The Knights Templar arrived in Portugal in the twelfth century and never really left. The Order was dissolved everywhere else in Europe, but in Portugal it simply changed its name — becoming the Order of Christ — and kept its headquarters in Tomar, where it continued to shape the country for another three hundred years. This day follows that thread.
Tomar is built around the Convent of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains nine centuries of Portuguese history within a single complex. The Templar Charola — the octagonal rotunda at its heart, modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — is still standing. The Manueline window on the chapter house is one of the most extraordinary carvings in Portugal: stone worked to the point where it seems to dissolve into rope and coral and armillary spheres. From Tomar, the route drops down to the Tagus at Almourol, where a Templar castle occupies its own island in the middle of the river — accessible only by boat, and all the more atmospheric for it.
The return passes through the quiet towns of the Ribatejo, the landscape flat and open, the river wide beside the road.
What's included
- Private guide and driver
- Private vehicle throughout
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Lisbon, Cascais or Sintra
- Admission tickets for all sites
- WiFi on board
- Bottled water
Good to know
- Duration: approximately 8 hours
- Departure: flexible — typically 9am
- Group size: private — your group only
- Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian
Pricing
All our tours are priced according to group size and the vehicle required. Send us an enquiry and we will come back to you with a proposal.