Tomar is one of the most underrated places to visit as a day trip from Lisbon, and one that, I hear afterwards, surprises most visitors.

This small town combines two very different aspects to create a highly enjoyable day trip: a world-class historical monument, arguably one of the best in Portugal, and the pleasant feel of small-town Portugal.

Tourists come here for the Convento de Cristo; many stay for an extra day, using it as a base to explore the region, and some even decide to stay here permanently, like the Canadian couple I chatted to last trip.

Within the town you will find the UNESCO World Heritage monastery-fortress, a medieval castle, and cobbled streets that have changed little in centuries. Yet Tomar is also a living, working Portuguese town with riverside cafes, a busy main square, and a pace of life that feels entirely its own. Tomar has the kind of history that changed the world, yet somehow it remains one of those day trips you come back from wondering why nobody told you sooner.

In my opinion, Tomar is a much better destination for a day trip than the much more famous Óbidos, Nazaré, Peniche or Fátima. It does involve a long journey, but it is via a direct train, so it is time-consuming, though you can watch something on your phone or read a book.

This guide will detail a day trip to Tomar, with a focus on travelling from Lisbon, where the majority of travellers come from. It is based upon 25 years of exploring Portugal since 2001, my Portuguese wife (though we are based in Lisbon), and her aunt who lives right here in Tomar. By the end, you will decide if Tomar is worth visiting, and if you do, what to see and how to get the most from your time here.

The guide is in two parts. The first, "Is Tomar for you?", helps you decide whether to go. The second is the walking tour, map and practical details, and click here to jump to it.

Convento de Cristo

The reason most people come to Tomar, and it does not disappoint. This was the Portuguese headquarters of the Knights Templar, and the red cross born here later sailed on Portugal's ships of discovery. The vast monastery-fortress took eight centuries to build, and every era left its mark, from the austere Templar fortress to the extraordinary Manueline cloisters. At its heart is the Charola, a 16-sided round chapel where knights once attended mass on horseback. - Guide to the Convento de Cristo

Castelo de Tomar

The 12th-century castle that wraps around the Convento de Cristo is the earliest example of Portuguese fortification to use circular towers. While walking the restored battlements, you quickly understand why the Templars chose this defensive hill. I find the scale of the fortifications gives a real sense of the military power the order once held.

Historic centre

This is small town Portugal at its finest. A delightful town centre of cobbled streets, bustling cafes and family-run restaurants. Walkable in size and thankfully overlooked by mass tourism (as opposed to Sintra, Cascais and everywhere in the Algarve). At the centre is the grand Praça da República, while the Nabão River runs along the Parque do Mouchão, my favourite place to sit on a hot summer's day with an ice cream and let Tomar slow you down.

I'll get straight to the point. If you have heard about Tomar and are starting to research it, then honestly, it is the right choice and you will love your time here.

The Convento de Cristo is rightly regarded as one of Portugal’s finest historic buildings and tourist sights, for its history and its sheer size. To give you a sense of its scale, the Convento took 90 minutes to visit when I went with my parents, roughly the same time we spent in the whole of Óbidos. Beyond the convent the town is pretty and easy to wander, but it does not have as many sights as Évora or Sintra.

A day is enough for a relaxed visit, but with a car Tomar makes a natural base for the surrounding area. There are the extensive caves of Mira de Aire, the pilgrimage town of Fátima, and the Templar castle of Almourol. Travelling a little further afield, you have Nazaré, Óbidos, Batalha and Alcobaça.

My main concern with a day trip from Lisbon is the distance, 110 minutes by train or 140 km when driving each way. This is right on the edge of what I would happily do in a single day, and why I suggest that visitors at the early stage of planning spend a night in Tomar.

The other thing to plan around is the summer heat, when 35°C is often exceeded. Tomar is inland and noticeably hotter and less breezy than Lisbon. I was caught out by this on an early trip, and had to stop at the Cafetaria do Convento halfway up the hill to cool down. After years of visiting, I found the best approach was to explore the town in the cooler morning, then be inside the Convento de Cristo, which always feels cool during the heat of the afternoon.

