Central Portugal: Estremadura and Ribatejo

Tomar is deeply linked to the Order of the Templars. who elected the city as their main centre during the 12th century, under the seal of King Alfonso Henriques, until the dissolution of the Order in 1314. The city centre is in fact dominated by the main Templar heritage: The Castelo de Tomar and the Convento de Cristo, an extraordinary architectural complex, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The New Sacristy, the mystical Charola, the original Romanesque-style Templar rotunda and the magnificent cloister tell the story of the Order and the city itself. The heritage is not limited to the Templar hill. The Nabão River flowing through the city softens the urban landscape, which conceals other treasures along the cobbled streets: the Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, a Renaissance chapel, the Igreja de São João Baptista with its Manueline façade, the Synagogue, which testifies to the ancient presence of the Jewish community during the Middle Ages. A 30-minute drive from Tomar, the Middle Ages meet religion in places steeped in history: Ourém and its 12th century castle, the picturesque village of Dornes and the Sanctuary of Fatima, a Marian centre that attracts millions of worshippers each year.