Évora day trip from Lisbon: the train, the Chapel of Bones and the cathedral roof

Évora, the main city of the Alentejo, packs a Roman temple, a fortress-like cathedral you can walk on top of and a chapel lined with human bones into a compact walled old town that is easy to see on foot. The train from Lisbon takes about an hour and 40 minutes, and in 2027 the city is a European Capital of Culture.

Getting there: the train

CP's Intercidades trains to Évora start at Lisboa-Oriente and call at Entrecampos and Sete Rios, so you can board at whichever is closest. Tickets come with a reserved seat.

• Fares (2026): €13.90 one way or €25.50 return in 2nd class; €18.50 one way or €33.50 return in 1st class.
• Weekdays (timetable for Wednesday 14 October 2026): from Oriente at 7:02, 9:02, 13:35, 17:02 and 19:02, arriving at 8:47, 10:45, 15:13, 18:41 and 20:46. Back from Évora at 7:00, 9:14, 11:30, 16:51 and 19:14, arriving at Oriente at 8:36, 10:57, 13:06, 18:36 and 20:57.
• Weekends (Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October): from Oriente at 9:58, 17:02 and 19:02. Back from Évora at 9:14, 16:51 and 19:14. So on a weekend day trip you have from 11:40 until the 16:51 or the 19:14.

From Évora station to the Chapel of Bones is about 1.3 km, a 16-minute walk; to Praça do Giraldo about 1.5 km, 20 minutes.

A day on foot

1. The Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos). At the Church of São Francisco, its walls are covered with human bones and skulls. One ticket covers the chapel, the museum of sacred art, the royal gallery and the Galilee terrace, and a collection of nativity scenes: €7 for adults, €5 for under-25s and over-65s, €15 for a family. Entry to the church itself is free. It is open every day from 9:00 to 18:30 in summer time and 9:00 to 17:00 in winter time (from 25 October 2026), and closed on 1 January, Easter Sunday, the afternoon of 24 December and 25 December.
2. Praça do Giraldo. The main square is about 300 m, a 4-minute walk, from São Francisco: a good place for lunch.
3. The cathedral (Sé). About 300 m uphill from the square. One €5 ticket covers the cathedral, the cloister, the museum and the panoramic walk on the roof. Children up to 12 go free with their parents. It is open from 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:30, and closed on the afternoon of 24 December, on 25 December and on 1 January.
4. The Roman temple. Just 150 m from the cathedral, the columns of the Roman temple stand in the open on Largo do Conde de Vila Flor. You can see it at any time, with no ticket.
5. Back to the station. From the temple to the station is about 1.9 km, 25 minutes on foot.

Évora, European Capital of Culture 2027

Évora shares the title of European Capital of Culture with Liepāja, in Latvia, in 2027. The programme, under the motto "O vagar é a cena" (roughly, "taking it slowly is the scene"), is due to be announced at the end of 2026, and the official start is planned for 6 February 2027. Expect more events, and more visitors, through the year.

Tips for the day

• Book the train: with only three trains each way at weekends, a sold-out train can end the day trip before it starts.
• Winter time: from 25 October, the Chapel of Bones closes at 17:00 instead of 18:30.
• Strikes: a CP strike can cancel Intercidades trains. Check our strike list before you go, and see what still runs during a strike.