Tomar: The Templar Town and the Convent of Christ

Tomar is one of Portugal’s most fascinating towns: the headquarters of the Knights Templar, with a castle-convent that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a peaceful riverside old town and one of the country’s most spectacular festivals. It’s easy to visit from Lisbon by train, and pairs well with Fátima.

Quick answer: take the train from Lisbon (about 1h55). Spend the morning at the Convent of Christ (€15), with its round Templar church and the famous Manueline window, then wander the old town, the 15th-century synagogue and the riverside. Nearby: the Almourol castle on its river island. The Festa dos Tabuleiros returns in July 2027.

Why go

Tomar was built around the Templars and their successors, the Order of Christ, who helped fund Portugal’s voyages of discovery. The result is a small, calm town with one of the most remarkable buildings in the country on the hill above it. It’s far less crowded than Sintra or Óbidos, and the old town’s grid of streets is flat and easy to walk.

Getting there

• Train: direct regional trains from Lisbon Santa Apolónia or Oriente take about 1h55 to 2 hours, from about €10–20 depending on the train. Tomar is the end of the line, and the station is a 10-minute walk from the centre.
• Car: about 1h30 from Lisbon on the A1 (tolled) and the A23 (toll-free since 2025). Park near the river and walk into the old town.
• Tour: often combined with Fátima. See our Fátima day trip or see Tomar tours.

The Convent of Christ

Founded by the Knights Templar in 1160, this huge castle-convent is the reason most people come to Tomar, and it’s spectacular. Entry is €15, free for children aged 12 and under, and free on Sundays and public holidays for residents of Portugal. It’s usually open from 9am to 5.30pm from October to May and until 6.30pm from June to September, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It closes on 1 January, 1 March, Easter Sunday, 1 May and 24 and 25 December. Some spaces have restricted access during restoration works, so check before you go. It’s a steep 15-minute walk up from town. Allow two to three hours.

• The Charola: the round church of the Templars, modelled on the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, painted and gilded inside. Knights are said to have attended Mass on horseback.
• The Manueline window: an astonishing carved window covered in ropes, coral, seaweed and nautical symbols, a masterpiece of the Age of Discoveries from the early 1500s. It’s best seen from the cloister roof terrace.
• The cloisters: several of them, from Gothic to Renaissance. The grand two-storey Main Cloister is the most elegant.
• The castle walls and views over the town.

Combined tickets covering the Batalha and Alcobaça monasteries have also been offered; ask at the ticket desk. See Batalha and Alcobaça.

The old town

• Praça da República: the main square, with the Gothic church of São João Baptista and the town hall. A statue of Gualdim Pais, the Templar master who founded the town, stands in the middle.
• The synagogue: built in the 15th century and the oldest well-preserved medieval synagogue in Portugal, now a small museum. Tomar’s Jewish community used it until the expulsion of 1496. Later it served as a prison, a chapel and a barn, until it became the Abraão Zacuto Luso-Hebrew Museum. Entry is free. It’s usually open Tuesday to Sunday with a lunch break, and closed on Mondays. It takes about 15 minutes.
• The Nabão river: a riverside park, an old waterwheel and the island park of Mouchão.
• Mata dos Sete Montes: the green park below the convent, with a path up to it. Storm Kristin damaged it in January 2026 and it was only partly reopening from October 2026, so check before you go.

A one-day route

• Morning: walk up to the Convent of Christ when it opens, before tour groups arrive.
• Lunch: back down in the old town.
• Afternoon: the synagogue, Praça da República and a stroll along the Nabão to the Mouchão park.
• With a car: add the Pegões Aqueduct or Almourol Castle late in the day.

Festa dos Tabuleiros

Every four years, Tomar holds one of Portugal’s most extraordinary festivals: hundreds of young women parade through the streets balancing towering trays of bread and flowers on their heads, some as tall as they are. The last edition was in 2023. In April 2026 the people of Tomar voted, as tradition demands, to hold the next one in July 2027, from 3 to 12 July, with the main procession on Sunday 11 July. Book accommodation early. See our Festa dos Tabuleiros guide.

Nearby

• Pegões Aqueduct: a 6km aqueduct built between 1593 and 1614 to bring water to the convent, with around 180 arches. Its dramatic double-arched section, Pegões Altos, stands about 30m high just outside town. There are no railings on top and parts have cracked, so admire it from the ground.
• Almourol Castle: a fairy-tale Templar castle on a tiny island in the Tagus, about 30 minutes away, reached only by a short boat ride from the Almourol quay. Buy your ticket on board. Crossings depend on the river and the weather. See our Almourol Castle guide.
• Fátima (35 minutes) and the monasteries of Batalha and Alcobaça.

Food

Try the local convent sweets like fatias de Tomar (egg-yolk slices in syrup), and hearty dishes like roast kid and lamprey in season, usually in late winter and spring. The Ribatejo region around Tomar is also known for good-value wines, so ask for a local red.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable for walking up to the convent. Summer can be very hot inland, so start early. In festival years, July is busy and lively; otherwise Tomar is quiet all year.

Practical tips

• Shoes: the convent has uneven stone floors and many stairs.
• Closing days: the convent opens every day except a few holidays, but the synagogue closes on Mondays. Check hours before you travel, especially on public holidays.
• Trains back: check the last train to Lisbon, as services are not frequent.

FAQ

Is Tomar worth a day trip from Lisbon?

Yes. The train takes about two hours, and the Convent of Christ, the synagogue and the old town fit comfortably into one day.

How long do you need at the Convent of Christ?

Allow two to three hours. Add 15 minutes each way for the steep walk up from the old town.

When is the next Festa dos Tabuleiros?

In July 2027. It runs from 3 to 12 July 2027, with the main procession of trays on Sunday 11 July. The council announced the dates in May 2026.

Staying overnight

Tomar is a quiet, good-value base for central Portugal. See places to stay in Tomar, or continue on a Portugal road trip to Coimbra.

See also: Santarem and Almourol Castle.

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