6 Best Sights in Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal

The former royal palace, an impressive hilltop fortress towering over the city, is the highlight of any visit to Estremoz (it now functions as a luxury pousada). The palace was built in the 13th century by Portugal's King Dom Dinis. It's named after his wife, Queen Isabel of Aragon, who died here in 1336. An explosion in 1698 destroyed much of the medieval structure except the Torre das Três Coroas (Tower of the Three Crowns), which you can still climb today for fantastic views of Estremoz and the surrounding countryside. The palace was restored after the ammunition blast and fire. The interior houses an impressive collection of 17th- and 18th-century artifacts and furniture.

Across the street from the Castelo de Estremoz, Queen Isabel's personal chapel is a striking, richly decorated enclave lined with azulejo tiles. If the door is closed, you can ask to access it at the Museu Municipal.

This local museum showcases the largest private collection of tiles in Portugal. The permanent exhibit is a collaboration between Estremoz's city council and the renowned art collector Berardo. Housed inside the Tocha Palace, it covers 800 years of tilemaking practices, ranging from the 13th to the 21st century. The ground floor covers the origins of the craft, while the upper floors feature historic baroque panels and innovative designs by artists such as the late Paula Rego.

This museum is housed in a lovely 17th-century almshouse across from the castle. Its displays chronicle the development of the region and range from Roman artifacts to contemporary pottery, including a collection of the brightly colored figurines for which Estremoz is famous.

The lower town of Estremoz, a maze of narrow streets and white houses, radiates from the Rossio, a huge, central square. Stands lining it sell the town's famous colorful pottery. In addition to the multicolor, hand-painted plates, pitchers, and dolls, note the earthenware jugs decorated with bits of local white marble. There's a weekly market here on Saturday mornings.