Elvas

Évora Monte


We liked  Elvas, a great reception at the tourist booth, a good map, coupled with informative legend boards and more compact and quieter than  Évora. This fortress town was a hit.


We stayed at the campsite Parque de Campismo da Piedade which is just over a kilometre from the town  and though this is a more basic  site, what a reception, full of enthusiasm and even a cheery goodbye when we left. You have to negotiate the trees but in low season  this is not a problem and though not in the acis scheme it was only 14 euros.


Cathedral at Elvas

Elvas Castle- for a few euros you can explore thecastle and have a drink in the courtyard in evocative surroundings.The whole town is encompassed in impressive fortifications as a reminder of the importance of this town as  a military outpost .

This impressive aquaduct can be followed as you walk from the campsite to the town and as a reminder that water supply was always a challenge in this area.

Santa Clara Square - the archway shows the Moorish influence and the pillory was used to chain up criminals to the metal hooks.

Typical street in the medieval centre, definitely not motorhome friendly. It was a great place to just wander around and soak up the atmoshere, the town is very compact and by its nature fairly quiet re traffic.

Elvas


We took the motor home along the N18 and N4 to Elvas , despite my Sat Nav’s indignantcy, as she wanted to take me on the motorway. Though an inanimate object, she does at times take on her own personality and gets very indignant.


The route took us through the castle  of Évora Monte and I find it difficult to resist a castle. Though a Dutch couple touring in their car assured me that I could take the motor home up to the castle, discretion became the better part of valour and we decided to walk up. Though the road  was wide enough and little traffic, space at the top was limited and I would not have fancied reversing in the limited space available.