# Tomar

A town on the banks of the Nabão dominated by the Convent of Christ, former seat of the Templars and later of the Order of Christ, a World Heritage Site since 1983. Every four years it fills its streets with flowers for the Festa dos Tabuleiros; the next one is in July 2027.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/tomar · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## How do you get there from Spain?

By car, via Badajoz and the motorway towards Abrantes and Tomar: about five and a half hours from Madrid. From Lisbon there are direct CP trains that terminate at Tomar in about two hours, and by car it takes a little under an hour and a half.

## How do you get around Tomar?

On foot. The centre is flat and small, between Praça da República and the River Nabão; the convent is on the hill, about fifteen minutes' climb. For the Pegões aqueduct and Almourol castle you need a car.

## Where to sleep and eat?

To sleep, the Hotel dos Templários is the large hotel beside the Nabão, with pools and parking; the Hotel República, a 19-room boutique hotel on the main square; and Thomar Story, a 19th-century guesthouse in the old town. To eat, O Praça is open every day on the square; the Restaurante Tabuleiro is the cheap Portuguese food on Rua Serpa Pinto; and the Taverna Antiqua, on the outskirts, serves a medieval banquet with a show from Friday night to Sunday lunchtime.

## What is there to do outside the town?

The Pegões aqueduct, Almourol castle on the Tagus and the Castelo de Bode reservoir, where Barcaça Atividades Náuticas runs skippered boat trips. For all three you need a car.

