With its rich culture, friendly locals and affordable prices, Portugal is always top of Brit’s travel wish list – but those Algarve beaches can get pretty crowded in the summer months.
The same can be said for the cities of Lisbon and Porto which have seen huge increases in tourism numbers in recent years. However there is one Portuguese city as beautiful and historic as its’ better known neighbours without the hoards.
Step forward Tomar, a quaint little city about 90 miles northeast of Lisbon and just east of the pilgrimage site of Fátima. Set under a historic fortress and with around 20,000 local residents, it is described as “remarkably untouristed — and well worth a stop” by travel writer Rick Steves, America’s most respected authority on European travel.
The historic city in central Portugal has beautiful architecture and a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a great place to explore the unique blend of history, nature, and culture, particularly for those interested in the Knights Templar.
Tomar was the headquarters of the Knights Templar in Portugal and boasts the impressive Castle and Convent of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Tomar’s importance started in the 12th century with the construction of a hill-topping castle, the Covento de Cristo. Gualdim Pais, a Grand Master of the Knights Templar religious order, put Tomar on the map by building the castle with Middle Eastern architectural techniques picked up during the Crusades to the Holy Land.
Tomar is best known as the headquarters of the legendary chivalric order, but history buffs also come here for the old centre of the city itself. Easily explored on foot, there is also a riverside park to enjoy, and the beautiful natural scenery of Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes.
As the former seat of the Order of the Knights Templar, Tomar is a city of great charm for its artistic and cultural wealth, whose greatest expression is in the Convent of Christ, one of the chief works of the Portuguese Renaissance.
Whatever your reason for visiting the city, climbing up to the Templar castle and discovering the monumental work of the Convent of Christ is a must. The Charola (Rotunda) is the oldest part. This Templar chapel was built in the 12th century, like the castle, inspired by the fortifications of the Holy Land.
From the Convent, you can walk down through the Sete Montes Woods to the historic centre. Halfway along the road, you will see the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel, a small Renaissance jewel by João de Castilho, a Portuguese who also worked in the Convent.
The medieval urban area has a cross-shaped layout, orientated along the points of the compass, with a convent at each end.
The surrounding streets are lined with traditional shops, including the oldest café, where the delights of the local pastries can be appreciated. These include almond and squash queijadas (cheesecakes) and the traditional Fatias de Tomar (Tomar slices) made with just egg yolks and cooked in a bain-marie in a very special pot, invented by a local tinsmith in the mid-20th century.
Rick Steves writes: “Since Tomar is inland, pork and beef are staples on any menu here. All over town I noticed loaves of bread stacked into a very tall “crown,” decorated with flowers. Women carry these on their heads in a festival every four years, incorporating pagan and harvest rituals into the Catholic celebration during the Festa dos Tabuleiros (Festival of the Trays) in late June or early July. Thanks to this tradition, expect fantastic bread with any meal here. Sip a glass of local Tejo wine or try a Portuguese craft beer as you take in the warmth and history right beside you.”
Other sites in this stunning and historic city include the Museu dos Fósforos (Match Museum), and to the north, the former Convent of Anunciada. To the east, on the site of the current Museu da Levada, you can see the old mills, powered by the River Nabão, which crosses the city.
On one of its banks is the Convent of Santa Iria, and a little further along, the Church of Santa Maria do Olival, which houses the tombs of several Knights Templar, including that of Gualdim Pais, the first master, who died in 1195.
There is also the Centre for Contemporary Art, which houses the collection of one of the most important Portuguese art historians of the 20th century.
The nearest airport to Tomar, Portugal is Lisbon Airport (LIS) about 90 miles away.