The best road cycling routes around Monfurado

Vimieiro was a municipal seat between 1257 and 1855. Two charters are known, the first granted by D. Francisco Bruno Neves, Bishop of Évora, in 1257, and the second by D. Manuel I, King of Portugal, in 1512. In 1801, it consisted of the parishes of the town and Santa Justa. It then had 1,819 inhabitants and an area of 266 km². In 1849, it consisted only of the parish of the town. It was suppressed by the administrative reform of 1855, consequently losing its status as a town, a fact that the coat of arms with a mural crown of four visible towers still marks today.

A dolmen to which a house was attached. It consists of a burial chamber, of whose original structure 7 upright stones are still visible in situ. Two of the upright stones are embedded in the walls of the building. From the original corridor of the dolmen, one upright stone remains on the right side, on which a wall rises, not showing any traces of the mound. Since the dolmen has always been part of the daily life of the inhabitants of the house, it has been used for various domestic purposes such as a chicken coop, rabbit hutch and, currently, a storage place. The resident of Monte do Estanque even made a fire inside the dolmen. (Source: Wikipedia) The dolmen is located about 200 meters from the national road 2, but it is very well signposted.

The church operates under two names: Igreja de São João Evangelista / Igreja dos Lóios. It belonged to the Monastery of Lios, also known as the Convent of St. John the Evangelist, which was built in the 15th century on top of a medieval castle. The monastery itself was converted into the Pousada Convento Évora hotel in modern times and is now privately owned. The church, accessed through a Gothic portal, is notable for the magnificent tiled panels that cover the walls. They were created in 1711 by the master Antonio de Oliveira Bernardes and depict scenes from the life of St. Lawrence Justinian. Through an opening in the floor, one can see the crypt, which lies next to a Moorish cistern. Along the sides are chapels with fine examples of gilded wood carvings. It is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Portugal and a must-see.

The original palace was built in the 14th century next to the Tower of Évora, where Martim Afonso de Mello, a servant of the Royal Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz and a descendant of the Portuguese crown, ordered its construction. The palace was partially built on the Roman-Visigothic walls of the old castle of Évora, and traces of both remain in its buildings. At the rear of the palace, you can admire the extraordinary Torre das Cinco Quinas, the famous pentagonal tower that gave it its name. In addition to the large outdoor gardens and the numerous rooms and halls that make up the complex, it also houses the Casa Cadaval exhibition rooms, which house a collection of illuminated codices, sculptures, paintings, and armories with pieces from the 15th and 18th centuries. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_the_Dukes_of_Cadaval

In the historic center of the tranquil town of Évora stands the Roman Temple of Évora. The city's landmark is often also called the Temple of Diana, but historically has nothing to do with the Roman goddess of the hunt. A dedication to the highest deity Jupiter is more likely. The Roman Temple of Évora was probably built in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Augustus and later modified under Emperor Claudius. The magnificent structure reflects Roman architecture with Corinthian-style columns.

The town of Vimieiro, as a “land of music and musicians”, intends to promote a project of national scope, with the creation of a museum space on philharmonic music with a musical training component that allows the preservation of knowledge and traditions in this area and, simultaneously, the holding of “artistic residencies”, as well as the construction of an auditorium where the arts of music and speech can take place, valuing music teaching, the holding of workshops and other activities that the final plan should include. (Source: www.tribunaalentejo.pt )

This Renaissance-style aqueduct was built between 1532 and 1537 and eventually supplied the entire population of Évora with clean drinking water. The city is located in an arid region with little rainfall throughout the year, so water had to be brought from a lake and a river several kilometers away. It connected the fountains over a distance of 18 km.

A huge parking lot in the north of Évora, right next to the aqueduct. A great starting point for a city tour.