Explore Tomar With

When to Visit

Tomar has cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Throughout the year, temperatures typically range from 4°C to 31°C and rarely fall below -1°C or above 38°C. The weather in Tomar is quite stable; you can trust the forecasts made for the week ahead. This will help you plan the ideal travel time.

As for the most comfortable time for a visit, If you don't like long walks in cold weather, it's highly advisable to go on Tomar tours from April to November. July-August is the hottest time. In addition to weather conditions, you also need to consider the opening hours of the main attractions. It’s worth coming 2-3 hours earlier in the morning so that you can walk through the beautiful garden with orange and olive trees without crowds of tourists.

Getting Around

Tomar is equipped with a developed transport infrastructure. The city also has a train station, from where you can easily get to different destinations in Portugal. Bus service from the bus station has also been improved. Those who prefer comfort can rent a car.

There are direct trains to Tomar Station from Lisbon's Gare do Oriente which take from 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on the train. Some trains may involve a change at Entroncamento. If traveling north to Coimbra or Porto, you will need to change trains at Lamarosa or Entroncamento. There are also frequent trains to Santarém. The bus station is adjacent to Tomar railway station and there are buses to Lisbon, Leiria, Fatima, and Santarém.

Travel Information

You can get an unforgettable experience while traveling in Tomar if you consider a few simple Tomar travel tips:

1. How to make the first trip to Tomar unforgettable?

It’s worth going to Tomar not only to get into the spirit of history. Tomar is home to one of the most beautiful and mysterious castles in Portugal. It has existed for hundreds of years and became the last stronghold of the Templars in Europe when persecution began against them. Tomar is also famous for its Renaissance wall paintings. Perhaps, this is the only place in the country where there are examples of such a high class. All this against the backdrop of the leisurely life of the old town.

The Tomar travel guide mentions that the Holy Grail is kept here, but there is no official evidence of this fact. The majestic monastery, built in the mid-12th century, although at first it was a castle and not a Catholic monastery, looks more like a powerful fortification. Have a walk by the moors and get your own impression of this unusual place.

2. What is a list of Tomar hidden gems?

One of the less-known, but interesting attractions of Tomar is the Match Museum located within its walls. The collection of this museum is recognized as the largest in Europe. The Match Museum is far from what Tomar is known for, as most people who come here want to see the Templar castle. Tomar resident Aquiles de Mota Lima started to collect matches in 1953. This happened during his trip to London for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Now the Match Museum in Tomar keeps 43 thousand matchboxes from 122 countries.

It is located in an old monastery of St. Francisco, close to the Tomar train and bus station. Every matchbox is unique, so the visitors would definitely have a lot of fun at the exhibition.

3. What dishes are the must-try in Tomar?

Tomar's restaurants will delight visitors with a selection of local cuisine, serving traditional dishes. A daily dish for local residents is Acorda soup, prepared on the basis of bread with a variety of ingredients added to it, such as fish, seafood, boiled eggs and fresh herbs. In each restaurant, the soup is prepared according to a special recipe. The classic version is served with bread, garlic and olive oil.

Migas, which is considered a typical Spanish dish, is also quite widespread in Tomar. The dish is also prepared from bread, but it is customary not to pour boiling water over it, as for soup, but to fry it in a frying pan with olive oil. A variety of ingredients can also be added, including vegetables and garlic, as well as various seafood. Quite common and popular are versions with spinach and alfalfa, and some restaurants serve it in addition to grilled meat.