Tomar is the jewel in the crown of Central Portugal. It is a magical city bursting with handsome architecture and historical significance. Visitors from Portugal and overseas arrive throughout the year to stay in its charming hotels, sample its tasty regional cookery, visit its famous monuments and explore the lush green mountains that surround the city.
If you are planning to visit Tomar, Portugal, tomarportugal.com provides you with all you need to know to plan your trip. We give you the low down on its treasured monuments and city centre attractions plus [...]
Hotels in Tomar, central Portugal, offer a variety of accommodation options, ranging from historic family homes and rural guesthouses to modern aparthotels and even a city centre campsite.
Hotels in Tomar’s city centre provide easy access to its famous monuments. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Convento de Cristo and the Templar Castle are amongst Portugal’s most important historic sites. If you do not have a car or intend to spend a lot of time exploring these, staying in one of the city centre establishments will help you get the best out of your stay. [...]
Eating and drinking is a delight in Tomar. The city and surrounding areas are well served of interesting hotels and restaurants that cater for its local residents and the many visitors that arrive here from all over Portugal and overseas.
The historic city centre comes to life at night when families, couples and small groups congregate in the Praça da República and the surrounding streets to enjoy an early evening stroll before moving on to one of the many eateries. Restaurants in Tomar mostly serve regional Portuguese dishes and there are some delicious examples [...]
Tomar, Portugal is one of the country’s most historic cities. Its Templar Castle and Convento de Cristo became the national headquarters of the Templar Knights in the middle ages, and later was at the forefront of the Order of Christ. The city was home to Henry the Navigator and provided the stimulus and resources for his New World Explorations of the 15th Century.
The Convento de Cristo forms the centrepiece of historic Tomar. Construction of this unique monastic fortress was begun by Gualdim Pais, provincial Master of the Templar Knights, and was [...]
Tomar has much to offer its visitors. The city’s historic sites, tasty regional cookery, important architecture and pretty central park are all begging to be discovered, while beyond its boundaries lies the rural charm of the Ribatejo, with its lush green mountains, sparkling rivers and lakes and magnificently restored country houses. On an ideal traveller’s [...]
The Templar Castle in Tomar, was constructed by Gualdim Pais in the mid 12th Century on a strategic location high on a hill close to the River Nabão. A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Castle is a fine example of Templar architecture of great historic and cultural significance. The castle was part of the [...]
The Convento de Cristo, Tomar, is an exceptional monastic fortress constructed over the course of five centuries. The original footprint was built by the provincial Master of the Order of the Temple, named Gualdim Pais, and is typical of the rotondas of Templar architecture. The fortress was selected as the headquarters, in Portugal, of the [...]
Perched on a hill, a short stroll beyond the Templar Castle and convent complex, sits the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição. Originally the building was intended to be the king’s funerary chapel, however when King João III died, in 1557, he was in the end buried in Lisbon, due to unfolding political events. However, [...]
Quinta da Anunciada Velha is a unique property on the borders of the city of Tomar in the Ribatejo region of Portugal. It dates back to the 12th Century and has been inhabited since then at various times by Mozarabic and Knight Templars, noblemen and capuchin monks. The building has been tastefully renovated in rustic [...]
The Hotel dos Templários offers an excellent standard of accommodation in the mid- to upper-price range. It is conveniently located in Tomar, Portugal, just 200 metres from the town centre and a 10-minute walk from the local attractions of the Templar Castle and Convento de Cristo. Set in expansive landscaped gardens, the hotel offers spacious [...]
Quinta do Troviscal is a small and quirky guesthouse located right on the banks of the Castelo de Bode Lake, close to the historic town of Tomar in central Portugal. It offers just two bedrooms and one suite ensuring guests enjoy the feeling of being in a home from home, like private residents in a [...]
The Estalagem Lago Azul is located on the shores of the largest body of freshwater in Portugal, the Castelo de Bode. Just a few kilometres from the historic town of Tomar, the Castelo de Bode was created in the mid-20th Century by the construction of a dam in the Zêzere River, a tributary of the [...]
Chico Elias Restaurant is a charming Portuguese eatery near Tomar serving excellent regional cuisine. The restaurant has been a focal point for dining in the city for more than 70 years but underwent a real transformation some two decades ago at the hands of its current chef, Maria do Céu. Maria’s focus is on the [...]
A Lúria Restaurant is situated just outside the historic city of Tomar in a rural location on the road to the Castelo do Bode lake, close to the village of São Pedro de Tomar. It was opened in 1979 by Francisco Domingos who over the past thirty years has transformed it from a long, dark, [...]
O Tabuleiro restaurant is located just off Tomar’s main square, the Praça da República, on one of the most famous streets of the historic centre. Known as the Corredoura, Rua Serpa Pinto offers magnificent views of the Igreja São Baptista that dominates the square, right up to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Convento [...]
O Pote dos Leitões is a popular restaurant located in a rural location some six kilometres from the city of Tomar. Literally translated as “Pigs in a Pot”, as its name would suggest O Pote dos Leitões specializes in serving suckling pig, a traditional dish and one that is highly popular in Portugal. The Restaurant’s [...]
Here you can find a map of Tomar, including all the major touristic attractions and will be a precious ally for you to find your way around. Although the town is rather small, this will be a precious time saver. This map is provided by the local tourism office and you can download and print [...]
Thanks to its elevated position in Portugal’s semi-mountainous region of the Ribatejo, Tomar weather is generally pleasant all year round. The summer season runs from April to October, during which time Tomar weather is warm and pleasant. Temperatures often reach well into the 30s, and nights are refreshingly cool making it an ideal location to [...]
Tomar is situated some 135 kilometres north east of Lisbon and 190 kilometres south east of Oporto. Tomar directions by car are relatively straightforward. From Lisbon, join the E1 and head north to Junction 7. Exit and turn east onto the A23 towards Abrantes-Castelo Branco. At the fourth junction (about 17 kilometres) turn north onto [...]
