The 17 best places to go out in Tomar

Went here on a whim and we were amazed. Such a beautiful place and so much history. If you are in the area or a drives away it is very much worth the trip. So impressive and the history and structures just can’t be described. It is a bit of a maze but it makes it all that more exciting and impressive. Go down all the stairs walk all the hallways. August 2025 prices were €15 per person and there is a restaurant to eat at. The castle de Tomar can be visited for free at the moment at a separate entrance but only to walk the property no visiting inside.

Beautiful place, enormous building, rich history. Parking is somewhat limited, we parked at a second parking lot a bit further from the castle, but had to return early because we only paid for 3h of parking and didn't want to get a ticket. First reason for deducting 1 star: signalisation could be better, a toilet stop in the middle would be useful because it took a while to walk all the way from the middle to the end (not yet realizing how massive the place is) and even more time to get back to my family because it can be a maze of corridors, rooms and stairs. Second reason: we ate a pizza at the restaurant near the end and, while it was not bad, we paid more for that pizza (17.5€ each) than we did for any other food during our entire 9-day stay in Portugal, including a fancy restaurant. Finally, a minor remark: the place is far from accessible to wheelchairs or strollers, there are stairs everywhere. I'm not deducting stars for that because it would ruin the place to build elevators everywhere, but people need to know before they plan a visit.

I was wrong when I thought Tomar was a small town! The city is definitely worth a visit for its historical beauty and Templar influence, especially if you visit during the medieval festival season. As for the Convent of Christ, it's a visit that can take more than two hours; the building is quite large, and together with the castle, you can easily spend an entire day visiting it. In addition to the impressive architecture, you can enjoy an exhibition on medieval clothing, there are countless spaces to take an immense number of artistic photographs, and the light there is wonderful. It also has gardens and is pet-friendly. The service at the entrance is fast, you can use the 52-pass for Portuguese residents with your NIF, and of course, there's a 50% discount for those over 65 (general admission €15). I encourage you to visit the souvenir shop inside because it has very good prices, compared to the shop at the exit. They also have a cafe inside, which I enjoyed more than the one outside the building. Definitely a must visit in Portugal!

The Convento de Cristo in Tomar is one of those places that feel suspended in time, a stone labyrinth where the echoes of the Knights Templar still linger. Originally built as the headquarters of the Templars in Portugal, it later became the home of the Order of Christ, carrying that same air of mystery and quiet power. The main church, the Charola is extraordinary, its circular design was inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, a direct architectural link between Portugal and the Holy Land. Inside, the space glows with medieval frescoes, gold leaf, and a sense of sacred geometry that feels spiritual and beautiful. The rest of the convent unfolds like a dream of stone, cloisters upon cloisters, Manueline windows crawling with rope and coral motifs, and corridors that seem to hum with history. You can almost imagine the Templar knights walking through at dusk, the weight of centuries in their silence. It’s not just a monument; it’s a story carved in limestone, blending faith, art, and mystery. Whether you’re drawn by history or atmosphere, Convento de Cristo is one of the most powerful and beautiful places in Portugal. Well worth the visit when in Tomar.

We were only in Tomar for a single evening en route elsewhere, but visited the Convent (and the accompanying Castle) for a few hours before we left the town the next morning. It was a good activity that we enjoyed! Added with the walk around the (exterior) Castle, it was as couple hours well spent. We bought tickets to the Convent online in advance so basically just walked right in. The Convent is quite large, and the self-guided tour through it is easy to follow with decent signage. It wasn't too busy when we were there (a Friday morning in late September) and it was very interesting to walk through this historic site. There is a parking lot right out front, and it wasn't busy when we got there fairly early in the morning, but when we left a few hours later it appeared full! The rest rooms were out of service due to a water issue in the toilets, so we had to go to the little cafe near the parking lot (and pay for toilet access) but that was really the only drawback.

It’s stunning and spectacular! The space is huge and the arty decoration is phenomenal! It’s way more worth for a visit than Belem. Even though Tomar is a bit far, but the town is lovely so I’d recommend to plan a day trip here.

Very interesting museum, shows the importance of the building to the Order of Christ. Quite an affordable stop as well, with children being half the price. Strongly recommended.

15th-century archaeological finds, small yet insightful.

Lovely small memorial space and museum exhibition of the history of the Jewish population in Tomar. The film and displays are in both Portuguese and English and there are a small number of artefacts on display. Very friendly lady at reception and — as a plus for Santiago pilgrims— they have their own stamp as well! Very pretty, a worthwhile addition.

Tucked away in a back street of Tomar but we'll worth a visit. It's recently been renovated and we were lucky enough to be invited to a concert there.

