Medieval Knights Templar and Alcobaça Private Day Trip from Lisbon

They say the place manages schedules to control the number of people, which is a lie. They sell tickets for whatever, which does not allow for enjoying the spa, and the pools look like a breeding ground for people.

We spent 2 days in Central Portugal visiting Fátima, Tomar, Alcobaca, Batalha and Obidos. Our driver / guide both days was a gentleman named Nuno. I want to tell you that Nuno was fabulous. He provided us with so much background, he provided historical background with a passion. He helped connect the dots between the various locations by explaining the events that were going on at the time. I could go on and on , but to summarize I will tell you that seeing these sites with Nuno’s guidance and enthusiasm was the best. I would highly recommend him to anyone wanting to see and learn about historical Portuguese sites.

For Templar enthusiasts this was Outstanding. Made more so with a private auto and an EXCEPTIONAL guide. Our tour guide was Valerio and he MADE the whole event!

John, the driver, picked us up on time, right at our hotel. He was not only knowledgeable on the Knights, he was passionate about it. We had a wonderful day exploring along with a fabulous lunch at the “Baby Pig”! We were never rushed and all questions were welcomed. John’s gift for storytelling combined with his sense of humor made for a memorable day!

Valerio was the BEST tour guide we had in our entire stay in Portugal. He is a historian at heart and an amazing communicator as he shares his passion, perspectives and bridges the gap when providing the story and history of the Medieval Knights Templar. Valerio was able to show my sister and I not only the sites we wanted to see but also was able to walk away with way more all encompassing knowledge about Portugal. This tour was the best and our guide was the very best at his craft.

Joao is a very good and knowledgeable guide. He made us understand the historical significance of Potugal. He also have traveled to many of the places in the world and have a good worldview.

I don’t know why more people don’t visit this! The monastery was mind blowing and our guide was great. Such enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge. He added a 2nd church and monastery in Batahla that was even more incredible. Totally worth it.

I have been in many medieval churches but never any like the ones in Tomar and Alcobaca. The space is majestic without the traditional gothic architecture. Oddly, I had the same feeling in these churches that I get when in the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Awe insipring beauty. They both date from the 12th century and the monastery in Tomar demonstrates the latest technology for the time and was never successfully invaded. Our guide, Filipe, was fantastic. Very knowledgeable and clearly passionate about history. He took us to Antonio Padeiro in Alcobaca for lunch. We had an amazing meal. Skip breakfast if you are going there. They start with an appetizer plate that could have been enough to satisfy me followed by the main course. Desserts were beautiful so save some room. This is a top quality, white tablecloth establishment with insanely reasonable prices. It is easy to have a main course for 10 Euros. The nicest thing about this tour is the lack of tourists so you get a real sense of history and Portugal. The transportation was also a roomy Mercedes (my husband is 6’5”) so that was a welcome surprise in Europe. Definitely a day to remember.