Portugal Untold

0139.60° N · 8.41° WHistory & Heritage

Knights Templar ExperienceWalk in the footsteps of the Knights Templar.

From the Templars’ headquarters in Tomar to a castle on an island in the Tagus: a private day through stone, secrets and the beginnings of Portugal.

Private experience
Duration
About 7–8 hours · Full day
Group
Your group only, up to 6 guests
Destinations
Tomar — Almourol — Ourém
Plan this journey Itinerary

The story

Mystery, stone and the origins of Portugal

In 1160 a knight named Gualdim Pais began building a castle on a hill above the River Nabão. He was Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal, and the kingdom he served was barely a generation old. Tomar would be the Order’s headquarters, holding a frontier that still moved with every campaign season.

Inside the walls, the Templars raised a round church inspired by the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It is still there, at the heart of a convent that kept growing for four centuries. Downstream, on a rock in the middle of the Tagus, the castle of Almourol keeps watch exactly where they placed it.

This is a day for people who like their history in stone. Your driver brings the context on the road — who built what, and why it mattered — and you explore each place at your own pace. Where history ends and legend begins, we tell you.

Highlights

Moments to look forward to

  1. Gilded octagonal high altar of the Charola in Tomar's Convent of Christ, beneath painted vaults and Renaissance panels

    The Charola

    The Templars’ round church, built in the late 12th century to evoke the Holy Sepulchre and later painted and gilded from floor to vault.

  2. The Manueline chapter house window of the Convent of Christ, carved with ropes, coral, roots and a sailor's head

    The Manueline window

    Ropes, coral, knots and armillary spheres carved around a single window: Portugal’s age of discovery, written in stone.

  3. Almourol Castle on its rocky island in the Tagus, mirrored in the still river under a soft cloudy sky

    A castle on the river

    A short boat crossing to Almourol, a Templar castle on a rocky island in the Tagus (subject to river conditions and operating times).

  4. Praça da República in Tomar with the Manueline church of São João Baptista and the statue of Gualdim Pais

    Where the masters lie

    Santa Maria do Olival, the church where the Templar masters of Portugal were buried, Gualdim Pais among them.

  5. The medieval castle and palace of Ourém crowning its wooded hilltop above terracotta rooftops in warm evening light

    Ourém at the end of the day

    A quiet walled village on a hilltop, the shell of a Gothic palace and long views over central Portugal.

Itinerary

The journey, stop by stop

A suggested plan. Order and timing are adapted to your group, the day and opening hours.

  1. Pick-up

    Pick-up

    We collect you at your accommodation or an agreed meeting point. The drive inland is the prologue: your driver sets the scene, from the birth of Portugal to the arrival of the Templars.

    Why it matters

    In 1128 Countess Teresa, mother of Portugal’s first king, granted the castle of Soure to the Templars, one of the Order’s earliest holdings in the territory. Within a few decades they were guarding the line of the Tagus.

    Good to know: Pick-up time is agreed when you book. An early start leaves the most time at the convent.

  2. WalkTime here: 30–45 min

    Tomar · 39.60° N · 8.41° W

    Praça da República in Tomar with the Manueline church of São João Baptista and the statue of Gualdim Pais

    A short walk through the lower town by the Nabão: the chequered Praça da República with its statue of Gualdim Pais and, if you wish, the church of Santa Maria do Olival, a few minutes away.

    Why it matters

    Santa Maria do Olival was the burial church of the Templar masters in Portugal. It was rebuilt in Gothic style in the 13th century and altered in the 16th, when the original tombs were lost, but memorial stones remain, among them that of Gualdim Pais, who died in 1195.

    Good to know: Church opening times vary; we check them when planning your date. The old streets are flat and easy.

  3. VisitTime here: 90–120 min

    Convento de Cristo · 39.60° N · 8.42° W

    Gilded octagonal high altar of the Charola in Tomar's Convent of Christ, beneath painted vaults and Renaissance panels

    Enter through the castle walls and explore at your own pace: the Charola, the Manueline nave with its famous window, and a sequence of cloisters, including the great Renaissance cloister of King João III. Most visitors find an hour and a half is the minimum.

    Why it matters

    This was the Templars’ headquarters in Portugal. After the Order was suppressed, its successor, the Order of Christ, made Tomar its seat; Henry the Navigator governed it from 1420. UNESCO inscribed the Convent of Christ as a World Heritage Site in 1983.

    Good to know: Tickets are bought on site and are not included. Expect stairs, uneven stone floors and a gentle climb from the car park. Official guided visits or audio guides may be offered; we will tell you what is available for your date.

  4. MealTime here: 45–60 min

    Lunch in Tomar

    An unhurried lunch in town, wherever you like. Your driver can suggest places that suit your group, from simple local cooking to something more leisurely.

    Why it matters

    Tomar is also the town of the Festa dos Tabuleiros, normally held every four years, when women carry towering crowns of bread and flowers through the streets.

