‘♥ elvas’ is written in large letters at the Praça da República, the central square of Elvas. And that could also be the summary of my review. This fortified town on the border with Spain was the biggest surprise on my Portugal trip in May 2018. It consists not only of the historic town centre but also includes several forts outside the city walls and the Amoreira aquaduct, which secured the water supply even during a siege.

The first surprise was how large this system of walls, bastions and ravelins is. Standing at the Castelo, the highest point of the Historic Centre, and looking across to the fort on Monte de Graça, one inevitably wonders why such extensive fortifications were built in this barren landscape. The answer is that this region played a key role in the battles with Spain for Portuguese independence in the 17th century. And in response to advancing military technology with greater range of the guns, the fortifications were continuously extended during the following two centuries.
The second surprise was how well preserved the inscribed sites are. Apparently, the nomination and eventual inscription in 2012 allowed for necessary restorations. As an example, Fort Graça was in an almost dilapidated condition and was only opened to the public in 2015 after extensive renovations.
And the third surprise was the almost complete absence of tourists. This adds significantly to the pleasure of strolling through the historic old town. But this also means that not every building and every church is open to visitors. Most military buildings are today used for a different purpose. Still, there is much to explore in this charming town with its whitewashed houses, winding narrow streets and cosy squares. The heart of Elvas is the Praça da República (photos), already mentioned at the beginning. It was the most impressive example of the Calçada Portuguesa (a paving typical of Portuguese squares) that I saw on my trip.

Elvas is actually not very big, but it still takes some time to walk all the way along the city walls. The layout of the fortifications is star-shaped, similar to Palmanova in Italy or Neuf-Brisach in France. However, these two examples are located in plain landscapes. In Elvas, the defence constructions were perfectly adapted to the slopes of the hill on which the town was built.
Visitors should allow enough time to visit also the two largest forts, Fort Santa Luzia and Fort Graça. Both can be visited with an entrance fee. At least Fort Graça is a must see. It is a star-shaped fort consisting of three lines of defence around a central tower. I would recommend using an aerial view to get a better idea of how all these bastions, walls and dry trenches work together. The satellite view of Google Maps was very helpful.

I spent one and a half days in Elvas and stayed two nights at the Hotel São João de Deus, the former military hospital, which is mentioned in the nomination document.
Elvas is a hidden gem that has not yet been discovered by the tourist masses. I enjoyed my visit very much and to sum it up: ♥ elvas.