It was really nice to visit this synagogue, especially after reading the history.

To be honest there is not a lot to eee, you would need a specialist interest to visit.

I was amazed sound quality specially important for contour leeding services

Interesting but sad stories about, not so much to see, but something to do for the ones been there

This was a quirky little stop while in Tomar. Who knew there were so many types and styles of matchboxes?!? A little tricky to find, but worth a 30 minute visit.

Great spot for a curated collection of match boxes, arranged by country its seven rooms displaying the past in matchbook art - free admission

Not many people get to experience the matchbook museum….Free and fun!

Amazing collection. Highly recommended. Little hard to find. Don't forget to visit hand painted tiles work shop. It is right beside. You can get nice souvenirs for very good price and see how work is done.

A fantastic opportunity to get a glimpse into world history via these little useful objects. The collection represents all countries in different times throughout history. Highly recommended!!

This free local museum has 7 rooms filled with matchbooks from around the world. An unexpected surprise, and a great place to stop for 15-30 minutes.

Absolutely stunning place. Thousands of matchbox. Some amazing work involved in possibly all life collection!!! Highly recommend to visit. It’s free of charge, but there’s basket on the entrance, please leave some coins. Won’t make difference to you 😉

Fascinating history and for a catholic church modest on its decor. Acoustics for concerts are amazing.

Interesting place to visit, especially if you are interested in the Knights templar. It is the resting place of the Portuguese grand master of the Knights templar Guadim Pais.

Part of the tour (see other reviews). I just have to say that a tour of Tomar and surrounding sites is really the way to go! A whole day event but well worth it! This church is still active and has amazing architecture, history and tombs (though they aren't on display). Again, this is where a tour guide is essential to a next level experience!

Unfortunately I visited while the church was being restored and access was not permitted.

Amazing example on a centuries old church. Unfortunately/fortunately needing repair hence we made a donation. The young lady on duty was a 'college of knowledge' with regards to the church's history. The original bell tower separate from this building is even older!

This wonderful church of Santa Maria de Olival made me smile it was so beautiful. Unfortunately we couldn't get in, because we arrived there in the afternoon. There are particular time when it is open, you can see it on my pictures. I recommend this church with all of my heart

Really nice church with lots of interesting Knights Templar history. It has a peaceful atmosphere inside — definitely worth a quick stop if you’re exploring Tomar!

Nice park with an impressive waterway snaking through. Lots of fish in the water. Great park for the kid at heart to play around in. Nice trees and plants. A wooden water wheel that has been preserved and is visible from the main road. We love all the cobble stone!

I had a great time visiting this park: nice place to visit on a fair day!!!

Really great water side park, with so many facilities.

Clean, well maintained and pretty quiet, considering the proximity of road and vehicles passing by.

Very peaceful and well taken cared of park. Has a kids playground and basketball court and other exercise machines. Also has a coffeehouse in the park with a nice view. Perfect for afternoon beer or ice cream.

A wonderful little park in the middle of Tomar. Plenty of walking to be done in this historic town, with all its architecture. There's a little park if bringing children and nice café located by the water.

Very nice park close to the nabao river. Especially interesting is the water wheel with ceramic pots. There is a cafe in the park as well as toilets.

Impressive aquaduct that was commissioned by King John the III of Portugal in 1590 to supply water to the nearby Convent of Christ and the town of Tomar. It has 168 arches and was built in the renessance and mannerist style.

This is an amazing historical spot for history lovers! It's so well preserved! Definitely worth a visit to see it! By walk, it's 30-40 minutes walk from the center, but it's very beautiful still! You can also have a picnic in the area cause it's very quiet and very nice views. If you want to walk on it, be careful, it seemed pretty dangerous.

Very much worth the detour to see the aqueducs. They are impressively tall and you are able to walk on top them!

Absolutely incredible! Ample parking in an unmarked dirt lot at one of the ends of the aquaduct, if you are driving by you can't miss it and even if you did there is an intersection not far on either ends you can safely turn around at. If you are not afraid of heights and have good balance you can hike across the top for incredible views and pictures. To walk across it entirely one-way takes about 10mins if you are going carefully. The path is built into the top of the aquaduct alongside the the water carriage. As such, on one side there is a 4ft wall you can use for balance if you feel unsteady. On the other there is a 1ft-max stone wall that offers a buffer from what is otherwise a straight drop down. The path is wide enough for one person to jog comfortably and for two to carefully squeeze by one another. If you are afraid of heights I recommend taking pictures from the field alongside the road near the middle of the aquaduct (maybe 10min walk from the dirt parking lot). 10/10 would go again in a heartbeat!