If you are still at the planning stage of your Lisbon holiday, I would place Tomar as the fourth or fifth day trip. Sintra first, Cascais second, Évora or Setúbal third, and then Tomar alongside Óbidos. Tomar is a great place to visit when you start to tire of queues and tourist crowds. In my opinion, this is small-town Portugal at its finest.

The map below is my suggested walking tour of Tomar and is the route I took both my parents and brother on. It gives you enough time to take in the main sights without feeling rushed, and time for lunch along the way. The route covers 7km and at a gentle pace allows around 4 to 5 hours of sightseeing. I followed it with my parents in May, and my brother and his young family in October. If you are visiting in summer, I strongly suggest you see the Convento de Cristo in the afternoon to avoid the heat.

The tour starts from the train station, which is also next to the main car park (Várzea Grande) where I would suggest you park if you are driving. Full descriptions of each sight follow later in the guide. (Note: zoom out to see all of the points.)

Sights of the walking tour: 1) Train Station 2) Parque do Mouchão 3) Ponte Velha 4) Rua Serpa Pinto 5) Sinagoga de Tomar 6) Praça da República 7) Igreja de São João Baptista 8) Câmara Municipal de Tomar 9) Castelo de Tomar 10) Convento de Cristo (entrance) 11) Charola 12) Nossa Senhora da Conceição 13) Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes 14) Igreja de Santa Maria dos Olivais 15) Museu dos Fósforos 16) Igreja de São Francisco 17) Pegões Aqueduct 18) Castelo de Almourol
Note: Castelo de Almourol is a separate excursion approximately 20km south from Tomar.

How about a small group tour?
If you would rather leave the planning to someone else, a small group tour can be the better option. A good guide changes the experience at a place like Tomar, where so much of what you are looking at only makes sense with context.
I have used and recommended GetYourGuide tours for seven years. The options below are among their highest rated for this region, and ones I am happy to recommend.

The general standard of restaurants in Tomar is much better than Lisbon, and prices are what they ought to be. For lunch I would always steer you towards a tasca serving traditional Portuguese food: soup, a main and a coffee for around €15.

O Tabuleiro, just off the main square, is where my aunt regularly goes. Fresh soup and duck rice is my go-to, but everything is well prepared and tasty. If its too busy at O Tabuleiro we’ll head down to Sabores ao Rubro, equally good Portuguese food. For a sunny day the Restaurante Bela Vista can't be beaten, sat on the terrace under the ancient wisteria overlooking the Nabão River, and the food is decent too. Beira Rio is another of our favourites. The Cervejaria do Fernando sells itself as a brewhouse, but the food is surprisingly good, a better place for once all the sightseeing is done.

As anywhere, do check the reviews before you settle on a place, as there are a couple of poor ones near the Praça da República.

Getting to Tomar from Lisbon is relatively straightforward, though the town's limited public transport connections mean some planning is required.

By Train
The train is the most convenient option for a day trip from Lisbon. Direct regional trains depart regularly from Santa Apolónia and Oriente stations in Lisbon, with the journey taking around two hours. A single ticket costs around €11.30, and a return is €20.30.

Tomar is the final stop on the line, and its station is located about 800m south of the historic centre. It is an eight-minute walk from the station to the Praça da República. For the latest timetables and to purchase tickets, visit the official Comboios de Portugal website at www.cp.pt.

When looking on the Comboios de Portugal website, you may also see more expensive express train services. Be aware that these require a change at Entroncamento, and once the connection is factored in they are often no faster than the direct regional train. The express trains are also dearer (€15.70 against €11.30 for the regional). For these reasons I always take the regional train, and it is what I choose when travelling with my brother and his young family.

Also, for a day trip based around the train, be aware of the departure times from Tomar, as there can be long waits between services.

