Traveleriences
The Templar castle and Convent of Christ above Tomar

Tomar & the Templar Heartland, Portugal

Ideal: 2 daysBest: Apr–Jun, Sep–OctPrice: Moderate
OverviewSeeEatHidden gemsAreasStayPracticalHistoryNearby

In 60 seconds

Tomar & the Templar Heartland in 60 seconds

Tomar was the Portuguese headquarters of the Knights Templar, and their castle-convent on the hill above the town is one of the most extraordinary buildings in Europe. At its heart is the Charola, a round church modelled on the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, painted and gilded from floor to dome, where knights are said to have attended mass on horseback; around it the Order of Christ, which succeeded the Templars and funded Portugal's voyages of discovery, built cloisters and the famous Manueline window carved with ropes, coral and sea creatures. The town below is quiet and pretty, its streets famous every four years for the Festa dos Tabuleiros. Within an hour lie two more UNESCO monasteries, Batalha and Alcobaça, and the island castle of Almourol. Two days.

UNESCOTemplars

Best for

  • History
  • Architecture
  • Hidden gems

Known for

  • Convent of Christ
  • The Charola
  • Manueline window
  • Festa dos Tabuleiros

Skip if

Historic monuments are not your thing — Tomar is a small town built around one great building.

Your match

Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Tomar & the Templar Heartland fits them. Choose interests

See

Must experience

The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.

Batalha Monastery

Moderate

Gothic victory monastery · UNESCO

Built to give thanks for the victory of 1385, with the roofless Unfinished Chapels open to the sky.

BatalhaGothicUNESCO

Alcobaça Monastery

Moderate

Cistercian abbey and two royal lovers · UNESCO

A soaring white church where King Pedro and Inês de Castro lie in carved tombs facing each other.

AlcobaçaCistercianUNESCO

Eat

Where to eat

A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?

More places to eat

Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.

Bela Vista

Moderate

Traditional cooking under old wisteria

Roast kid and home cooking on a terrace by the river with the castle above.

TomarRoast kidTerrace

Casa das Ratas

Moderate

A long-standing tavern

A local favourite in the old town for Portuguese small plates and wine.

TomarLocalPetiscos

Beyond the obvious

Hidden gems

Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.

Almourol Castle

A Templar castle on an island in the Tagus

Reached by a short boat ride, a small castle rising straight from a rocky islet in the river.

Vila Nova da BarquinhaBoatCastle

Orientation

Neighbourhoods

How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.

Tomar old town

A grid of white houses by the Nabão

The Praça da República, a 15th-century synagogue and the riverside Mouchão park.

Stay

Where to stay

Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.

Tomar

Moderate

Small hotels below the castle

Stay in town and drive to Batalha and Alcobaça.

QuietTrains

Practical

Know before you go

Getting in
Trains from Lisbon reach Tomar in about two hours; a car is best for Batalha and Alcobaça.
Festa dos Tabuleiros
Every four years in July, girls parade through Tomar with towers of bread on their heads; the next is due in 2027.
When to go
Spring and autumn.
Taste locally
Fatias de Tomar egg sweets, roast kid, and the convent sweets of Alcobaça.

Plan this trip — useful links

Convent of Christ (opens in a new tab)

Context

History in 5 minutes

Enough to make what you are looking at legible.

  1. 1160

    Gualdim Pais, Master of the Templars, founds the castle at Tomar.

  2. 1319

    After the Templars are suppressed, Portugal creates the Order of Christ to take over their property.

  3. 1510s

    The great Manueline window is carved.

  4. 1983

    The Convent of Christ is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Further out

Nearby escapes

Worth a day if you have one to spare.

Nazaré & Óbidos

Giant waves and a walled village

Nazaré & Óbidos has its own guide.

1 hr by carCoast