A very large and impressive aqueduct. The view from above is spectacular, it is worth going up and walking along it.

Absolutely stunning and you can get up and walk along it. Caution needed but we managed in motorcycle boots. It's free and that's impressive. Park right next to it ride or drive alongside it.

Worth the walk if you don't have transport. Truly an experience to walk across the valley

Such a lovely park set in this fantastic and historic town ,to enter the park you go through a massive set of gates hinged on ivy covered stone/concrete pillars , the immediate park area through the centre is a series of well manicured and maintained floral beds set in a maize of small bush boundaries. That leads to a higher open level grassed area then to another level of kids play area and a cafe . All around this area are trails leading up and around the forest for lovely countryside walks through the forest and leading to several view points . This is a lovely park to visit and I thoroughly recommend you do .

It is a very lovely Park, unusual for such a small town. It’s really hilly but offers very nice scenery along the walks. Most interesting, the walks are all in the shade and it gets you real fresh feeling from the hot sun.

A great place to visit if you have the time. Many trails in beautiful wood land that take you to different view points as well as some templar secrets such as the Charolina and a small cave, as well a big swing with a view. Also there is a good way to go to the castle and/or the convent. One trail goes beside the aqueduct and a small dam called Kings chair. At that point there is a tunnel for those interested in cave exploring. Close to the entrance there is a playground for children and toilets. Also a visitor center, where you can get a map with the different trails.

Seven Hills National Forest is a lovely location to spend time. Here you can find amazing nature and beautiful historical places. The trails are clean and well-marked. Parking: available [close to the Tourist Post] Playground: available Access to: a/Castelo de Tomar b/Fonte da Gruta c/Convento de Cristo d/Cadeira d'El Rei e/Charolinha dos Sete Montes f/Aqueduto (part of it).

Love this garden, so beautiful.. People below complained about garden not being well taken care of. I like the vibe about it. Looks different from the other ones. This is more natural and calm.

It’s always an amazing place to go for a walk in the woods. The park is well looked after and the trails are clean and well-marked.

You could change the time in google map if the park is closed. It would save us the trip and time. I was really looking forward to see this park and then this notice surprised me.

I stumbled upon this church while exploring the main square in Tomar and was really impressed. The architecture is stunning, especially the front entrance with its detailed stonework and the tall bell tower—it’s hard to miss. Inside, the atmosphere is very calm and serene. There are some beautiful old paintings and tiled walls that give you a real sense of the church’s history. It’s not a huge place, but there’s a lot to take in if you enjoy art and old buildings. It’s free to enter, and when I went, it wasn’t crowded at all, which made the experience even nicer. Definitely worth a quick stop if you’re in the area—it only takes 15–20 minutes to visit, but it leaves a strong impression.

WOW, saw this church from the Castle above and had to check it out. Neat little square area outside and an impressive clock tower. So much detail in the carvings. Worth the close up view.

Beautiful church in the old town of Tomar. There was a wedding on Saturday when we visited the place. It was beautifully decorated and full of guests. We managed to get in and see the interior of this magnificent building. It looks very beautiful in the inside and outside. A place to visit for sure.

Beautiful and historic 15th century church in the heart of Tomar. It is located in the main square across from the municipal building. Good example of typical portuguese Manueline architecture.

Highly recommend a visit on your Portugal Templar tour expedition.

It’s a beautiful church right on the main square. Not very big, but has a nice altar. It’s free to go inside

The architecture it's amazing! If you get a chance to go inside, you will be amazed by how beautiful it is.

Very lonely and closed to public but it's history goes back to 1551.

Great pokemon place

(Translated by Google) Perhaps the best viewing point in Tomar. After visiting the monastery, you can easily walk there in a few minutes. There are no tourists, so you can enjoy a quiet time. (Original) 或許是Tomar 最好的觀景處，參觀完修道院輕鬆步行幾分鐘即可到達，沒有什麼遊客，可以享受寧靜時光

(Translated by Google) The view of the city of Tomar and the Nabão River is beautiful. The chapel itself was closed. It was still worth the climb. (Original) A vista para a cidade de Tomar e o Rio Nabão é linda. A ermida em si estava fechada. Ainda assim valeu a subida.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful building from 1500 and something, and a beautiful viewpoint over Tomar. (Original) Belíssima construção de 1500e alguma coisa, e belo mirante para Tomar.

(Translated by Google) The purest example of Renaissance architecture in Portugal, built to be a royal pantheon. (Original) Exemplar mais puro da arquitectura do renascimento em Portugal, mandado erguer para ser panteão régio.

