6 Best Sights in Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal

The 8-km (5-mile) Amoreira Aqueduct took more than a century to build and is still in use today. It was started in 1498 under the direction of one of the era's great architects, Francisco de Arruda—who also designed the Aqueduto da Água da Prata north of Évora. The first drops of water didn't flow into the town fountain until 1622. Some parts of the impressive structure have five stories of arches; the total number of arches is 843. The aqueduct is best viewed from outside the city walls, on the road from Lisbon.

This castle's battlements offer a sweeping view of Elvas and its fortifications. There's been a fortress here since Roman times, though this structure's oldest elements were built by the Moors and expanded by a handful of Portuguese monarchs. Touching the border with Spain, it was always on the front line of battles between the two countries. In 1807 it was taken by Napoléon's troops, but the English and the Portuguese quickly fought them off. Despite all the battles it faced, the castle remains in remarkably good condition, thanks to its solid stone walls. There's a small bar inside serving light meals and drinks that's open until late. It gets especially busy in the summer when they set up tables outside.

This impressive military fortress on a hill about 1½ km (1 mile) outside Elvas's city walls houses an interesting military museum with an array of artillery and weapons. The fort's rectangular ramparts were first built in the 1640s during Portugal's centuries-long animosity with Spain, and the local governor's residence was at its center.

The 16th-century Church of Our Lady of the Assumption at the head of the town square, the Praça da República, has an impressive triple-nave interior lined with 17th-century blue-and-yellow azulejos. The church was designed by Francisco de Arruda, architect of the Elvas aqueduct, but underwent subsequent modifications. It was a cathedral until the diocese was moved to Évora in the 18th century.

Focusing on 20th-century artists, this museum is definitely worth a visit if you're curious about modern aesthetics in otherwise traditional Alentejo. The well-organized exhibits feature about 300 works that rotate throughout the year. The baroque-style building itself is also exquisite—it was once a hospital run by a religious order. Upstairs there's a chapel lined with azulejos, and a café with nice views of Elvas.

Housed in a 1930s movie theater, the municipal photography museum's permanent collection includes 19th-century cameras, black-and-white images from around Portugal, and an exhibit on the history of global photography.