## What should you book in advance?

Accommodation, months ahead, if you are going to the Festa dos Tabuleiros in July 2027. The rest of the year, Tomar is quiet. Entry to the Convent of Christ can be bought online from Museus e Monumentos de Portugal.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Fátima and Batalha (a 22.2 km), Nazaré (a 56.0 km), Coimbra (a 67.0 km), Óbidos (a 69.1 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Convent of Christ and the Templars' Charola** (2 h 30 · Everyone; teenagers interested in the Templars · Desde 15 € general admission): It was first the fortress of the Knights Templar; when the order was dissolved, it passed to the Order of Christ, which financed the voyages of discovery. Each era left its layer, and you walk through them in order.
What it is and why it is worth it
The Templars founded Tomar and its castle in 1160, and at the top of the hill they built the Charola, a round church inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, unusual in Europe. When the Order of the Temple was dissolved in 1312, its properties in Portugal passed to the new Order of Christ, which had its seat here. Under Prince Henry the Navigator, between 1420 and 1460, buildings were added around Gothic cloisters; and in 1528 King João III began a great Renaissance convent. All of this now lives together inside the walls.
The most famous piece after the Charola is the window of the chapter house: a Manueline stone frame covered in ropes, corals, roots and sea symbols, which has become an emblem of Portuguese maritime expansion. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
Who it is for
Anyone travelling through central Portugal: it is one of the country's great monuments and can be seen without hurry in a morning. Teenagers with an interest in the Templars get hooked. With small children, alternate the visit with the Mata dos Sete Montes park. There are stairs and stone floors along much of the route; if you have reduced mobility, ask at the ticket office which areas are accessible.
Getting there
From Lisbon there are direct CP trains that end at Tomar in about two hours, and by car it takes a little under an hour and a half. The convent is on the hill above the centre: from Praça da República it is about fifteen minutes' climb on foot, by the slope or the road, to the castle gate.
When to go
It opens every day except 1 January, 1 March, Easter Sunday, 1 May and 24 and 25 December. From October to May, from 9:00 to 17:30, with last entry at 17:00; from June to September, from 9:00 to 18:30, with last entry at 18:00. Go first thing: the Charola without groups is something else. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant times for the climb; in July it is hot.
What it costs
General admission costs €15. You buy it at the ticket office or online, from the official Museus e Monumentos de Portugal sales. For reduced fares or free entry, check the website before you go.
Works in progress
Because of conservation works under the Recovery Plan, some areas have restricted access: the south terrace and the access to the Horta dos Frades, the Cera terrace of the main cloister, the Lavagem cloister and the garden and esplanade. The rest of the route is visited as normal.
If it rains
It is a good plan in bad weather: much of the route is indoors or along the cloister galleries. What you lose is the walk in the Mata and along the walls.
- **Festa dos Tabuleiros, 3 to 12 July 2027** (4 h · Everyone; very crowded · Free, in the street): It is a festival of the local people, not a show for visitors: each parish prepares its tabuleiros, each street its flowers, and the whole town comes out to watch. That is why it is worth planning your trip around it.
What it is and why it is worth it
The Festa dos Tabuleiros, also called the Festa do Espírito Santo, is Tomar's great festival and one of the best-known popular festivals in Portugal. It is held every four years in early July; the last was in 2023 and the next is from 3 to 12 July 2027. Tradition links it to the cult of the Holy Spirit promoted by King Dinis and Queen Saint Isabel, with roots that some take back further.
The tabuleiro gives it its name. It is a wicker tray wrapped in an embroidered white cloth, from which rise canes with 30 loaves of 400 grams each threaded on them, decorated with coloured paper flowers and ears of wheat, and crowned with a crown and the dove of the Holy Spirit or the cross of Christ. It must be as tall as the girl who carries it on her head, dressed in white. In the great procession hundreds parade, along a route of about 5 km that represents all the parishes of the municipality.
The residents also cover the streets of the centre with carpets of paper flowers, a custom born in Tomar that other Portuguese festivals have since copied.
Who it is for
Anyone who wants to see a real popular festival. With children it works if you keep them under control in the crowd: on procession day in 2019, around 600,000 people gathered. If you do not like crowds, go on weekdays to see the flower-covered streets and the smaller processions, and avoid Sunday.
Getting there
From Lisbon there are direct CP trains that end at Tomar in about two hours, and by car it takes a little under an hour and a half. On festival days, the train avoids the parking problem. If you go by car, expect to leave it far from the centre and walk.
When to go
3 to 12 July 2027. The great Cortejo dos Tabuleiros is on a Sunday; there are also other processions: the crowns, the boys, the steward, the partial processions of the parishes and the arrival of the oxen of the Holy Spirit, which since 1966 have paraded symbolically. The day after the great procession is the pêza, the distribution of bread and meat among the people. July in Tomar is hot: go prepared for many hours on your feet in the sun. Confirm the official programme when the council publishes it.
What it costs
Watching the processions and the streets is free. What is expensive is accommodation on those days: book months ahead and, if you cannot find anything in Tomar, look in the surrounding area.
If the weather is bad or too hot
In July the problem is usually the heat. If you cannot take the Sunday sun, go in the late afternoon to the flower-covered streets, which look better without the crowd, and go into the Convent of Christ, which offers shade and coolness.
- **Almourol Castle, on an island in the Tagus** (1 h · Everyone · Admission €4 from age 7): What it is and why it matters
Almourol Castle stands on a granite islet in the middle of the Tagus, in the municipality of Vila Nova da Barquinha, about 25 km south of Tomar. When the Portuguese conquered the area in 1129 there was already a fortification here, Almorolã. The Order of the Temple rebuilt it during the 12th century and finished the works in 1171, under the master Gualdim Pais, the same man who founded Tomar. It was a piece of the Tagus defensive line during the Reconquista. It has been a National Monument since 1910 and was a finalist in the 7 Wonders of Portugal in 2007.
There is no bridge or footpath: you can only reach it by boat. That short crossing, with the castle growing ahead of you above the river, is half the visit.
What you see
You land at the foot of the islet and climb a stone path to the wall. Inside, a small enclosure with towers, wall-walks and the keep at the top. From above you see the Tagus in both directions, with both its banks. The castle visit itself is brief; what counts is the whole setting.
The ticket also includes the Almourol Templar Interpretation Centre (CITA), opened in 2018 in the Vila Nova da Barquinha Cultural Centre, which explains the history of the Templars in the region. It is in the town, not beside the castle, and has its own hours.
Crossing times

March to September: 9:30 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 18:30.
October to February: 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 17:00.

