On foot

Estremoz is a very walkable city. The Medieval-era historic center, inside the city walls, is very compact and all of the sights TripMasters recommends in the historic center are within 1000 yards of each other.

By bus

There is no public transportation such as city buses in Estremoz. Rede Expressos (www.rede-expressos.pt, site in Portuguese and English) is one of Portugal`s best-known bus companies; on their website, they sell intercity bus tickets from Estremoz to various cities in the Alentejo region as well as to Lisbon, Faro, Badajoz and Madrid. The bus station is located on Avenida Rainha Santa Isabel.

By taxi

There are four taxi companies serving Estremoz and the surrounding area. Taxi fares begin at €4 and it will cost approximately €1 for each mile traveled. Expect to pay €7 from Estremoz Castle to Capela de Nossa Senhora dos Martires, €15-€20 to Borba or €20-€25 to Evoramonte Castle. Expect the prices quoted here to go up at least 20% after 9 p.m., all day on weekends, and during holidays.

NOTE: Do not assume your taxi driver will know how to speak English. Write out your destinations on pieces of paper and give the paper applicable to that specific trip to your driver before departing.

By bicycle

If you can handle the steep inclines from the surrounding terrain, the area around Estremoz will be great for cyclists who want to explore the countryside. By the same token, novices may want to stay inside the city walls so they can avoid steep hills. You can rent a bike from Go Cycling Portugal (www.gocyclingportugal.com); the Lisbon-based company employs English-speaking staff, online orders can be made completely in English, and on top of all that, the company will deliver the bike rental to you anywhere in the country. Expect to shell out €30-€50 per day depending on the type of bicycle rented.

By car

We do recommend renting a car to explore the Alentejo region, but you will find that it is not needed inside Estremoz`s historic center. Parking is at a premium in the historic center, many streets are narrow and many drivers are impatient. SADO RENT, a Portuguese company, operates a franchise in Estremoz on the Avenida 9 de Abril (www.sadorent.pt, website in Portuguese, English and five other languages). If you are taking advantage of self-drive portions of your trip, you will be picking up your car at the airport upon entering Portugal, not in Estremoz. If you decide to rent a car on your own in Estremoz, prices will range from €30 to €100 per day depending on the size of car requested. Your best bet for parking will be just south of town, outside the city walls.