(Translated by Google) This small church is a jewel of Portuguese architecture. It's simple, yet captivating and beautiful. Although it's not open to visitors, I only went in once by invitation. It's very close to the Convent of Christ. And from this church, the view is breathtaking. It was a sunny day, and the landscape before me was astonishing. ***** (Original) Esta pequena igreja é uma jóia da arquitectura portuguesa. É simples, porém cativante e bonita. Embora não esteja aberta para visitas, só entrei numa oportunidade e por convite, é muito perto do Convento de Cristo. E a partir dessa Igreja a vista é deslumbrante. Era um dia de sol em uma vez, e foi espantosa a paisagem que vi em minha frente. *****

Great city nice pagã festival I weel go back again for other visit but this time to all monuments

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Good place to visit

(Translated by Google) Beautiful industrial complex and museum, a nice walkway to walk, everything well maintained, evocative atmosphere. (Original) Bellissimo complesso industriale e museo, una bella passerella per camminare, tutto ben tenuto, atmosfera suggestiva.

(Translated by Google) Impressive place recalling the industrial era in the center of Tomar. (Original) Impressionnant lieu rappelant l'époque des industries au centre de Tomar.

(Translated by Google) The Levada de Tomar is a trail that combines nature and heritage, offering a peaceful and enriching experience. The sound of the water, the surrounding vegetation, and the historical value make this space unique, inviting contemplation and appreciation of the region's cultural heritage. (Original) A Levada de Tomar é um percurso que alia natureza e património, oferecendo uma experiência tranquila e enriquecedora. O som da água, a vegetação envolvente e o valor histórico tornam este espaço único, convidando à contemplação e à valorização da memória cultural da região.

(Translated by Google) Very interesting, worth visiting, let's wait for maintenance over time. (Original) Muito interessante vale a pena visitar, vamos aguardar que haja manutenção ao longo do tempo.

This cafe has been operating on the same site for 114 years. Clearly they have a very good business. They do a small range of simple foods very well. Their service is fantastic: a perfect balance of friendly, attentive and informative. Come here for the atmosphere and history and stay for the service and food. Best ham, cheese and tomato toasted sandwich! And a very good liqueur: Irish whiskey and caramel...who would have thought?

Great café with fantastic interior. This place hasn't changed since I first visited 25 years ago! Very stylish. Love it! Great for a coffee or a snack. A must when visiting Tomar.

You must visit this historical coffee shop — it’s been in the same family for four generations, and they make an amazing Portuguese coffee!

Very friendly staff. The food is also good.

Excellent service atmosphere in a stylish classic cafeteira

Nice coffee and atmosphere. Ideal place for people watching

When it’s enough cold, don’t miss the hot chocolate here; with a nice view to the castle 😎

July 15, 2023, had espresso and pastry for breakfast. Coffee was excellent. Pastry was tasted like mashed egg yolks with flours and sugar.

Sweet local pastries, good stop for coffee after a hike up to the castle. Service staff were happy to make coffees with ice if you ask them.

Lovely pastries and friendly service. Good coffee too.

Nice street side coffee and snack place. Quiet location. Friendly and helpful staff. Nice cakes and snacks and tea. All at reasonable prices..

Our food, estrelas, and cappuccinos were perfect. Service was great too. Lovely place

Typical Portuguese pastelaria. Great prices

Serving a traditional Portuguese sweets “beija-me depressa “... if you like egg, you should try it.

Recently re-opened under new management, this has a simple and very Portuguese menu. We were the only non-Portuguese in there, and it was full. Absolutely delicious food, really good service especially considering how busy it was. Portions are large! We had 1/2 doses of Friginada & Pica-pau with batatas and salada - plenty of food for three.

I had the pica-pau, the friginada and some sides, both were amazing and I highly recommend as a picky eater. The service was amazing and the food more so. The house white wine was also perfect and I drank several glasses. I think this is the kind of place people describe as 'where the locals go'. I wish I could share pictures but I ate it too quick :)

Excellent experience, the food and bread was delicious and traditional. They offer full portions or half portions on many dishes. The service was outstanding, our server spoke perfect English and explained every dish and helped us with our selection’s. Definitely worth a visit. We left full and happy 🫶🏻

We had a fabulous experience here, the service and atmosphere were spot on. The food, oh the food. We tried several dishes and each were perfect. All tapas - style (well the dishes were chosen were), perfect for us. Traditional Portuguese food done to perfection, very highly recommended.

I loved this place. Great kitchen and lovely atmosphere. A proper, Portuguese pearl.