The last crossing leaves 40 minutes before each closing, morning and afternoon. If you arrive at 12:30, you will not cross until after lunch.
The visit depends on the river: if the Tagus is in spate or the weather is bad, crossings are suspended at any time. In the rainy season, check beforehand at the Vila Nova da Barquinha tourist point.
Price

Aged 7 and over: €4 per person, with the CITA included.
Up to 6 years: free.
Former combatants and their widows or widowers, with their card: free.

The castle does not belong to Museus e Monumentos de Portugal, so its passes and free-entry schemes are not valid. Some guides give higher prices with the crossing included: confirm at the landing stage whether the boat is paid separately.
Getting there and where to board
From Tomar, take the A13 and the A23 towards Vila Nova da Barquinha and follow the signs to Almourol; it takes about 25 minutes. You board at the Cais de Almourol, directly opposite the castle, in boats of up to 20 people, with no advance booking. Groups of more than 20 have another option, the pleasure boat from the Cais d'El Rei, in Tancos, with compulsory booking at the Tancos parish council.
How long to allow
An hour including the wait, the crossing of a few minutes and the climb to the castle. If you add the CITA in Vila Nova da Barquinha, allow another hour.
With children
They love it: boat, castle on an island, towers. The path from the landing stage to the wall is steep with loose stones, and up top the wall-walks are not protected along their whole length: take them by the hand and wear closed shoes. You cannot go up with a pushchair; use a baby carrier. Under-6s do not pay.
To complete the day
Almourol fits with a morning in Tomar: the Convent of Christ in the morning and Almourol in the afternoon, or the other way round. That way you follow the Templar thread of Gualdim Pais from start to finish.
- **Tomar Synagogue, the best preserved in Portugal** (30 min · Everyone · No published price; free entry according to visitors): What it is and why it matters
The Tomar synagogue is the oldest surviving one in Portugal and the only early-Renaissance Jewish temple left in the country. It was built in the mid-15th century in the city's old Jewish quarter, at the height of the community's expansion, by tradition on the orders of Prince Henry. It functioned for barely a few decades: in 1496 King Manuel I decreed the expulsion or forced conversion of the Jews and the synagogue was closed.
It then had many lives. From 1516 it was a public prison, then a Christian chapel under the name of the hermitage of São Bartolomeu, and later a hayloft and storehouse. It was declared a National Monument in 1921. In 1923 it was bought by Samuel Schwarz, a Jewish engineer born in Poland, who cleaned and excavated it and in 1939 donated it to the State on one condition: that a Luso-Hebraic museum be opened in it. Hence the Abraão Zacuto Luso-Hebraic Museum, named after the astronomer, mathematician, physician and rabbi born in Salamanca in 1450 who worked for King João II.
What you see
A single square room, small and intimate, with three aisles covered by brick vaults resting on four columns. The columns are said to represent the four matriarchs, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, and the twelve corbels from which the vaults spring to allude to the twelve tribes of Israel. In the corners there are eight clay jars set into the walls, which served to improve the acoustics. Beside the room the remains of a ritual bath, the mikveh, were found.
The museum gathers gravestones, inscriptions and objects from the Jewish presence in Portugal. The complex reopened in 2019 after two years of works, with an interpretation centre.
Hours and closures
Open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays:

April to September: 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00.
October to March: 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00.

Closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Allow for the midday break when planning your morning.
Price
The council does not publish an admission price in its listing. Recent visitors report that no entry fee is charged and a donation is welcome; confirm at the door or at the tourist point.
How long and how to get there
Half an hour is enough. The synagogue is at Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto 73, in the historic centre of Tomar, a few minutes' walk from Praça da República and the church of São João Baptista. Leave the car in the car parks beside the River Nabão and walk through the old town, with its flat streets.
Accessibility and children
The room is small and fills quickly with groups. If you are in a wheelchair, ask the council or the tourist point about access beforehand. With children, the visit is short; you can tell them the story of the jars for sound and of the building that was a prison and a hayloft before becoming what it was again.
To complete the day
The visit fits between the Convent of Christ, at the top of the city, and a stroll through the centre. If you have the afternoon to spare, the Pegões aqueduct is a few minutes away by car.
- **Pegões Aqueduct** (1 h · Everyone · Free): What it is
The Pegões aqueduct carried water to the Convent of Christ in Tomar. It is about 6 km long and has 180 arches in all, although much of its route runs at ground level or underground. What everyone comes to see is the stretch in the Pegões valley, at Carregueiros, on the edge of town: there the aqueduct crosses the valley on two tiers of arches and reaches about 30 metres in height. Below, 16 pointed arches on thick stone piers, the pegões that give it its name; above, 58 round arches.
Its history
It was begun in 1593, during the reign of Philip I of Portugal (Philip II of Spain). The Italian architect Filippo Terzi laid out the route, and after his death in 1597 the works were continued by Pedro Fernandes de Torres. The first phase was inaugurated in 1614 and the whole was finished in 1619 with the fountain in the convent's main cloister. Before entering the convent, the water arrived at a tank at the Cadeira d'El Rei, at the edge of the estate, and the last arches lean against the south façade. It has been a National Monument since 1910.
Getting there and parking
The Pegões stretch is north-west of the centre of Tomar, a few minutes by car, in the Carregueiros area; follow the signs for Aqueduto dos Pegões. Leave the car somewhere that does not block the tracks or trample the ground at the foot of the arches; the last stretch is on foot.
What to do
Walk at the foot of the arches along the dirt tracks of the valley: from below you grasp the scale. It is a short walk, an hour at most, with good photos from both sides of the valley. The visit is free and open, with no set hours.
The aqueduct is in a poor state of repair and has suffered thefts, vandalism and damage from motorbikes and off-road vehicles. Respect the monument: do not climb the arches or drive vehicles beside them.
When to go
All year round. In first or last light the arches stand out better against the sky. In summer it is very hot in the valley with little shade: take water. After heavy rain, the dirt tracks turn muddy.
With children and dogs
For children it is a short, open walk. With a dog, no problem, on a lead. What matters is safety: the channel at the top has no handrail and the drop is up to 30 metres. Do not go up with them.
- **Skippered boat trip on the Castelo de Bode reservoir** (1 h · Families, groups of friends and couples): An hour or an afternoon on the water, after the convent: the other face of Tomar, of pines, stone coves and still water.
What it is
The Castelo de Bode reservoir is the great lake formed by the dam of the same name on the Zêzere river, about twenty minutes by car from Tomar. The shores are hills of pine and eucalyptus with small river beaches and villages on the heights. In summer it is where people from Tomar go to swim and sail.
The trip
Barcaça Atividades Náuticas, a Tomar company registered as a tourist entertainment agent, runs skippered boat trips on the reservoir. They last an hour at minimum and take up to 13 passengers, so they work well for a big family or a group of friends. The length and route are agreed beforehand. The website does not publish rates: the price is requested by phone or email, and the Tomar tourist office gives a range of €35 to €350 depending on what you book.
If you are after something livelier, the same company has wakeboarding, wakesurfing, wakefoiling, water skiing and tubing, with 15-minute introductory lessons per person and all equipment included. And if you hold a boating licence, it hires out motor boats for eight people and jangadas, floating platforms for fourteen, for half a day or a full day.
When to go
The company works all year, but the reservoir looks best from May to September, when you want to swim from the boat. In July and August it is hot inland and the water is the best plan for the afternoon. Book a few days ahead in summer and at weekends.
Getting there
You need a car. From Tomar, about twenty minutes towards the Castelo de Bode dam. Confirm the exact boarding point when you book: the company has its base on Estrada Barrinho, in the municipality of Tomar.

