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Private Tomar Tour: Knights Templar, Castles and Convent of Christ Visit
4.3
7 Ratings
Ourem
Embark on a private tour of Tomar, the city of the Knights Templar, and explore its castles and the Convent of Christ. Discover the rich history and cultural heritage of this charming city in an 8-hour tour with a knowledgeable guide.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Castelo de Ourem - The Convent of Christ (Portuguese: Convento de Cristo/Mosteiro de Cristo) is a former Roman Catholic convent in Tomar, Portugal. Originally a 12th-century Templar stronghold, when the order was dissolved in the 14th century the Portuguese branch was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ, that later supported Portugal’s maritime discoveries of the 15th century. The convent and castle complex is a historic and cultural monument and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.
What's Included
- Private tour
- Driver/guide
- Guaranteed to skip the long lines
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Hotel/port pickup and drop-off
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Take delight in the 8-hour private tour journey to Tomar, the renowned “City of Templarios”. Tomar, historically, was the principal base of the Order of Knights Templar and even today captures a unique artistic aura and cultural richness, most prominently reflected through the Convent of Christ, a masterpiece from the Portuguese Renaissance. Explore the Templar castle and unravel the architectural grandeur of the 12th-century Convent of Christ. Though at surface level Tomar appears to be a normal riverside settlement, it encapsulates a deep-seated historical essence. Located on the Nabão River, this petite city houses the imposing Castle of Tomar and the Convent of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage Site from the 12th century and the erstwhile medieval headquarters of the Knights Templar.
The private tour includes an adjustable pick-up (9 am)/drop-off (5 pm) service from your accommodation, accompanied by a driver/guide.
- Coronavirus Safety Measures - The safety and well-being of everyone who uses our services are always our priority. We are actively monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and are taking steps to help keep our customers safe.
- We’re certified by the Official Tourism entity ‘Turismo de Portugal’ with the hygiene certification stamp ‘Clean & Safe’.
- For our safety, we operate only private tour and pick-up/drop-off all passengers. We clean and disinfect our vehicles every tour and we provide hand sanitizer and masks to our customers.
- Our guides are experienced professionals, courteous and drive defensive and safety with only one objective to ensure your safety and satisfaction.
Location
Castelo de Ourem
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(7 Ratings)
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Kelly_h
Nov 16, 2023
Private Knights Templar tour - It was an amazing trip and Hugo was an excellent guide. He even picked out an awesome local cafe for lunch….. would highly recommend this adventure!!!
Review provided by Viator
Angela_j
Sep 20, 2022
Hugo is a FABULOUS guide - Ask for him! RECOMMEND!!! - Hugo was a EXCELLENT guide. This is truly a private, guided tour. And it should be for the cost. The greatest part of the tour was the visit to the Knights Templar castle. An INCREDIBLE site to visit. There were several sites listed on the description that we did not get to see bc they were closed. I would double check before you book to make sure what they say is included…is actually included. Hugo made up for this by taking us to other sites but it was a bit disappointing. My 81 year old Dad was with me and Hugo was incredibly respectful and considerate of him and his needs which was greatly appreciated. All in all, I would recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Laser55
Sep 22, 2019
Hugo was a fantastic tour guide! - Our tour guide, Hugo, had to walk up the hill to our hotel because cars aren't allowed on the street but he was very friendly and accepting of this inconvenience. Then, as we set out for Tomar, he gave us some interesting information about Lisbon while driving out of the city. Once we left the suburbs, Hugo asked about what we wanted to see and do. I told him I read a book about the Templars and only a small portion of the book talked about the Templars in Portugal and I'd like to know more. He knew a lot about the order and we discussed their history almost all the way to Tomar. We saw a fantastic castle and monastary then we went to visit the church where Templars were buried. Hugo showed us around the beautiful town of Tomar then he took us to an amazing little restaurant that is loved by the locals. He timed it perfectly because we were seated and served immediately but, when we left, there was a line to get in. The meal and drinks were all included in the tour, as was admission to all the sites we visited.
To make a long story short, Hugo showed us several more historically significant sites and gave us a great understanding of them. Later that afternoon, he took us to a wonderful pastry shop. We sat outside and had pastry and coffee and enjoyed the beautiful view of an 800 year-old monastary. It was a nice way to finish off the day before driving back to Lisbon.
I highly reccomend this tour and Hugo was a great guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tiffany
Jan 1, 2018
This is an absolute must see! There... - <p>This is an absolute must see! There is so much history with this tour. The castles are really neat. Two are ruins and one took over two hours to tour and was amazing! Suzanna was such a great guide. Had a ton of knowledge and taught us so much throughout the entire day. She even took us off the beaten path for two extra stops that she knew we would enjoy! We got to see the dam and aqueduct. She was also very accommodating with our small three children. We stopped at an excellent little restaurant that she recommended for lunch. A little bit of a drive from Lisbon, but definitely worth it!</p>
Review provided by Viator
Laura
Aug 4, 2018
Informative & Fun Day! - This historical tour takes you to 3 different castles throughout the day. The castle with the most to see and learn is the one we went to first, Convent of Christ. There you will pay an entry fee and walk around on your own. They are known for their manueline window. The other 2 castles are smaller and there is nothing to do inside. The 2nd one was closed so we just walked around it, literally. The 3rd one you must take a small boat to get to. You will pay the fee at the dock and take the boat over yourself. To know these castles have been around since the Crusades was fascinating to me but overall the day was pretty low key and not THAT exciting. If you are really into history you will enjoy the day. Our guide (driver) was friendly, professional, and helpful!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthia
Mar 26, 2018
Dont waste your money with this tour... - <p>Dont waste your money with this tour company. While our guide was kind, he offered little or no value to this tour. Quite frankly, he knew nothing about the topic, and we had to google everything to learn about the sites. Pretty much, he was nothing more than a very expensive driver for the day. We felt as If hed rather not be doing the tour. He was not engaged at all. We learned absolutely nothing about Knights Templar or Portugal. Only positive, the sites were beautiful.</p>
<p>RIP OFF. Wish I could get a refund.</p>
Review provided by Viator
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