Had a lovely lunch at O Perdigoto! We ordered the olives, bread, and quijo assado for openers, the trilogy of apps, which included pica pau, moalhas, and another meat dish - all sooo good. And the day’s special, which was bacalhau a bras. For dessert we got the biscuit cake and coffee. Oh, and a jug of the White House wine. All was delicious and reasonably priced. Would definitely come back!

Amazing food authentic and delicious! Very charismatic owner. We had a really good evening. Strongly recommend 👍🏻

Vegetarian restaurant with a small but fine selection of delicious dishes. You can eat very well here for little money. We were here in the low season so we were served very quickly and didn't have to wait long for our food. The staff was very friendly and we received a warm welcome. With a small starter, the portions are perfectly adequate. The restaurant is a little hidden, but it's worth a visit. We would love to come back.

Greatest vegan restaurant! Calm and pleasure service kindness and most of all a really flavour and delicious food!

The most delicious food in all of Tomar. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan this has to be your #1 stop. If you are a meat eater, give it a try, the food is so delicious you'll be glad you did. When there I always put down my phone to be fully present for the meal, it's that good.

We had a wonderful lunch at Gira Sol! There is a menu with a couple regular dishes (which already sounded delicious) as well as daily specials including starter, soup, two main dishes, and a dessert. We had the daily specials and they were amazing. So happy to have found this vegan gem while searching Google Maps for vegan options in Tomar. We sat outside at one of the two tables located in a small and idyllic alley. Besides, the service was extremely friendly and attentive. 5 stars and a big thank you 🫶

Amazing vegan food and perfect service from the staff, so glad we ventured into Tomar today to eat at Gira, Sol, we will definitely be back, Muito obrigado 😋

We had a great time at gira'sol last Friday. Enjoyed (read shared) the whole menu up and down 😃. I had the risotto with greens (it was explained to us that these are growing next to the salt pans). With one word, it was delicious. Well seasoned to satisfy not only the taste buds but it is this kind of cooking which turns a moody soul into a happy one😋. My (beautiful) wife had the moussaka. Good thing is if you're two, you can have two different dishes. It was more spicy (not too much) compared to the delicate flavour of the risotto yet as delicious as the latter one. We finished with two deserts, chia- chocolate-pudding with caramelized banana and an apple strudel (which brought back fond memories of my Austrian grandmother). All in all gira'sol is a very good address in Tomar to have tasty vegetarian food served with a smile.

Don't be fooled into the wrong cafe next door. Nice vegan food. Great service.

Really friendly people. I liked that they offered real bread for the toasted sandwiches - tuna & chicken, (instead of just that square white bread) and they have yummy soup - the typical Portuguese vegetable (legumes) was really good here, and they have different ones each day - Canja which is chicken soup, and fish soup. And of course coffee and pastries!

Thé Muséum os very old , without guide, ans need restruturation. Not nice to visit. Too expensive.

Cozy place, welcoming staff, sometimes live music outdoor.

A must go and see. Plenty of rich history and well preserved.

Nice place with friendly people, great food.

Tasty tostas, friendly staff.

Lovely! Perfect chilled Estrella.

A lovely city, wonderful for tourists, market, park in center with a lot of water, and a castle above the city, well preserved, the Nights Templar central city in Portugal, also hold some of the largest Templat festivals. A true pearl and a gem.

Beautiful city Clean and quiet historic streets

Lovely landmark

Nice place with history and not so big!

(Translated by Google) Quiet but very characteristic town. Lovely people, well-kept shops and delicious food! Entry to the Convent of Christ is highly recommended (Original) Cittadina tranquilla ma molto caratteristica. Persone amabili, negozietti ben curati e cibo buonissimo! Consigliatissima l’entrata al convento do Cristo

(Translated by Google) The location was well chosen, with a good view of the castle hill and its walls. It's a shame the letters weren't decorated today. A good place to take photos and remember them later. Published on March 20, 2024 (Original) O local foi bem escolhido, com uma boa panorâmica para a colina do castelo e suas muralhas. Pena, hoje as letras não estavam decoradas. Bom local para fotografar e mais tarde recordar. Publicado a 20mar24

(Translated by Google) City with buildings of Templar origin. Beautiful areas to walk along the river or the historic center. (Original) Ciudad con construcciones de origen templario. Bellas zonas para pasear por el río o el casco histórico.

(Translated by Google) Good (Original) Bom

(Translated by Google) Beautiful exhibits. Stunning views. Super attentive and helpful staff. (Original) Lindas exposições. Um visual deslumbrante. Funcionários super atenciosos e disponíveis.