## Dónde comer
- **O Praça** (Restaurant, Tomar, €€€). Qué pedir: the "tradição" cod, with vegetables and béchamel served in a homemade loaf, which is the house dish; for dessert, the lime and lemon tart.
- **Taverna Antiqua** (Restaurant, Tomar, €€€). Qué pedir: the nobles' banquet (€35), with a starter board, soup, tasting platters and desserts; children up to 12 have their own menu at €20.
- **Tabuleiro Restaurant** (Restaurant, Tomar, €). Qué pedir: one of the house cods, the dourado or the espiritual, or the oven-baked black pork cheeks; the cozido à portuguesa if you are hungry.

## By car: Tomar by car, with Almourol and Castelo de Bode
Tomar's centre is seen on foot, but the best of the surroundings needs a car: the Pegões aqueduct, Almourol castle on the Tagus, the Castelo de Bode reservoir and the medieval banquet of the Taverna Antiqua, on the outskirts.
Presupuesto orientativo: 60–130 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Hotel dos Templários** (Hotel): Tomar's big hotel, by the river
The Hotel dos Templários is Tomar's four-star hotel, of the GJC Hotels group, on Largo Cândido dos Reis, on the banks of the Nabão and about five minutes' walk from the historic centre. It is a large building, surrounded by gardens, that looks out over the river; from the outdoor pool you see the Nabão and, high above, the Convent of Christ. It is the hotel of conferences and groups, but also the most comfortable if you travel by car with a family: private parking, pools and plenty of space.
The rooms
It has 177 rooms, including 8 superior, 4 junior suites, 5 duplex suites and a presidential suite. All have a balcony and a view, of the gardens, the river or the city's monuments, and adjustable air conditioning, satellite TV, minibar, free wifi, bathrobe and slippers. The bathrooms have natural light.
Pools, spa and services
In the garden there is an outdoor pool with a view of the river and the convent. The health club is open all year, with an indoor pool heated to 28 ºC, a gym, sauna, hot tub, hydromassage and spa treatment rooms. There is a tennis court, a games room, a playground, a laundry, room service and, on request, tuk-tuk rides and private transport.
Eating and drinking
Buffet breakfast is served in the Sala Terraço from 7:30 to 10:30. The Grão-Mestre restaurant, with a large fresco telling scenes from the life of Tomar, has a regional and international menu and buffets. The lobby bar, next to the outdoor pool and with a view of the river, is open every day until 1:00, with live piano on Fridays from 19:00 to 24:00.
Getting there
By car, along the A1 and A13 or the A23: Lisbon is 130 km away, Coimbra 80 and Fátima 31. The hotel has private parking and advertises free parking if you book directly with them. Tomar train station is a walk through the centre.
What is nearby
You cross the bridge and you are in the centre, with the synagogue and Praça da República. The Convent of Christ is on the hill, about twenty minutes' walk through the Mata dos Sete Montes. Among the nearby places the hotel lists are Mouchão park, on an island in the Nabão, and the church of Santa Maria do Olival.
- **Thomar Story** (Small hotel): A 19th-century house in the old town
Thomar Story is a guesthouse on Rua João Carlos Everard, in the heart of Tomar's historic centre. It occupies a late 19th-century building completely refurbished, with a design of simple, contemporary lines. From its balconies and windows you see the Nabão river and, high on the hill, the Templar castle that encloses the Convent of Christ. It is registered as local accommodation under licence 9504/AL and belongs to the same group as the Ninho do Falcão residence, next to the Castelo de Bode reservoir.
The rooms
There are twelve, and each tells a piece of the city's history with its name and its decor. The Janela do Capítulo is named after the convent's famous Manueline window. Santa Iria recalls the love legend of the young Benedictine nun. Gualdim Pais is dedicated to the Templar grand master who founded Tomar castle and is buried at Santa Maria do Olival. All have their own bathroom with a rain shower, air conditioning, TV and wifi. Some have a small kitchen, useful if you stay several days or travel with children.
Getting there
From Tomar train station you walk through the centre in a few minutes. By car, the old town has narrow streets: the house has a parking section on its website, but gives no details, so ask when you book where to leave it. From Lisbon it is a little over an hour and a half along the A1 and A13.
What is nearby
The synagogue and Praça da República are a few streets away. The Nabão river, with Mouchão park, is just round the corner. The Convent of Christ is climbed on foot in about fifteen minutes. For dinner, O Praça is on the main square, and at the weekend you have the medieval banquet of the Taverna Antiqua on the outskirts.