    Good to know: Meals are not included. Tell us about any dietary needs and we can suggest suitable places.

  5. VisitTime here: 45–75 min

    Castelo de Almourol · 39.46° N · 8.38° W

    Almourol Castle on its rocky island in the Tagus, mirrored in the still river under a soft cloudy sky

    A small boat takes you across to the island. From the landing a path climbs to the walls and the keep, with the river moving on every side.

    Why it matters

    An inscription at the castle records works under Gualdim Pais in 1171, when Almourol was part of the Templar line guarding the Tagus, then the frontier of the young kingdom. Restored in later centuries, it remains one of the most evocative castles in Portugal.

    Good to know: The crossing runs within set operating times and depends on weather and river level; it can be suspended at short notice. Boat and entry are paid on site. The island path is steep and uneven.

  6. WalkTime here: 30–45 min

    Ourém · 39.64° N · 8.59° W

    The medieval castle and palace of Ourém crowning its wooded hilltop above terracotta rooftops in warm evening light

    End the day high above the plain: a walk through the quiet walled village to the castle and the ruined Paço dos Condes, with views that stretch for miles in clear weather.

    Why it matters

    Taken by Afonso Henriques in the 12th century, Ourém was transformed in the 15th by D. Afonso, 4th Count of Ourém and a grandson of Nuno Álvares Pereira, who turned the castle into a residence. His tomb lies in the Gothic crypt of the collegiate church.

    Good to know: Cobbles, slopes and some steps. The car can take you up to the old village.

  7. Return

    Return

    Back to your accommodation or another agreed drop-off point within the area we cover.

    Why it matters

    Ourém is the municipality of Fátima, a few minutes away, so a brief stop at the Sanctuary can be added on request.

Route map of Knights Templar Experience1Tomar, the Templar town2Convent of Christ3Almourol Castle4Ourém, the hilltop village

The route

  1. 1 Tomar, the Templar town
  2. 2 Convent of Christ
  3. 3 Almourol Castle
  4. 4 Ourém, the hilltop village

Road routes calculated from OpenStreetMap data. Your driver may choose a different road on the day.

Places to be confirmed with your booking are listed in the itinerary but not drawn.

Knights, castles and a kingdom

From the Temple to the Order of Christ

Tomar and Almourol are two chapters of one story: how a military order from Jerusalem helped shape a new kingdom, and how Portugal saved what the rest of Europe destroyed.

  • History
  • Tradition
  • Legend

Entries marked as history are documented. Those marked as tradition or legend are stories told about these places: part of their atmosphere, not proven fact.

  1. 1128

    History

    The Templars arrive

    Countess Teresa grants the castle of Soure to the Knights Templar, one of their earliest holdings in what would become Portugal.

  2. 1160

    History

    Tomar is founded

    Gualdim Pais, Master of the Temple in Portugal, begins the castle of Tomar. The town still celebrates 1 March 1160 as its founding day.

    Fortified exterior of the Templar rotunda and bell tower of the Convent of Christ in Tomar under a clear sky

  3. Late 12th century

    History

    The round church

    The Charola rises inside the walls, a round church built to evoke the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

    Gilded octagonal high altar of the Charola in Tomar's Convent of Christ, beneath painted vaults and Renaissance panels

  4. Tradition

    Tradition

    Mass on horseback

    It is often said that the knights heard Mass in the Charola without dismounting. A wonderful image, but no document confirms it.

  5. 1171

    History

    Almourol

    An inscription at Almourol records works under Gualdim Pais, part of the Templar defences along the Tagus.

    Almourol Castle on its rocky island in the Tagus, mirrored in the still river under a soft cloudy sky

  6. 1190

    History

    The siege of Tomar

    An Almohad army led by Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur besieges Tomar, and the Templars hold. Tradition calls the gate where the attack was stopped the Porta do Sangue, the Gate of Blood.

  7. 1312

    History

    The Order suppressed

    Pope Clement V dissolves the Knights Templar. In Portugal, King Dinis keeps their castles and lands from being dispersed.

  8. 1319

    History

    The Order of Christ

    At Dinis’s request, Pope John XXII creates the Order of Christ, which inherits the Templar estates. Its first seat is Castro Marim; by the late 1350s it is back in Tomar.

  9. 1420

    History

    Henry the Navigator

    Prince Henry becomes governor of the Order of Christ. Its wealth helps fund the Atlantic voyages, and its red cross is carried on Portuguese sails.

  10. c. 1510–1513

    History

    The Manueline window

    Under King Manuel I a new nave is joined to the Charola, and Diogo de Arruda creates the Chapter House window, the emblem of the Manueline style.

    The Manueline chapter house window of the Convent of Christ, carved with ropes, coral, roots and a sailor's head

  11. Legend

    Legend

    The Templar treasure

    Tales of hidden gold, secret tunnels and even the Holy Grail cling to Tomar and Almourol. No evidence supports them; they are legends, and we tell them as such.

