With just a couple of hours in the town of Evora it is just as well that everything is within a 10 minute walk from the Praca do Giraldo (central square).However, we did overlook the fact that at lunchtime most places are shut for the Portuguese siesta, although most of the key monuments I had on my wish list were still accessible.
The town is largely contained within the city walls, and it was easy enough to park for free on the outskirts and head inside, as it's of course out of season so not as touristy as I had been led to believe by the guide books .
Having been occupied by both the Romans and the Moors, there are a variety of sights here from each of these times. Navigating the alleys from one side of the city to the other to check out all the sights is reasonably straightforward but a map from the tourist office in the square is recommended to ensure you don't miss anything.
The Templo Romano (roman temple) can be found in the centre of the old part of the city, and is apparently the best preserved temple in Portugal. It is pretty impressive, but I can't help feeling a little deflated at the fact that this is the only Roman monument here and perhaps a little out of place.
The Aqua duct in the North of the city seems much larger than the one in Obidos, and if you follow its course into the walls you will see many houses built within the arches.
The highlight here, as the guidebooks suggest, is the famous Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) which is certainly worth the €2 entrance fee (plus €1 for a camera). As anticipated this is a gruesome memorial with walls and pillars within the chamber having been constructed from bones of more that 5000 bodies (although the Rough Guide refers to 5000 monks - which seems a lot?). The bones were part of a clean up of cemeteries around the town which were taking up too much space in the 15th and 16th Centuries, and I guess at least maintained some sort of dignity and respect rather than just being built upon or buried.
The guidebooks recommend staying in Evora for a couple of days, but I can honestly say that I saw everything I wanted to see in just a couple of hours. It's a nice city, but other than the bones chapel I would have passed by if it hadn't been recommended as a highlight of the Alentejo region.
Next stop is the Algarve for some rest and to catch up with friends :).