## Car-free: By train from Lisbon and on foot around Tomar
Tomar is the end of the line of a direct CP train from Lisbon, of about two hours, and its centre is flat and small: from the station you go on foot to the old town, the synagogue and the river, and the Convent of Christ is climbed in about fifteen minutes. Without a car you miss Almourol and Castelo de Bode, except by taxi.
Presupuesto orientativo: 55–110 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Hotel República** (Small hotel): On Tomar's main square
The Hotel República is on Praça da República, the heart of Tomar's historic centre, facing the town hall and the church of São João Baptista, with its Manueline tower. It was opened by a man from Tomar who returned to his city and wanted to set up a refuge here; it was built, fitted out and decorated by Portuguese companies, and the house sums it up in its motto, Made in Portugal. It is a small hotel, of 19 rooms, designed for exploring Tomar on foot: the Convent of Christ is about fifteen minutes' walk away and the synagogue two streets off.
The rooms
There are two suites and seventeen doubles, all with a queen bed and a marble bathroom. The two suites face the square and the church: they have a sitting area with a sofa and desk, a fireplace and a whirlpool bath; the Deluxe is the largest. The Deluxe doubles with a view of the square and the Queens also look onto Praça da República, with a walk-in shower. The Deluxe with balcony and the Deluxe face one of the streets of the old town, and the Standards, the inner courtyard, which are the quietest. Some rooms see the Convent of Christ high above.
Eating in the house
On the ground floor is O Praça, the hotel's restaurant and seafood house, open every day for lunch and dinner, with the entrance on Rua Silva Magalhães. Its house dish is the tradição cod, served in homemade bread; you have its listing in the where-to-eat section for Tomar. There is also a bar.
Getting there and parking
If you travel by train from Lisbon, Tomar station is a few minutes' walk from the centre, along flat streets. By car, the historic centre has narrow streets and the hotel does not list parking of its own on its website: leave the car in a nearby paid car park or by the Nabão river and walk in.
What is nearby
Everything. The synagogue is on Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto, a few steps away. The Convent of Christ is climbed on foot from the square. If you come in July 2027, the procession of the Festa dos Tabuleiros passes through the centre.
- **Thomar Story** (Small hotel): A 19th-century house in the old town
Thomar Story is a guesthouse on Rua João Carlos Everard, in the heart of Tomar's historic centre. It occupies a late 19th-century building completely refurbished, with a design of simple, contemporary lines. From its balconies and windows you see the Nabão river and, high on the hill, the Templar castle that encloses the Convent of Christ. It is registered as local accommodation under licence 9504/AL and belongs to the same group as the Ninho do Falcão residence, next to the Castelo de Bode reservoir.
The rooms
There are twelve, and each tells a piece of the city's history with its name and its decor. The Janela do Capítulo is named after the convent's famous Manueline window. Santa Iria recalls the love legend of the young Benedictine nun. Gualdim Pais is dedicated to the Templar grand master who founded Tomar castle and is buried at Santa Maria do Olival. All have their own bathroom with a rain shower, air conditioning, TV and wifi. Some have a small kitchen, useful if you stay several days or travel with children.
Getting there
From Tomar train station you walk through the centre in a few minutes. By car, the old town has narrow streets: the house has a parking section on its website, but gives no details, so ask when you book where to leave it. From Lisbon it is a little over an hour and a half along the A1 and A13.
What is nearby
The synagogue and Praça da República are a few streets away. The Nabão river, with Mouchão park, is just round the corner. The Convent of Christ is climbed on foot in about fifteen minutes. For dinner, O Praça is on the main square, and at the weekend you have the medieval banquet of the Taverna Antiqua on the outskirts.

