Lisbon Trip Overview
After Pick up at the place of stay we begin our journey to the city of Tomar. Founded in Sec XI, the order of the poor Knights of Christ, known as the “Templars”. Here we can visit the Church of Santa Maria do Olival, the headquarters of the Templars and a Pantheon of all the Grand Masters in Portugal. Next we visit the convent of Christ a templar fortification built under the orders of Gualdim Pais and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue our journey to Almourol Castle, this castle was rebuilt in 1171 by the first Grand Master Templar Gualdim Pais. To end our day we headed to the beautiful Vila de Constância, a small and charming village where Luís de Camões (one of the most famous Portuguese poets) lived and wrote some of his lyrics until he reached To take. Here you can have lunch in the center of the village in the center of the village or at the edge of the river beach. After a day full of stories and memories, we continue towards Lisbon.
Additional Info
* Duration: 8 hours
* Starts: Lisbon, Portugal
* Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Lisbon, Central Portugal, Portugal
After Pick up at the place of stay we begin our journey to the city of Tomar. Founded in Sec XI, the order of the poor Knights of Christ, known as the “Templars”. Here we can visit the Church of Santa Maria do Olival, the headquarters of the Templars and a Pantheon of all the Grand Masters in Portugal. Next we visit the convent of Christ a templar fortification built under the orders of Gualdim Pais and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue our journey to Almourol Castle, this castle was rebuilt in 1171 by the first Grand Master Templar Gualdim Pais. To end our day we headed to the beautiful Vila de Constância, a small and charming village where Luís de Camões (one of the most famous Portuguese poets) lived and wrote some of his lyrics until he reached To take. Here you can have lunch in the center of the village in the center of the village or at the edge of the river beach. After a day full of stories and memories, we continue towards Lisbon.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Tomar, Tomar, Santarem District, Central Portugal
After Pick up at the place of stay we start our trip to the city of Tomar.
Built inside the medieval Templar Castle of Gualdim Pais.
Tomar was founded in Sec XI, the order of the poor Knights of Christ, known as the “Templars”. The Order of the Knights was founded in the early 12th century with the aim of protecting Holy Solomon in Jerusalem.
Tomar was also very important because it was a center of Portuguese international expansion under the order of Henrique, the Navigator, O Grao Mestre da Ordem de Cristo.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Republic Square, Praca da Republica, Tomar Portugal
Main square of the city of Tomar.
Here you can enjoy the beauty of this city, visit its craft shops.
In the square next to the church of Sao João Baptista, he had been able to appreciate the statue of Gualdim Pais, the founder of the city.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Igreja de Sao Joao Baptista, R. Sao Joao 135 Praca da Republica, Tomar 2300-568 Portugal
Located right in the center of the beautiful city of Tomar, right on Praça da República, the beautiful Church of São João Baptista, or Igreja Matriz de Tomar, in late Gothic style from the late 15th century, is one of the emblematic buildings of the city.
The monument dates back to the time when Infante D. Henrique, who influenced the city so much, was governor of Ceuta, and has an interior made up of three naves defined by pointed arches, well demarcated on the outside.
There are many Manueline elements present in the decoration, as can be seen in the beautiful Portal.
Several 16th century panels decorate the interior of the nave, executed in the period 1538-1539 by the famous painter Gregório Lopes: ‘The beheading of S. João Baptista’, ‘Salomé presenting the head of S. João Baptista’, ‘The last supper’, ‘The Missa de S. Gregório’, ‘Abraão e Melquisedech’ and ‘A Apanha do Maná’.
On the left side of the church is the large square-shaped tower.
This Church, classified in 1910 as a “National Monument” is also famous for being the center of the “Festa dos Tabuleiros”, one of the symbols of the city.
The traditional Festa dos Tabuleiros, held every four years in July, for three days, is one of the attractions of the city, gathering a large number of national and foreign visitors, attracted by the beauty and symbolism of this festivity. This popular festival of pagan origin is characterized by the parade of women with ornate bread trays, ears and flowers on their heads, wearing beautiful typical costumes. At the same time, there is also the Boys’ Parade, the Butler’s Parade, the Partial Parades, the streets decorated by the population, the Arraiais and the Popular Games and Pêza.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Convento de Cristo, Igreja do Castelo Templario, Tomar 2300-000 Portugal
Convento de Cristo (12th century – 18th century) is the name attributed to a set of historic buildings located in the parish of São João Baptista, Tomar, Portugal. The beginning of its construction dates back to 1160 and is closely linked to the beginnings of the kingdom of Portugal and to the role then played by the Templar Order, having been reconfigured and expanded in the subsequent centuries, when the Order of Christ was based there.
