Se and Sao Pedro

The historic center of Evora is broken up into three parishes (referred to as freguesias in Portuguese). The first is Se and Sao Pedro, the second is Santo Antao, and the third is Sao Mamede. The southern, central and eastern portions of Evora`s historic center are located in the parish of Se and Sao Pedro.

Se in Portuguese means cathedral, and this section of Evora`s historic center revolves around the Cathedral of Evora and the nearby Roman Temple ruins. Other notable sights located in this parish include the Casa de Garcia de Resende, the Museu de Evora, the Colegio de Espirito Santo at the University of Evora, the Chapel of Bones, and the Jardim Publico (the latter of course including sights such as the Royal Palace and Ruinas Fingidas). Only about 2,000 people live full-time in this part of Evora, meaning thousands people commute to this area each day to work.

You will find many restaurant choices around the Cathedral, and some hotels are situated near the Chapel of Bones and the Jardim Publico.

Santo Antao

The most populous area inside the historic center, Santo Antao`s population is estimated at 5,000. The centerpiece attraction in the parish is of course Igreja do Santo Antao, which is situated on the city`s main square, Praca do Giraldo. There are lots of shops and cafes around the square, and there are dozens of restaurants to choose from throughout the parish. Major department stores and boutique shops can be found near the Praca de Giraldo, along Rua de Serpa Pinto as well as Rua Joao de Deus.

Sao Mamede

If you thought Santo Antao boasted a long list of restaurants, Sao Mamede could be called the culinary capital of Evora: it is home to more restaurants per capita than either of the other two parishes. The two main streets in this parish are the Rua do Cano, which eventually leads to the Agua de Prata Aqueduct, and the Rua de Aviz, which leads to the Porta de Aviz. It is the most sparsely populated of the three parishes in Evora`s historic center, with just 1,700 inhabitants.

Outside the Historic Center (Malagueira, Horta das Figueiras)

The area south, west and northwest of Evora`s historic center is home for a large portion of Evora`s residents. Over 20,000 people live in these two neighborhoods, which account for nearly half of the city`s overall population. Many people live in Malagueira or Horta das Figueiras and commute into the historic center for work each day.

The bulk of this area is residential. Whether you are looking for traditional houses that encompass six or more houses in one large building, or detached houses with their own yards and swimming pools, you can find either house type in these two suburbs. The city`s Olympic-style municipal pool is located in Malagueira, and is very popular with local children and families. East of road R-114-4, the suburbs turn into fields suitable for wine production. You will find Evora`s train station in Horta das Figueiras.