Discover Bajolo

Near Bajolo lies Évora Monte, where the history of medieval fortifications meets the vast landscape of the Alentejo. D. Dinis had the medieval walls built in 1306 to protect the town and its inhabitants; they have survived to this day with four pointed-arch gateways. A pointed arch tapers towards the top, giving the gateways a distinctive architectural profile. This shape makes the gateways a tangible detail of medieval architecture. The walls’ protective function and their surviving architecture offer two ways to explore the town: its history and the design of its fortifications.

Walls and the settlement landscape

Walking along the medieval walls, you can see numerous villages, small towns and cities with whitewashed houses. Their bright façades make the plain look white and gleam in the sunlight. This brings together a close-up view of the masonry and a far-reaching view across the settled landscape. The many places become part of the landscape, too, so the view is not limited to the historic structure. For families, this can provide a shared topic to explore: the pointed arches of the gateways up close, and the white houses as part of the open plain.

The colours of the Alentejo through the year

From the terrace of the Torre do Castelo de Évora Monte, at an altitude of over 500 metres, you can look out across the Alentejo’s expansive, varied peneplain. Its appearance changes through the year: green dominates in winter, the fields fill with colour and life in spring, light brown tones define the landscape in summer, and red, orange and yellow colour the valleys in autumn. The green of winter and brown of summer form a clear contrast, while spring and autumn bring different colour palettes. The landscape you hope to see can therefore be a practical consideration when choosing when to travel.

History and landscape when planning your trip

The terrace and the stretch of wall offer different perspectives. Walking along the walls brings the white settlements into view; from the terrace, the expansive landscape takes centre stage. There is also a sense of time: the walls tell of their medieval protective function, while the colours of the plain change with the seasons. If you are travelling with your family, these different perspectives can bring together different interests: architectural history on the one hand, and nature changing with the seasons on the other. When looking for a holiday apartment in Bajolo, weighing these up can help you decide what kind of trip you want. Consider whether you are especially interested in the medieval fortifications, the settlements across the plain or the changing colours of the landscape. This can help you choose Bajolo based on the experiences you are looking for on your trip.

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