Portugal · Archaeology

2-Day Megalithic Évora Tour with Escoural Cave from Lisbon

2 Days Round trip from Lisbon Moderate pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Explore Cromlech dos Almendres, Europe's oldest megalithic observatory
02 Spend a night within the medieval walls of Évora
03 Visit the ruins of the Roman Temple of Diana
04 Marvel at the ancient art of Escoural Cave

Immerse yourself in Portugal's ancient past as you explore the Menir dos Almendres and Cromlech dos Almendres, silent sentinels of prehistoric observatories. Spend a night within the medieval walls of Évora, a city shaped by the Hospitaller Order and the fires of the Inquisition, before visiting the ruins of the Roman Temple of Diana. Continue to the towering Menhir do Outeiro, the mystical Cromlech do Xarez, and the captivating Escoural Cave, where ancient art whispers secrets of bygone eras.

Immerse yourself in Portugal's ancient past as you explore the Menir dos Almendres and Cromlech dos Almendres, silent sentinels of prehistoric observatories.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Evora, Lisbon

Languages English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Lisbon to Évora via Almendres Megaliths

The 3.5-metre Menir dos Almendres stands 1.5 kilometres from the region's main megalithic observatory, Cromlech dos Almendres, and is directly related to it.
Visit the Barrocal Dolmen, later converted into the Chapel of São Brissos (Our Lady of the Liberating), and discover one of Europe's most ancient and mysterious megalithic sites.
Continue to Cromlech dos Almendres.
Spend the night inside the walls of medieval Évora, a city once transferred into the hands of the Hospitaller Order. In its central square, the fires of the Inquisition once burned without extinguishing.
In the morning, you will also visit the ruins of the Roman Temple of the goddess Diana.

Day 02

Évora Megaliths and Escoural Cave to Lisbon

Visit the largest menhir in Portugal, the 6-metre-high Menhir do Outeiro, as well as the restored smaller Menhir da Bulhoa.
Go to the ancient observatory of Cromlech do Xarez, dating from 3000-4000 BC.
Visit Escoural Cave.

Visit closed-to-public archaeological sites upon request.

Where this trip takes you

Menir dos Almendres, Cromlech dos Almendres, Escoural Cave

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Lisbon 2 cities · 2 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

PhD historian guide
Transfer throughout the journey

What's Not Included

Tickets to museums
Accommodation

What to bring

Smiles

Know before you go

Évora is a real treasure for archaeologists and all curious travellers. The most important witnesses of Portugal's ancient cults are scattered around it: cromlechs, dolmens, and megaliths. You will see them. You will also walk around the Old Town and visit the famous Escoural Cave, the Cathedral, and the church made of monks' bones. I will share their tales and legends.
Old Town Walk.
- We will walk through the authentic medieval streets of a once-great city. You will see the Church of St. Francis made of monks' bones and decipher the strange symbols on its walls. Visit the majestic Cathedral, where Vasco da Gama consecrated flags. See the beautifully preserved Roman Temple of Diana and dine in a traditional restaurant in the house of a medieval witch.
Megalithic part.
- Travel back thousands of years. You will learn the details of our research on ancient megalithic observatories, giant megaliths, and menhirs. You will see the second most important cromlech in the world and a Christian chapel built on the base of a megalith. You will penetrate the largest dolmen in Europe and, accompanied by my archaeologist colleague, descend into the Escoural Cave to see Neolithic rock art.

Logistics