O Praça
What to order: the "tradição" cod, with vegetables and béchamel served in a homemade loaf, which is the house dish; for dessert, the lime and lemon tart.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 39.60° N · 8.42° W
Tomar and Almourol, the Templars, an hour and three quarters from Lisbon.
The Convent of Christ and its Templar Charola first thing, the oldest synagogue in Portugal and the ferry to Almourol Castle, on an islet in the Tagus.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Lisboa fromSevilla 1 hMadrid 1 h 15Málaga 1 h 15Asturias 1 h 30Alicante 1 h 45Bilbao 1 h 45Valencia 1 h 45Barcelona 2 hGran Canaria 2 h 30Tenerife Sur 2 h 30
Part of Tomar
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car1 h 45 each way
By carAbout 140 km along the A1 and A13
Convent€15 · 9:00
AlmourolBoat without reservation · €4
DifficultyEasy
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Lisbon 1 h 45 by car
along the A1 and A13, about 140 km
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1
Convent of Christ and the Templars' Charola
when it opens · €15 · the Charola without groups
- 10 min by car5 km
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2
Pegões Aqueduct
on the outskirts, two tiers of arches
- 10 min by car6 km
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3
Tomar Synagogue, the best preserved in Portugal
closed from 13:00 to 14:00; closed on Mondays
- 3 min on foot
- 4
- 30 min by car25 km
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5
Almourol Castle, on an island in the Tagus
boat to the islet · opens at 14:30
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Back home
you reach Lisbon around 19:00
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Convent of Christ and the Templars' Charola
A day trip from Lisbon to Templar country: Tomar is an hour and three quarters away along the A1 and A13. The Convent of Christ, a World Heritage Site, houses the Charola, the knights' round church; a few kilometres away, Almourol Castle rises on an islet in the Tagus and is reached by boat.
The day, hour by hour
7:30 · Departure. A1 and A13, about 140 km.
9:00 · Convent of Christ. It opens at 9:00; general admission costs €15. First thing, the Charola can be seen without groups. Two or three hours with the cloisters and the chapter-house window.
11:30 · Pegões Aqueduct. The aqueduct that carried water to the convent crosses the valley on two tiers of arches.
12:30 · Synagogue. The oldest in Portugal, from the 15th century, in the centre. Closed on Mondays and at midday.
13:15 · Lunch at O Praça. The restaurant of the Hotel República, on the main square, opposite the church of São João Baptista and a stone's throw from the synagogue. Seasonal Portuguese cooking; the house dish is the "tradição" salt cod, served in homemade bread. It is open every day, Sunday too, but at midday only from 12:30 to 14:30: arrive before 14:00 and book on +351 249 193 400.
15:00 · Almourol Castle. 25 km away, on an islet in the Tagus. The boat crosses without a reservation; admission costs €4. It opens at 14:30 after the midday break.
17:30 · Heading back. You are in Lisbon around 19:00.
Time2 h 30
Change the route
In July 2027:
Festa dos Tabuleiros, 3 to 12 July 2027
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Tabuleiro Restaurant
What to order: 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.
Taverna Antiqua
What to order: the nobles' banquet (€35), with a starter board, soup, tasting platters and desserts; children up to 12 have their own menu at €20.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Tomar
In spring and autumn. Every four years, in July, the Festa dos Tabuleiros fills Tomar; the next is from 3 to 12 July 2027.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Start with the Charola
At 9:00, before the groups.
- 2Do not go on a Monday
The synagogue is closed.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Lisbon to Tomar?
A little over an hour and a half by car.
How do you get to Almourol?
On a boat that crosses the Tagus, without a reservation.
Where can you eat in Tomar on a Sunday?
O Praça, on Praça da República, is open every day from 12:30 to 14:30 at midday. Booking is advisable.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/tomar/itineraries/convent-of-christ-and-almourol
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.