A view of the walls surrounding Convento de Cristo in Tomar.
Portugal is home to some of the most famous medieval-era monasteries in Europe. On our last trip, we were able to visit four of them. A primary reason for our two day stay in Nazaré was to visit three of these monasteries: Alcobaça, Batalha and Tomar (the fourth monastery is in Belém, near Lisbon, I have written a little about it here). It might be possible to visit all three in an extremely rushed day; however, I would suggest visiting Alcobaça and Batalha on one day (both are pretty close to Nazaré) and then see Tomar on the second day, with a visit to Almourol castle before or after (these two sights are just 32 km (20 miles) apart).
All three monasteries in this post are well worth visiting. For sake of time, I would prioritize Tomar first (it’s the furthest away and has the most extensive set of rooms that can be visited), Alcobaça and then Batalha.
Tomar (Convento de Cristo)
The town of Tomar, known for its unique monastery (called Convento de Cristo), is one of the signature sights in Portugal. The main chapel dates to the 11th century and the walls surround the monastery complex are much older. Convento de Cristo is extremely unique because of its circular, fortress-like chapel, and its long association with the Templar Knights.
A view of the walls surrounding Convento de Cristo in Tomar.
I had the privilege of visiting Convento de Cristo a few years ago, and I was just as amazed visiting it again on this trip as I had been previously. The site is extensive, and consists of visiting the chapel, cloisters with several levels, kitchens, refectory, dorm rooms, meeting halls and other places, including the exterior gardens.
The circular (16 sided) Templar chapel of Convento de Cristo.
Interior of the Templar Chapel (Charola), Convento de Cristo.
The elaborate entrance to Convento de Cristo, Tomar.
Detail of the Manueline sculptures (16th century) which decorate the Convento de Cristo.
Allow at least two hours for your visit. The site is well sign-posted with English explanations.
Note: Several years ago, I visited Tomar as a day trip via train from Lisbon (see post here). This is very doable. However, if you have more time, a road trip is better, since you will be able to see more sights along the way. Since my family had not been to Tomar, we made this sight one of our destinations out of Nazaré. It’s only 77 km (48 miles) directly east of Nazaré. This monastery sits on a hill overlooking the town, and parking is available off the road part way up the hill.
Tomar Aqueduct
Also, just north of the town of Tomar a few kilometers is an old aqueduct, built in the 1590’s. Visiting it is free, it goes right over and next to the road. We saw it on the map and made our way to it after our visit to the monastery. It was built to provide water to the monastery.
A view of the aqueduct near Tomar. You can take a walk across the top.
Alcobaça
This Cistercian monastery is just 16 km (10 miles) east of Nazaré and takes its name from its location at the confluence of the Alcoa and Baça rivers, which provided a water source for crops and the monastery residents. Construction began in 1178 and now the monastery is surrounded by the old town of Alcobaça.
Exterior view of Alcobaça monastery.
A view of the Cloister of Silence, built in the 13th century.
The massive and austere interior of Alcobaça Church. The vaults are over 20 meters (65 ft) high.
Alcobaça’s refectory (where the monks would eat their meals). From this pulpit, there would be scripture readings to those gathered.
Everything in Alcobaça is on a huge scale. This is a view of the massive kitchen.
Reliquary Chapel, built between 1669 – 1672, part of the Manueline Sacristy. There is an additional fee to visit this chapel, but it is well worth it. Seventy-one terra cotta busts adorn the interior.
The dormitory, one of the oldest parts of the monastery.
The adjacent town of Alcobaça also deserves at least a short walk, it has a scenic center.
A view of Alcobaça town.
Batalha
Founded in 1386 by King João I (who is buried here), to commemorate a battle that led to Portugal’s independence from Spain, this site is of national importance to the Portuguese. Construction went on for hundreds of years and was never completed. This monastery is 32 km (20 miles) northeast of Nazaré. It is considered one of the finest manifestations of gothic architecture in Portugal. This monastery was nearly in ruins in the early 1800’s, and thankfully it has been restored and is now a museum.
A view of the north side of Batalha Monastery.
Another view of the exterior of Batalha Monastery.
The intricate detail carvings over the entrance to the unfinished chapels (Capelas Imperfeitas) at Batalha.
A view of the unfinished chapels.
The soaring expanse of the main nave in the church at Batalha.
Door carving at the entrance to the cloisters.
A view of the cloisters at Batalha.
The Chapter House at Batalha. Its ceiling covers a large expanse and has no central support, an engineering feat in the early 1400’s. Soldiers can be seen standing as honor guards in this room by the far wall, stationed here in remembrance of the war of independence from Spain.
Practicalities
We visited these monasteries in October, and none were very busy. You can get a ticket that allows you to visit all three of those discussed in this post for a discounted rate. A senior rate is also available. Buy your ticket at the first monastery you visit. There is a direct train to Tomar from Lisbon (I recall that there were only one or two stops along the way), and it’s an easy day trip from Lisbon. Travel to Batalha and Alcobaça is a bit more complicated from Lisbon via train (it requires bus travel too). A rental car is by far more convenient.