almond street’ and the ‘boot lane’ are quite interesting, what can I say about the ‘old letter’ and the ‘castrated’ streets??

Each street in Évora is a tale that makes us wander. This trip brought me some memories though: I felt again as that secondary student who, some years ago, was full of expectations for going to the university and have a successful future (as I´m having, of course!).

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