Tomar

The Knights Templar's stronghold in Portugal. The UNESCO-listed Convent of Christ and castle overlook the small town, which also has a medieval synagogue and aqueducts.

Tomar lies in the Santarém district of central Portugal, on the Nabão River. It is about 140 km from Lisbon and about 30 km from Fátima. In the 12th century, Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, built the town's fortifications here. After the Templar order was dissolved, the Portuguese Order of Christ inherited the site. Prince Henry the Navigator served as its Grand Master, and the funding and red-cross sails of the Age of Discovery are connected to this place. The highlights are the Convent of Christ and Tomar Castle on the hilltop, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The round Templar Chapel and its Manueline windows are the pinnacle of Portuguese architecture. The old town below has a neat grid of streets. Republic Square, the Church of São João Baptista, the 15th-century synagogue and Mouchão Park on the Nabão's banks can all be visited on foot. Outside town are the Pegões Aqueduct and the Sete Montes forest. Day trips from town include the river castle of Almourol about 20 km south, the Castelo do Bode reservoir to the east, and the village of Dornes on the Zêzere River. The best season is April to October. Every four years, the Festival of the Tabuleiros (the most recent was in 2023; the next is expected in July 2027) features girls parading with towers of flower-decorated bread on their heads, nearly as tall as themselves. It is one of the country's best-known festivals. Getting there: a direct train from Lisboa Santa Apolónia station takes about 2 hours, and the station is just south of the old town. Plan 1–2 days, and allow at least half a day for the convent. The hills are steep, so wear comfortable shoes.

Top sights

• Convent of Christ – The headquarters of the Knights Templar and later the Order of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its round Templar chapel and…
• Pegões Aqueduct – A 16th–17th century aqueduct that supplied water to the Convent of Christ, about 6 km long, with a double-tiered arch section at Pegões ris…
• Almourol Castle – A Knights Templar castle on a small island in the middle of the Tagus River, surrounded by water on all sides. Visitors must take a small b…
• Tomar Castle – Built by the Knights Templar in 1160, the castle keeps its walls and main keep intact, with the convent built within them. The garden insid…
• Tomar Synagogue – Portugal's best-preserved medieval synagogue, with a 15th-century Gothic vaulted ceiling, housing the Abraham Zacuto Portuguese Jewish Muse…
• Church of São João Baptista & Praça da República – A 15th-century church on the central square of the old town, with a Manueline portal and an octagonal bell tower. The square holds a statue…
• Church of Santa Maria do Olival – The mother church and cemetery of the Knights Templar, a 13th-century Gothic church where several Templar grand masters, including Gualdim…
• Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Conceição – A 16th-century Renaissance chapel on the slope below the castle, regarded as a masterpiece of early Portuguese Renaissance architecture.
• Mouchão Park – A park on a small island in the Nabão River, where an old wooden waterwheel stands among willows. It is a favourite spot for locals to stro…
• Levada de Tomar Cultural Complex – An industrial heritage complex on the Nabão River, converted from medieval mills, an oil press and an old power station, telling the town's…
• Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes – Monastic gardens north of the Convent of Christ, with olive, cork oak and pine woods, a small chapel and remnants of an aqueduct. A walking…
• Rua Serpa Pinto & Old Town – A pedestrian main street linking Praça da República with the old bridge, known locally as the Corredoura, paved with Portuguese cobblestone…
• Match Museum – A matchbox collection housed in the cloister of the São Francisco Convent, with pieces from over a hundred countries, said to be the larges…
• Castelo do Bode Reservoir – A large reservoir on the Zêzere River, winding for about 60 km, with river beaches, boat tours and kayaking. A popular summer escape.
• Dornes – A small village on a peninsula in the Zêzere River, where a five-sided Templar tower and a white pilgrimage church are reflected in the wat…

Where to eat

• Chico Elias – A legendary family restaurant in Tomar since the 1960s, cooking over wood fire and famous nationwide for its pumpkin ra…
• Casa das Ratas – A longtime Tomar tavern open since 1939 on Synagogue Street, offering daily specials and local dishes.
• O Tabuleiro – A lively, good-value Portuguese home-style restaurant on the Old Town's pedestrian street, popular with visitors and fa…