## By plane: Flying to Lisbon, then train or car to Tomar
Tomar is about 130 km from Lisbon, which is the nearest airport, with direct flights from many Spanish cities. By hire car it is a little over an hour and a half along the A1 and A13. Without a car, a direct CP train leaves Lisbon and ends in Tomar in about two hours.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Hotel dos Templários** (Hotel): Tomar's big hotel, by the river
The Hotel dos Templários is Tomar's four-star hotel, of the GJC Hotels group, on Largo Cândido dos Reis, on the banks of the Nabão and about five minutes' walk from the historic centre. It is a large building, surrounded by gardens, that looks out over the river; from the outdoor pool you see the Nabão and, high above, the Convent of Christ. It is the hotel of conferences and groups, but also the most comfortable if you travel by car with a family: private parking, pools and plenty of space.
The rooms
It has 177 rooms, including 8 superior, 4 junior suites, 5 duplex suites and a presidential suite. All have a balcony and a view, of the gardens, the river or the city's monuments, and adjustable air conditioning, satellite TV, minibar, free wifi, bathrobe and slippers. The bathrooms have natural light.
Pools, spa and services
In the garden there is an outdoor pool with a view of the river and the convent. The health club is open all year, with an indoor pool heated to 28 ºC, a gym, sauna, hot tub, hydromassage and spa treatment rooms. There is a tennis court, a games room, a playground, a laundry, room service and, on request, tuk-tuk rides and private transport.
Eating and drinking
Buffet breakfast is served in the Sala Terraço from 7:30 to 10:30. The Grão-Mestre restaurant, with a large fresco telling scenes from the life of Tomar, has a regional and international menu and buffets. The lobby bar, next to the outdoor pool and with a view of the river, is open every day until 1:00, with live piano on Fridays from 19:00 to 24:00.
Getting there
By car, along the A1 and A13 or the A23: Lisbon is 130 km away, Coimbra 80 and Fátima 31. The hotel has private parking and advertises free parking if you book directly with them. Tomar train station is a walk through the centre.
What is nearby
You cross the bridge and you are in the centre, with the synagogue and Praça da República. The Convent of Christ is on the hill, about twenty minutes' walk through the Mata dos Sete Montes. Among the nearby places the hotel lists are Mouchão park, on an island in the Nabão, and the church of Santa Maria do Olival.
- **Hotel República** (Small hotel): On Tomar's main square
The Hotel República is on Praça da República, the heart of Tomar's historic centre, facing the town hall and the church of São João Baptista, with its Manueline tower. It was opened by a man from Tomar who returned to his city and wanted to set up a refuge here; it was built, fitted out and decorated by Portuguese companies, and the house sums it up in its motto, Made in Portugal. It is a small hotel, of 19 rooms, designed for exploring Tomar on foot: the Convent of Christ is about fifteen minutes' walk away and the synagogue two streets off.
The rooms
There are two suites and seventeen doubles, all with a queen bed and a marble bathroom. The two suites face the square and the church: they have a sitting area with a sofa and desk, a fireplace and a whirlpool bath; the Deluxe is the largest. The Deluxe doubles with a view of the square and the Queens also look onto Praça da República, with a walk-in shower. The Deluxe with balcony and the Deluxe face one of the streets of the old town, and the Standards, the inner courtyard, which are the quietest. Some rooms see the Convent of Christ high above.
Eating in the house
On the ground floor is O Praça, the hotel's restaurant and seafood house, open every day for lunch and dinner, with the entrance on Rua Silva Magalhães. Its house dish is the tradição cod, served in homemade bread; you have its listing in the where-to-eat section for Tomar. There is also a bar.
Getting there and parking
If you travel by train from Lisbon, Tomar station is a few minutes' walk from the centre, along flat streets. By car, the historic centre has narrow streets and the hotel does not list parking of its own on its website: leave the car in a nearby paid car park or by the Nabão river and walk in.
What is nearby
Everything. The synagogue is on Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto, a few steps away. The Convent of Christ is climbed on foot from the square. If you come in July 2027, the procession of the Festa dos Tabuleiros passes through the centre.
- **Thomar Story** (Small hotel): A 19th-century house in the old town
Thomar Story is a guesthouse on Rua João Carlos Everard, in the heart of Tomar's historic centre. It occupies a late 19th-century building completely refurbished, with a design of simple, contemporary lines. From its balconies and windows you see the Nabão river and, high on the hill, the Templar castle that encloses the Convent of Christ. It is registered as local accommodation under licence 9504/AL and belongs to the same group as the Ninho do Falcão residence, next to the Castelo de Bode reservoir.
The rooms
There are twelve, and each tells a piece of the city's history with its name and its decor. The Janela do Capítulo is named after the convent's famous Manueline window. Santa Iria recalls the love legend of the young Benedictine nun. Gualdim Pais is dedicated to the Templar grand master who founded Tomar castle and is buried at Santa Maria do Olival. All have their own bathroom with a rain shower, air conditioning, TV and wifi. Some have a small kitchen, useful if you stay several days or travel with children.
Getting there
From Tomar train station you walk through the centre in a few minutes. By car, the old town has narrow streets: the house has a parking section on its website, but gives no details, so ask when you book where to leave it. From Lisbon it is a little over an hour and a half along the A1 and A13.
What is nearby
The synagogue and Praça da República are a few streets away. The Nabão river, with Mouchão park, is just round the corner. The Convent of Christ is climbed on foot in about fifteen minutes. For dinner, O Praça is on the main square, and at the weekend you have the medieval banquet of the Taverna Antiqua on the outskirts.

