Tomar, Portugal

One day in July, we decided to leave the Portuguese coast behind and head inland to Tomar, a charming town set along the banks of the Rio Nabão.

The historic centre is especially picturesque—the river tumbles over a small waterfall, its clear waters alive with fish darting playfully beneath the surface.Tomar’s beauty is matched by its remarkable history. It was the last Templar town ever commissioned and later became an important centre of Portuguese overseas expansion under Henry the Navigator in the 15th century. Walking through its streets, you can feel the layers of history that shaped both the town and the country.

The old town unfolds in a neat grid of cobbled streets, some lined with shopfronts beautifully decorated with traditional Portuguese tiles.

​On this particular Saturday, the area around Parque do Mouchão—a small river island linked to the town by two footbridges—was alive with the sights and sounds of a medieval festival. Costumes, music, and market stalls added a lively splash of colour to the riverside setting.
We crossed the Ponte Velha over the Rio Nabão and followed Rua Serpa Pinto towards the Praça da República, the heart of Tomar’s historic centre.

Tomar’s main attraction is the Convento de Cristo, which rises above the town from its strategic hilltop position. Founded in 1160, it served as the headquarters of the Knights Templar in Portugal and later became a key stronghold of the Order of Christ. Its history and scale are so remarkable that it truly deserves a dedicated blog post of its own.

From the town centre, a scenic walk leads up to the convent through the Sete Montes Woods, following a winding path shaded by trees. As you climb, the views over Tomar become increasingly impressive. About halfway up, you pass the small chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, designed by João de Castilho—a quiet, elegant stop along the route.

​Once we reached the Praça da República, the heart of the old town, we were immediately struck by the beautiful 17th‑century buildings surrounding the square. Their façades, symmetry, and sense of history set the perfect tone for exploring the rest of Tomar.

​The tallest building on the square is the Igreja de São João Baptista, easily recognised by its distinctive octagonal bell tower and its beautifully sculpted Manueline‑style doorway. Inside, the church houses several remarkable panels painted by Gregório Lopes, one of Portugal’s most important 16th‑century artists.

During our visit, a tabuleiro was on display inside the church. This elaborate headpiece is carried by local girls during the Festa dos Tabuleiros, an ancient tradition and the most significant festival in Tomar. Each tabuleiro is made up of 30 stacked pieces of bread—arranged either in six rows of five or five rows of six—and decorated with colourful flowers. At the very top sits a crown, usually adorned with either a white dove or the esfera armilar, a symbol closely associated with Portugal’s era of maritime exploration.

With the sun finally breaking through, a refreshing drink in the small square felt like the perfect pause. Afterwards, we stopped to admire the statue of Gualdim Pais, Tomar’s founding father and a key figure in Portugal’s Templar history, before continuing on to our next destination.