The regional train waiting in Tomar train station

By Car
Driving offers more flexibility for exploring the surrounding region. The 140km journey from Lisbon takes about 90 minutes via the A1 motorway. To reach the town, take the A1 north from Lisbon, exit at junction 6, and then follow the N110 directly to Tomar. Free parking is available at the large Várzea Grande square (GPS 39.599, -8.413) near the train station, though there is paid parking closer to the Convento de Cristo entrance e (GPS: 39.604, -8.417).

By Bus
It is possible to travel by bus from Lisbon to Tomar, but services are slower and I personally find train travel more relaxing than the bus. Rede Expressos operates services from Lisbon's Sete Rios bus station, but journey times can exceed 2.5 hours.

When planning day trips in central Portugal, each town offers something different. Here are my honest comparisons:

Tomar vs Óbidos: Óbidos is one of Portugal's prettiest towns, but it is relatively small and sadly always crowded with tours and day trippers. Tomar is almost as pretty and offers a much more authentic Portuguese experience.

Tomar vs Batalha: The Mosteiro da Batalha is architecturally stunning, but beyond the monastery there is not much else to see, which is why it is often combined with Alcobaça and Nazaré.

Tomar vs Coimbra: Coimbra is a large, bustling city with many sights associated with the university. Tomar is much smaller, calmer and has fewer attractions. However, if you are taking a day trip from Lisbon, do you really want to visit another large city?

Tomar vs Sintra: Sintra, with its palaces and castles, is world renowned. There is much more to see in Sintra, but the town struggles with its popularity. If you are new to Portugal, visit Sintra before Tomar, and come to Tomar when you are tired of tourism.

Tomar vs Fátima: Fátima is fantastic for the deeply religious, but for casual visitors it can seem rather bland, with huge modern complexes built for the important feast days when tens of thousands of visitors flock here. For most visitors, Tomar is much more charming and interesting.

The Charola inside the Convento de Cristo

This walking tour covers all the major attractions of Tomar in a logical route that allows you to experience the town's rich heritage. The entire walk takes about 4-5 hours at a relaxed pace and the green line covers 7km. The tour begins from the train station, which is where most visitors arrive.

The start for most visitors is from the train station (1). Before leaving do look at the traditional blue and white azulejo tiles depicting local scenes.

From the station, walk down Avenida Dr. Cândido Madureira, which leads into the historic centre.

The first real sight is the delightful Parque do Mouchão (2), an island park set in the middle of the Nabão River. With its shaded paths, this is an ideal spot that I come back to later in the day for an ice cream and to relax. The park's centrepiece is a large wooden waterwheel, its pairs of five-litre clay pots recalling the tradition of irrigating the fields along the river.

The route then crosses the Ponte Velha (Old Bridge) (3), which dates from the medieval period and may stand on foundations as old as the Roman era. Though a bridge has long linked the two banks here, the eastern side of the town only grew up from the 20th century onwards.

Follow Rua Serpa Pinto (4), Tomar's main pedestrian shopping street. Still known locally as the "Corredoura", the old name for the route the knights once took up to the castle, this bustling thoroughfare is lined with traditional shops, cafés and bakeries. I suggest stopping at one of the pastelarias to try the Fatias de Tomar, a dense egg-yolk sweet baked in a special chimney mould. A personal favourite is from the Pastelaria Estrelas de Tomar for the wonderfully named Beija-me Depressa (Kiss me Quick), a sweet cake found nowhere else.

Along the cobbled Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto is the Sinagoga de Tomar (5). This unassuming building houses one of only two pre-expulsion synagogues still preserved in Portugal. Built between 1430 and 1460, its interior features four columns representing the matriarchs of Israel, and remarkable acoustics created by clay jars embedded in the ceiling.

Next is the central plaza of Tomar, the Praça da República (6). This distinctive black and white calçada Portuguesa pavement radiates from the central statue of Gualdim Pais, the Templar Grand Master who founded Tomar in 1160.

To the western side of the plaza is the 17th-century Câmara Municipal (Town Hall) (8). To the east stands the Igreja de São João Baptista (7), a 15th-century church that includes a Gothic portal and an octagonal bell tower with a 16th-century clock that still keeps time for the town. I suggest you pop inside to see the six Renaissance panels by artist Gregório Lopes and the intricately carved stone pulpit.