## As a family: Tomar with the family, on the trail of the Templars

Tomar has what a historical visit needs to work with children: knights, a castle on an island and, in 2027, a festival that looks like something from a fairy tale. The rest is a flat, quiet town.

### What works best
Almourol Castle, reached by boat

The Convent of Christ and its round Charola, with Templar stories

The Festa dos Tabuleiros, from 3 to 12 July 2027

### Where to stay
In the centre, near the river and Praça da República

### Where to eat
Tomar sweets, such as fatias de Tomar, in the pastry shops of the centre

Picnic in the Mata dos Sete Montes

### Worth knowing
The convent has many stairs: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair

The July festival is hot and crowded: water, a hat and a meeting point

### Qué hacer as a family
- Convent of Christ and the Templars' Charola
- Festa dos Tabuleiros, 3 to 12 July 2027
- Almourol Castle, on an island in the Tagus
- Skippered boat trip on the Castelo de Bode reservoir

## Consejos

### Convent in the morning
Arrive when it opens: the Charola without groups is another thing altogether.

### Walk down through the Mata dos Sete Montes
The park around the convent hill is the most pleasant way back to the centre.

### Almourol, in the afternoon
In low light, the castle on the Tagus is a postcard. Check beforehand that the boat is running.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### When is the next Festa dos Tabuleiros?
From 3 to 12 July 2027. It is held every four years; the grand procession is on a Sunday.

### How long do I need for the Convent of Christ?
Between two and three hours for the Charola, the cloisters and the Manueline window.

### Can you get there by train?
Yes. There are direct trains from Lisbon to Tomar station, a few minutes' walk from the centre.

### How do you visit Almourol castle?
On a short boat from the Cais de Almourol, about 25 km from Tomar. Crossings depend on the state of the river.

### Is it a good visit with children?
Yes, if you tell them the story of the Templars. The castle on the island and the 2027 festival are especially popular with them.