PORTUGAL Castles
- mcoelho813
- Sep 22
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 19
Why visit Tomar?
Tomar contains a great pedestrian-only downtown walking area, a riverine park home to swans, herons, and families of ducks, and ancient structures throughout the town, creating a marvelous yet unique place to explore.
What to see and do in Tomar? PORTUGAL Castles
Head to the Convent of Christ
Travel to the Convent of Christ. The UNESCO-listed convent is known for its intricate exterior, a lovely round church, and its one-of-a-kind air of mystery.
When was Tomar founded?
The site was founded by the Knights Templar after King Alfonso II granted the lands to the order. After the knightly order was dissolved, it passed to the Order of Christ, which played a huge role in the Age of Discovery.
The round church, chapterhouse, and convent dwellings incorporate Gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance architecture influences. It is scenically set across the Nabao River. Take a trip to the Convent of Christ to grasp how closely linked medieval Portugal’s religion, culture, and politics are in its history.
What to do in Tomar
Santa Maria do Olival church has a lot of historical relevance. The old town center is from the 15th century. From the old Synagogue, you can drive to the Castelo de Bode reservoir lake and the Pegoes aqueduct. Constância is 15 minutes away and is also amazing. At Constância, be sure to try "Queijinhos do céu," an old conventional sweet treat. PORTUGAL Castles
From the Convent, you can walk down through the Sete Montes Woods to the historic center. Halfway along the road, you will see the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel, a small Renaissance jewel by João de Castilho, a Portuguese who also worked in the Convent.
You must visit Tomar.
The oldest medieval urban area has a cross-shaped layout, placed along with the points of the compass, with a convent at each end. The Praça da República, with its Main Church dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is the center. The surrounding streets are lined with traditional shops where you can purchase local pastries such as queijadas (cheesecakes) and the traditional Fatias de Tomar (Tomar slices) made with just egg yolks and cooked in a bain-marie in a very special pot, invented by a local tinsmith.
Where is an old Aqueduct in Portugal?
Pegões Aqueduct
This 6 km (4 miles) Aqueduct was designed to transport water from the village of Pegões on the outskirts of Tomar to the Convent of Christ in Tomar. It's mostly intact and a sight to see in person.
Don't miss the castle in Tomar, but also the castle of Almourol, where you can take a boat to a small island where this amazing Templar castle is located.
Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes
One of the oldest parks in the area, you can imagine the adventure of initiation into the knightly order. Nearby, the Charolinha, designed by architect João de Castilho is stunning.
What is something unusual to do in Tomar?
Museu dos Fósforos
This is an interesting place to visit in Tomar. Museu dos Fospóros is a captivating museum with a collection of over 80,000 matches, matchboxes, and matchbooks from 104 different countries around the world presented in a very beautiful way. It is near the railway station and a short walk from the historic center of Tomar.
Why visit Tomar?
Tomar is the most important place of Templar History in the whole world since it has preserved a commanding castle and church, practically intact. The Order of the Temple existed from 1118 to 1308.
Where is Tomar in Portugal?
Tomar is 140 kilometers (87 miles) northeast of Lisbon located on the banks of the Nabão River in the central Portugal region. It is approximately a 1 1/2 drive from Lisbon. It is a close drive to Fatima and Vila de Rei (N2 road and town to obtain passport stamps in the N2 passport)
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