Free walking tours in Elvas and what to see

Must-sees

Elvas, a few kilometres from Badajoz, is the border fortress town par excellence and a World Heritage Site. Its star-shaped bastioned walls form one of the largest fortifications of their kind in the world. On the outskirts, the Santa Luzia fort and the Graça fort, on a hill, completed the defences.

Inside the walls, Republic square, with its geometric mosaic paving, is presided over by the former cathedral. Nearby are the pillory in Santa Clara square and the castle. At the entrance to the town, the Amoreira aqueduct, several kilometres long with very tall arches, has stood for centuries.

Free tours and guided visits

In Elvas there are guided walks of the town and private tours that explain the fortification system and the history of the border. You can also explore the old town on your own by following the walls.

The Graça and Santa Luzia forts can be visited with a ticket. Elvas is known for its candied plums and its Alentejo cooking.

How long to spend

Half a day or a full day is enough for the walls, the centre, the castle and the aqueduct. If you stay here, you can combine it with Badajoz, a quarter of an hour away, or with Alentejo towns such as Vila Viçosa, Estremoz or Marvão. In summer the heat is fierce: visit early and late in the day.

Where to stay

Inside the walls there are small places to stay in old houses, with everything on foot. On the outskirts, along the roads into town, hotels are bigger and have parking. In the surrounding countryside there are estates and rural houses for a quiet stay in the Alentejo.