Best day trips from Tomar
Tomar may be best known for its Templar history and the magnificent Convent of Christ, but it’s also a brilliant base for exploring towns, villages and sights in Central Portugal. Within half-an-hour’s drive you can explore medieval castles, swim in hidden river beaches and wander little stone villages where time does stand still. Whether you’re […]
Guide to Tomar: Portugal’s city of Templar legends
I didn’t find any secret chambers, underground tunnels or white messenger pigeons while exploring Tomar – but the legends of the mysterious Knights Templar still inspire visits to this off-beat Portuguese city. Tomar, a 90-minute drive north of Lisbon, holds a unique place in the nation’s historical and cultural narrative. It was here that the […]
Where to eat in Tomar: Best restaurants, cafés & bars
It’s not just Tomar’s monuments that are layered with history. Tucked down its many streets, you’ll find taverns from the mid-20th century still serving the locals, a bakery that invented sweets now famous across Portugal, and a Bauhaus café open ‘til 2am. If you’re visiting Tomar and are wondering where to eat dinner, grab a […]
Festa dos Tabuleiros: Tomar’s colourful Festival of Trays
Thirty 400-gram bread rolls are weaved into a human-size, paper flower-covered tower balanced precariously atop the 748 women marching by. Hundreds of these flowery 1.5-metre high piles bob through the enchanting Central Portuguese riverside town of Tomar on the shoulders of strong local ladies. The bearers range in age from 20-something to their 80s. Some […]