Great Itineraries

You can make convenient loops starting and finishing in Lisbon, or you can extend your travels by continuing south to the Algarve from Beja or Santiago do Cacém. You should allow 10 days to get a feel for the region, exploring Évora and visiting some outlying attractions such as Monsaraz, Castelo de Vide, and Mértola. This will also allow time for a day or two of sunbathing on a west-coast beach. If you skip the beach, you can cover the most interesting attractions at a comfortable pace in seven days. Three days will give you time to explore Évora and its surroundings along with one or two additional highlights.

If You Have 3 Days

Be sure to include Évora, one of Portugal's most beautiful cities, in your first day of exploring. The following morning visit the rug-producing town of Arraiolos and then continue on to Estremoz and its imposing fortress, which doubles as a pousada. Head east past Borba and its marble quarries to Vila Viçosa, site of the Paço Ducal. Then continue south to visit a winery or two in and around Reguengos de Monsaraz. In the morning visit the fortified hilltop town of Monsaraz before returning to Lisbon.

If You Have 7 Days

After a day and night in Évora, head to the Aqueduto da Agua da Prata and the prehistoric sites just outside town, which include the Cromlech and the Menhir of Almendres and the Dolmen of Zambujeiro. On the way to your next overnight stop in Estremoz, take a break in Arraiolos. From Estremoz head east to the fortified town of Elvas, stopping en route at the Paço Ducal in Vila Viçosa. The following day continue to Monsaraz, with a stop along the way to do some wine tasting in Reguengos de Monsaraz. From Monsaraz head south to Beja, inspecting the ruins at Serpa en route. The next day head west to Vila Nova de Milfontes for more Roman ruins and a few hours at the beach. On your seventh day return to Lisbon, stopping along the way to see the castle at Alcácer do Sal.