Coimbra to Tomar, Batalha, and Alcobaca: Guided tour

Visit Tomar, a quiet and lushly green city overlooked by a historic fortress. Enjoy a guided tour of Tomar, starting at the magnificent Convento de Cristo, a UNESCO-recognized treasure built by warrior monks. See the Maueline window and the Charola rotunda, and then head below to enjoy peaceful walks through the green labyrinth of the Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes. From there, your guide can take you to the Old Town and the Praca da Republica, where you can explore the elegant arcades, templar cross tiles, and tiny local shops. Visitors should try the local cherry liquor, Ginjinha, at a riverside cafe and consider strolling along the castle walls for sweeping views over Tomar’s tiled rooftops.

Gothic beauty and royal tombs await in Batalha’s sky-high masterpiece of stone and silence. Stone tells a story in Batalha, where faith, art, and national pride rise in symmetry. Begin at the Mosteiro da Batalha, a UNESCO World Heritage marvel where flying buttresses and intricate carvings reach heavenward. Step into the Cloisters of King Joao I, where light dances through lace-like stone. Don’t miss the hauntingly beautiful Capelas Imperfeitas - roofless, majestic, and open to the sky. End with a taste of local tradition: try Cavacas or Brisa do Lis from a nearby cafe, with a view of this timeless Portuguese monument.

History and Cistercian beauty fill Alcobaca’s cloisters, kitchens, and carved marble tombs. In Alcobaca, love and loss endure in the carved stone. Visit the Mosteiro de Alcobaca, a Cistercian monastery and Portugal’s oldest Gothic church. Inside, the tombs of Pedro and Ines - lovers separated in life, united in death - lie face to face. Stroll through the vast Refectory and see the medieval kitchen’s ingenious water system. Then, find a moment of calm in the Cloisters of Silence, where time stills beneath the arches. Before leaving, try the legendary monk sweets at Pastelaria Alcoa - centuries of confectionery devotion in every bite.