  12. 1983

    History

    World Heritage

    UNESCO inscribes the Convent of Christ in Tomar on the World Heritage List.

Convent of Christ, TomarFive centuries ago, a window carved like the sea announced that Portugal had crossed it.
The Manueline chapter house window of the Convent of Christ, carved with ropes, coral, roots and a sailor's head
Fortified exterior of the Templar rotunda and bell tower of the Convent of Christ in Tomar under a clear sky
The medieval castle and palace of Ourém crowning its wooded hilltop above terracotta rooftops in warm evening light

Practical information

Before you go

Duration
About 7 to 8 hours including pick-up and return; indicative, depending on where you start.
Pick-up
At your accommodation or an agreed meeting point within the area we cover, on the Silver Coast, around Leiria and Fátima, or in Lisbon; confirmed when you book.
Drop-off
At your accommodation or another agreed point; confirmed when you book.
Group size
Private: your group only, up to 6 guests (luggage permitting).
Walking
Moderate: two to three hours on foot across the day, with stairs at the convent and a steep, uneven path on Almourol.
What to wear
Comfortable shoes with good grip for stone stairs and the island path, and a light layer for cool interiors. Covered shoulders are a courtesy in churches.
Accessibility
The convent has many steps and uneven floors, Almourol needs a boat transfer and a steep climb, and Ourém has cobbles and slopes. If anyone has limited mobility, tell us in your request and we will suggest how to adapt the day.
Season
All year. The Almourol crossing depends on weather and river conditions and has seasonal operating times.

Included

  • Private vehicle and local driver for the whole day
  • Pick-up and drop-off within the agreed area
  • Local knowledge and historical context shared along the way
  • A route planned around your group, with time at each stop at your own pace

Not included

  • Entrance tickets (Convent of Christ, Almourol and churches)
  • The boat crossing to Almourol
  • Meals and drinks
  • Guided tours inside monuments (official guides or audio guides can be suggested where available)
  • Gratuities

Arranged for each booking

  • Entrance tickets are bought on the day or in advance where needed; we tell you which stops have paid entry.
  • Parts of the day depend on weather and sea conditions; we adapt the plan with you if needed.

Price

One price for your whole group

The price covers the whole tour — a private vehicle and driver for your group alone, never seats on a shared excursion. It depends only on how many of you travel.

Your private experience

Guests

€320 total

€160 per person

Private tour · Just your group

Request your private tour Customize this journey

Open this route in the journey builder and make it yours.

Entrance tickets, meals and drinks are paid separately unless your proposal says otherwise.

Sending a request is free and is not a booking.

Questions

About this journey

Is the driver also a guide?

Your driver is a local professional who shares history and context on the road and between stops, but is not a certified tourist guide. Inside the monuments you explore at your own pace; where official guided visits or audio guides exist, we can point you to them.

What happens if the boat to Almourol is not running?

The crossing depends on weather, river level and operating times, and can be suspended at short notice. If it is, you can still see the castle from the riverbank, and we give the time back to Tomar or Ourém.

Can we start from Lisbon or change the order?

Yes. The order adapts to where you start and to the Almourol crossing times. From Lisbon the day is longer; tell us in your request and we will plan it realistically.

Will children enjoy it?

Usually, yes: a castle on an island, a boat, battlements and a round church full of stories. The convent visit is long, so with younger children we suggest a shorter path through it.

Is there any truth in the Templar treasure stories?

No evidence has ever been found of hidden treasure at Tomar or Almourol. What survives is better: the buildings themselves and the documented story of how the Templars became the Order of Christ. We share the legends too, clearly labelled.

Can we add Fátima?

Ourém is minutes from Fátima, so a short stop at the Sanctuary can sometimes be added at the end of the day. It lengthens the day, so ask when you request. For a full, unhurried visit, see our Fátima experience.

Pair it with

  • Private7–8 hFull day

    UNESCO Heritage Trail

    Architecture, World Heritage and the making of Portugal

    Returns to the Convent of Christ alongside Alcobaça and Batalha: the region’s three World Heritage monasteries in one day.

    1. Alcobaça
    2. Batalha
    3. Tomar

    From €320 / private group Up to 6 guests.

  • Private7–8 hFull day

    Medieval Portugal

    Castles, queens and the legends of the Reconquest

    Follows the same centuries through the castles and walled towns of Óbidos, Leiria and Porto de Mós.

    1. Óbidos
    2. Alcobaça
    3. Leiria
    4. Porto de Mós

    From €310 / private group Up to 6 guests.

  • Private4–5 hHalf day

    Fátima Spiritual Journey

    Faith, reflection and pilgrimage

    Ourém, today’s last stop, is the municipality of Fátima, and the Sanctuary deserves a calm day of its own.

    1. Fátima

    From €280 / private group Up to 6 guests.

Walk in the footsteps of the Knights Templar.

Plan this journey Customize this journey

Priced per vehicle, not per person — only your group travels.