5 Essentials: what to see and do in Elvas (Portugal) in 1 day

In previous car trips to PortugalHe, upon entering Badajoz, the panoramic view of the border town of Elvas, which stands on a hill that can be seen to the south from the highway.

But I had never dared to enter Elvas.

Now, during my recent trip through the Alentejo region I have had the opportunity to visit Elvas, no doubt attracted by knowing that not long ago, in 2012, he was declared World Heritage.

Why Elvas is a World Heritage Site

What is the reason why Elvas has entered the prestigious list of World Heritage for the Unesco?

According to the organization itself, Elvas has a system walls and moats dry that make up the land fortification largest preserved in the world. 

As a curiosity I will tell you that the largest fortification in the world It is what configures the city of Valletta en Malta, but in this case it is a maritime fortification.

As soon as you reach Elvas It is easy for you to verify that, indeed, it is a fortress city which has up to four lines of walls built at different times.

The first line of Elvas wall, which frames the current historical Center, dates back to the 9th century, at the time of the Arab occupation, and the following walls are from the 12th, 14th and 17th centuries.

The latter, which began in 1640, is the best example of the Dutch school of fortifications that exists in the world, another of the arguments of the Unesco for the inclusion of Elvas in the list of World Heritage.

The best things to see and do in Elvas for tourism in one day

This military character, which is explained because since 1297 Elvas It was a border town Portugal with the kingdom of castile, is confirmed even before crossing the outer wall of the city.

Fort of Saint Lucia in Elvas

In front of it you find the Fort of Saint Lucia, a large fortification that was completed in 1648, whose innovative defensive structure at the time anticipated the famous citadels of Vauban, the military engineer of Louis XIV in France.

In its time this fort housed a garrison of more than 800 men.

Also outside the outer city wall you find another of the emblematic monuments of Elvas.

Amoreira Aqueduct in Elvas

I mean the Amoreira Aqueduct, which is how this great work of hydraulic engineering is known, a system of canals and arches that extends over 7,5 kilometers.

La history of the Elvas Aqueduct It dates back to the time of Spanish domination in Portugal, when construction began in the mid-16th century to supply water to the city and the fortress that protected it.

One of the most interesting curiosities of Elvas Aqueduct is that its construction was carried out with stone and brick, without using a single drop of cement.

Furthermore, along the aqueduct you can see several inscriptions that refer to its construction and give an idea of ​​the importance it had for the city at the time.

Regarding its characteristics, the Elvas Aqueduct It has more than 800 arches and a maximum height of 31 meters at its highest point, and its construction is a good example of the skill and ingenuity of the engineers of the time.

If you want to see the Elvas Aqueduct, you can do it from different points of the city.

One of the most recommended places is viewpoint of the Plaza de la República, from where you can appreciate all its majesty and beauty.

You can also walk along the paths that run along the aqueduct and that will take you through a beautiful natural landscape.

Republic Square in Elvas

Your walk through historic center of Elvas you must start it from Republic Square, central axis of the city, where you find, in addition to the building of the town hall, church of Our Lady of the Assumption, former episcopal seat and Elvas Cathedral.

Built in the 16th century on an old temple from the 13th century, in the building you can still see features of the style Manueline architectural with which it was built, as the side entrance door to the temple.

La Elvas Cathedral It has an impressive baroque façade and a 40-meter-high bell tower.

Inside, the main altarpiece and the chapel of the Holy Offices, and also houses an important collection of sacred art and a magnificent library

Door of the old citadel of Elvas

From the aforementioned square you must go up towards the upper part of the city, where you will cross the oldest line of wall where the gate of the city was located. old fortress.

This door was part of the old fortress that surrounded the city, and was built in the 13th century by Muslims.

As time went by, the gate was transformed until it acquired its current form in the 16th century, when the Portuguese expanded and reinforced it to protect the city from outside attacks.

La gate of the citadel It is one of the few remaining vestiges of the old fortress, with a height of more than 15 meters and a width of 10 meters, and is accessed through a staircase that leads to the top of the wall.

Chapel of San Blas on the wall of Elvas

One of the curiosities of the door of the citadel is that inside there is a small chapel dedicated to San Blas.

Rectangular in shape, with a single nave and vaulted ceilings, it is located in an elevated place within the wall, which provides it with a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding area.

In the Chapel of San Blas There is an image of the saint, as well as an altar decorated with gold details and Portuguese tiles, and is an example of Portuguese Baroque religious architecture.

Elvas Castle

After passing the wall, you will be walking through an area of ​​narrow streets, with the characteristic configuration of Muslim or medieval cities.

Finally you will reach the Elvas castle, where in several viewpoints you have the best panoramic views of Elvas and its surroundings.

From there you can see some of the city's churches, such as the one of the Jesuits, and also old military buildings that are abandoned, but for which there is a renovation project.

Looking north, on a nearby hill you can see the silhouette of the Graca Fort, another large fortification that made up the defensive system of this border city.

Nowadays, as you can well imagine, Elvas It has lost that defensive character.

Quite the contrary, Elvas and nearby Badajoz are considered a eurocity, a cross-border space that unites and promotes cooperation on many issues, such as trade or tourism.

Map: how to get to Elvas

Elvas you find it in the route between Madrid and Lisbon, just across the border and very close to the city of Badajoz.

Photos of Elvas

To encourage you to visit it, here you have more Elvas photos, city of Alentejo Portuguese.