Portugal to Spain

We have the day here in Évora before departing by bus to Spain at 3 pm.

So, what to do given we have been here on 3 different occasions now?

Well, the Universidade de Évora beckons. Google maps directs us the most circuitous route - of course! But some of the area we walk through is new to us which is always good.

It took some finding and we almost missed it - finally we arrived at the 2nd oldest university in the country (a Jesuit university established in 1559 - after the one in Coimbra). It has lovely Renaissance marble cloisters and a library with a wonderful frescoed ceiling from the 1700s.

Did the final pack for our ongoing travels and left the bags at the hotel whilst we wandered back through town for a coffee (or two) and a delightful filo pastry of cheese and ham and a glass of rose for me (beer for MF) outside the Teatro Garcia de Resende (1881). I wish I’d known about it before (on our previous visits): it apparently has an amazing interior. But closed today (Saturday).

Lovely streetscapes - but really, how many more photos can one take of cobbled lanes and whitewashed buildings with splashes of yellow??? But there is some blue - and even a splash of red!

The bus leaves about 10 minutes late but we are always grateful there IS a bus! So off to Mérida in Spain. (I think this bus started in Lisbon - and is going through to Zurich!). It’s a 2 hour journey to Mérida (Spain is 1 hour ahead).

We had an almost 2 km walk to our accommodation (an apartment right in the centre of the old town): but easy walking (no cobbles!) and across a long bridge over the Guadiana River with views to the roman bridge.

I always have SUCH a good feeling when I arrive in Spain; something about it makes my heart sing. The town here has such a good feel about it. Very quiet when we arrive about 5:30 pm but starting to buzz around 7 pm when we set out to go to the supermarket; people are enjoying the outdoors and of course many restaurants don't even open until 8 pm.

Already the streetscapes are different!

We had an interesting tapas meal - some dishes outside my comfort zone I have to say but we enjoyed it nonetheless (MF enjoys EVERYTHING!).

Walked a total of about 11.5 kms (5.5 kms in Évora).