We stopped in Évora, a cozy, small, and quiet town. What impressed us the most was the many ancient buildings that are well preserved.
For example, the only Roman temple in Portugal is here. Built around the 1st century BC, it is one of the best-preserved Roman structures on the Iberian Peninsula. They say the temple was dedicated to the goddess Diana, but there is no proof of this.
Évora is also known for its “Aqueduct of Silver Water,” built by the Romans between 78 and 72 BC. You could say that Évora is an open-air museum—a small but very lively town.
This day was full of adventure. We visited Guadiana Valley Natural Park, covering 69,700 hectares. To enjoy the amazing views, we left the main road and went off-road. This was a great choice! We saw beautiful semi-desert landscapes and practiced our driving skills before heading to Africa. Since we were nearly the only visitors, we could stop and take photos whenever we wanted.
Next, we explored an abandoned quarry in Corte do Pinto, known for its red water from iron. It was impressive! We climbed down the rocky edges to see it up close. This site was also the first in Portugal to have electric lights.
We wandered through the ruins of old mine buildings, imagining life here 60-70 years ago. Then we ventured deeper into the quarry, going off-road again. At one point, the path ended, and Marcel ran ahead to check the way. He cleared some stones and guided us through a 300-meter stretch without a road.
Along the way, we saw more huge ruins and red rivers, making us feel like we were in a Mad Max movie.
We also visited the Castle of Mertola, built in the 13th century, which offers great views of the city. The castle is well-preserved despite being over 700 years old. The nearby village has bright white houses with red roofs, friendly locals, and few tourists. I really enjoyed this place, rich in history dating back over 5,000 years, founded in 1254. We also saw many Roman ruins there.
For example, the only Roman temple in Portugal is here. Built around the 1st century BC, it is one of the best-preserved Roman structures on the Iberian Peninsula. They say the temple was dedicated to the goddess Diana, but there is no proof of this.
Évora is also known for its “Aqueduct of Silver Water,” built by the Romans between 78 and 72 BC. You could say that Évora is an open-air museum—a small but very lively town.
This day was full of adventure. We visited Guadiana Valley Natural Park, covering 69,700 hectares. To enjoy the amazing views, we left the main road and went off-road. This was a great choice! We saw beautiful semi-desert landscapes and practiced our driving skills before heading to Africa. Since we were nearly the only visitors, we could stop and take photos whenever we wanted.
Next, we explored an abandoned quarry in Corte do Pinto, known for its red water from iron. It was impressive! We climbed down the rocky edges to see it up close. This site was also the first in Portugal to have electric lights.
We wandered through the ruins of old mine buildings, imagining life here 60-70 years ago. Then we ventured deeper into the quarry, going off-road again. At one point, the path ended, and Marcel ran ahead to check the way. He cleared some stones and guided us through a 300-meter stretch without a road.
Along the way, we saw more huge ruins and red rivers, making us feel like we were in a Mad Max movie.
We also visited the Castle of Mertola, built in the 13th century, which offers great views of the city. The castle is well-preserved despite being over 700 years old. The nearby village has bright white houses with red roofs, friendly locals, and few tourists. I really enjoyed this place, rich in history dating back over 5,000 years, founded in 1254. We also saw many Roman ruins there.