From the Praça da República, you will be able to see the castle and the next section is the uphill walk to it. The most direct route is the Calçada de São Tiago, a steep cobbled path that begins to the rear of the town hall. The 10-minute climb takes you directly up the hill to the castle or the main entrance (which is on the eastern side of the complex).

The Castelo de Tomar (9) has massive 12th-century walls and crenellated battlements that demonstrate the Templars' military might. These fortifications successfully withstood a Moorish siege in 1190, establishing the castle's reputation as an impregnable stronghold. If you have time and it's not too hot, I always walk the ramparts for the views over the region.

After the castle it is the main sight of Tomar, the Convento de Cristo (10). Allow at least an hour and a half exploring this UNESCO World Heritage Site, as it is simply vast. Every cloister leads onto another of a completely different style, and there are eight in total, with hallways, chambers and dormitories spread between them.

The convent reflects eight centuries of architecture stlyes, from the austere Templar fortress to the ornate Manueline monastery. A full guide to the Convento de Cristo can be read here.

The highlight for me is the Charola (11), the round church at the heart of the complex. Built in 1162, this 16-sided rotunda was modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Its unique design allowed mounted knights to attend services without dismounting. The interior is adorned with 16th-century paintings, gilt woodwork and vibrant frescoes added during the reign of Manuel I.

Another highlight on the western side of the church is the Chapter House Window. This Manueline masterpiece incorporates intricate maritime motifs, including ropes, coral, seaweed and armillary spheres, all celebrating Portugal's Age of Discovery.

Explore the eight cloisters, each reflecting different architectural periods. The Gothic Cemetery Cloister offers peaceful contemplation, while the Renaissance Main Cloister impresses with mathematical precision and elegant spiral staircases at each corner.

After finishing in the convent complex, a worthy detour before heading back into the centre of Tomar is the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (12). This small chapel is a gem of pure Renaissance architecture from the 1530s. The real reason I suggest heading here is for the view over Tomar from the rear terrace.

Now the tour heads back into Tomar and is the stage of the day when I suggest stopping for lunch. Tomar has many excellent restaurants, and they are much cheaper than in Lisbon, and invariably with much better service.

Depending on time you may wish to take a relaxing stroll through the Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes (13). This 39-hectare forest park was once the convent's private garden. Its shaded paths are perfect for a peaceful walk, and give an indication of the scale of the convent's former estate. Along the way, you might spot the "Charolinha", a small romantic-era temple hidden among the trees.

Crossing the town leads to the Igreja de Santa Maria dos Olivais (14). This 13th-century Gothic church served as the Templars' pantheon, housing the tombs of several Grand Masters, including Gualdim Pais himself. Its unusual free-standing bell tower was known as the "Templars' Lighthouse", guiding travellers to the city.

The day ends at the Museu dos Fósforos (15), a museum that charms through its wonderfully quirky focus and the pure passion of its original collector. Housed in the former Convent of São Francisco, this unique museum displays over 43,000 matchboxes from 127 countries - a colourful journey through 20th-century graphic design and social history.

The Igreja de São Francisco (16) is a 17th-century church whose simple façade conceals a surprising interior of carved and gilded woodwork.

If you have a car, the area surrounding Tomar offers two great additions to the day trip:
Pegões Aqueduct (17): The aqueduct stretches six kilometres across the valley, with its arches rising 30 metres above the valley floor. Follow it outside the town and you can walk along the top of the arches themselves, with open views across the valley on both sides.

Castelo de Almourol (18): For a fitting conclusion to your Templar-focused day, consider the short trip to the nearby Castelo de Almourol. It sits on a small granite island in the middle of the Tagus, and its nine round towers and central keep still rise straight from the rock. The fortress was built in 1171 by Gualdim Pais, the Templar Grand Master who also founded the Convent of Christ back in Tomar.