Built over hundreds of years by some of the most important masters and architects working in Portugal (Diogo de Arruda, João de Castilho and Diogo de Torralva, among many others), this architectural ensemble includes diversified buildings, almost all of which are of remarkable heritage relevance the medieval castle and the Templar Charola, the fourteenth century cloisters, the Manueline church and the Renaissance convent can be highlighted. Its present configuration reflects the successive functions for which it was intended and the architectural typologies of the historical periods in which it was built. In it we can find elements typically Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Mannerist and the so-called floor style.
“Compendium of art, and compendium of history”, the Convento de Cristo is closely linked to many major figures in the history of Portugal. The Templar master Gualdim Pais, the true founder of the city of Tomar, immediately; Infante D. Henrique, responsible for an important phase of conversion and expansion of the convent; D. Manuel I, who had the 16th century church erected, a true ex libris of the Manueline style; D. João III, who implemented a radical re-foundation of the Order of Christ and the convent itself, projecting his architectural preferences there; Philip II of Spain, who prolonged the constructive program of the reign of D. João III and held the courts there that recognized him as king of Portugal [2]
The Convento de Cristo stands out as one of the most important monumental ensembles in Portuguese territory and is classified as a National Monument (1910) and a World Heritage Site (1983)
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Igreja de Santa Maria dos Olivais, Avenida da Horta D’El Rei, Tomar 2300-304 Portugal
The Church of Santa Maria do Olival was built by the knight Gualdim Pais in the 19th century. XIII to serve as pantheon of the Templar Order. Inside, we can find the Gothic tombs of Gualdim Pais, Mestre Lourenço Martins and Mestre D. Gil Martins.
It is a reference in Portuguese Gothic architecture, due to its characteristics. The interior of three naves is wide and illuminated by a large rose window on the facade. It presents an outer and inner stripping, typical of the Mendicant Orders. It is believed that its builder also worked on the works of the Monastery of Alcobaça.
In front, on a higher level, is a quadrangular tower that is believed to have had a tunnel that connected the Church to the Templar Castle of Tomar.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Castelo de Almourol, Praia do Ribatejo 2260 Portugal
In the middle of the Tagus River, the enigmatic Castelo de Almourol is one of the most emblematic monuments of the Christian Reconquest.
Situated on an islet in the middle of the Tagus River, the Castelo de Almourol is one of the most emblematic monuments that can be found in Portugal, due to its meaning and the surrounding landscape.
Its history recalls the Reconquest of the territory during the Middle Ages. When the Christians arrived here in 1129, the castle already existed under the name of Almorolan, having then been included in the lands handed over to the Templar guard, under the orders of Gualdim Pais. According to an inscription at the entrance, the reconstruction works date back to 1171.
Together with the castles of Tomar, Zêzere and Cardiga formed the defensive line of the Tagus River.
After the Order of the Templars was extinguished and the need to defend the territory ended, it ended up falling into oblivion, being recovered by the Romantic spirit of the century. XIX that guided its restoration and gave it the aspect that we see today.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Constancia, Constancia, Santarem District, Central Portugal
Constância is a beautiful town, located in the center of the country, nestled between the beautiful Tagus and Zêzere rivers, in a kind of peninsula, often called “Vila Poema” because it was the residence of the great Portuguese poet, Luís de Camões, who will have been inspired by it for some of his works.
Constância stands proudly in white dressed up the slope, with the purity of the rivers at her feet. Its narrow, whitewashed streets breathe history, cheered by flowers, colors and peace of mind.
Its ancient history is inextricably linked to these two important rivers that bathe it. Formerly called “Punhete”, here lived Iberians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors. Constância lived a lot from river transport, construction and ship repair, crossing and fishing.
Its reality changed with the arrival of the railway in the 19th century and road transport in the middle of the 20th century, and with the construction of the dams that surround it, turning more and more to the industry tourist.
Its rich heritage features monuments such as the magnificent Church of Nossa Senhora dos Mártires, with the ceiling painted by José Malhôa, from where you have an idyllic panorama, and others like the 17th century Church of Misericórdia, the Churches of Santo António and São Julião, Casa Memória de Camões, where the Poet lived between 1547 and 1550, the Pelourinho of the village, or the Metallic Bridge over the river Zêzere, an important work by Gustavo Eiffel.
Constância is also famous for its festivities, such as the Feast of Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, at Easter, when the village is decorated with colorful papers, small bars, and entertainment in the streets, with the highlight on Monday, when the old procession takes place of ornate boats.
Equally famous are the “Pomonas Camonianas”, which take place annually on the 10th of June, portraying the medieval era, paying tribute to Luís de Camões.
Duration: 1 hour
