Private Tomar & Sintra Tour from Lisbon
(Two UNESCO Sites, Full Day)
Tomar’s Templar heritage and Sintra’s UNESCO landscape in one full day
- Private vehicle and local driver-guide exclusively for your group (up to 8 people).
8 Hours
Private
Máx. 8px/Van
Hotel or apartment pickup in Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Estoril, or anywhere along the coast
Tomar (Convent of Christ - UNESCO), Sintra historic centre and optional palaces
From €350 per private vehicle (see pricing below)
based on +3.387 reviews
Tour at a Glance
- Duration: 8 hours.
- Departure: Suggested 08:30–09:00 – hotel or apartment pickup in Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Estoril, or anywhere along the coast.
- Return: ~17:00–17:30 to your pickup location.
- Tour Type: 100% private — your group only.
- Group Size: Up to 8 passengers.
- Vehicle: Air-conditioned private van.
- Guide: Driver-guide available in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
- Destinations: Tomar and Sintra.
- Total Driving Distance: Approximately 300 km.
- Price From: €350 per vehicle.
- Tripadvisor Rating: 5.0/5 based on 3,387 reviews.
- License: RNAAT 119/2013.
- Cancellation Policy: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Tour Overview
This full-day private tour from Lisbon visits two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in a single day: the Convent of Christ in Tomar (UNESCO inscription 1983, reference No. 265) and the Sintra Cultural Landscape (UNESCO inscription 1995, reference No. 504). The two sites are separated by approximately 113 km and represent two distinct chapters of Portuguese history — the 12th-century Templar founding of the Portuguese state, and the 19th-century Romantic era palaces commissioned by the royal family on a mountain 28 km from Lisbon.
Tomar lies 136 km north of Lisbon, approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by vehicle. The Convent of Christ is the defining monument of the city – a fortified complex begun in 1160 by Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal, and expanded continuously through the 16th century under the Order of Christ, which inherited Templar assets in Portugal after the Order’s dissolution in 1312. Sintra lies 28 km northwest of Lisbon, reached from Tomar via the A1 motorway in approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.
The tour is 100% private – your group, your vehicle, your licensed driver-guide. No other travellers join at any point. Total driving is approximately 300 km. This is a long touring day by distance; the itinerary is built around maximising time at both UNESCO sites while keeping driving efficient.
Why Travellers Choose This Tour
- 3,387 verified reviews · 5.0 Tripadvisor – Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2025; highest-rated private tour operator from Lisbon on the platform.
- Only private tour combining Tomar and Sintra – no OTA or local competitor offers this specific pairing in a single private vehicle. You cover two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (inscriptions No. 265 and No. 504) without splitting into two separate days.
- Two completely different centuries of history in one day – 12th-century military monastic architecture (Templar Charola, Manueline Chapter Window) in the morning; 19th-century Romantic palace landscape (Pena Palace 1842–1854, Quinta da Regaleira 1904–1910) in the afternoon
- RNAAT licence 119/2013. Languages: EN, ES, FR, PT. Operating since 2013.
Tips for This Tour
Book Pena Palace tickets before the tour, not on the day. Timed entry to Pena Palace is mandatory year-round. July–August slots sell out 3–4 weeks ahead; April–June and September–October typically require 1–2 weeks’ advance booking; November–March is generally available same-day. Decide whether you want park-only (€12/adult, exterior and grounds, 1 hour) or full palace interior (€20/adult, 1.5–2 hours). Tell us your entry time when booking – the guide builds the schedule around it.
The Convent of Christ needs 1–1.5 hours minimum. The complex spans eight centuries of architecture across multiple buildings: the Charola, the Chapter Room, the Chapter Window façade, and four cloisters added across the 13th–16th centuries. Don’t cut this short. Arriving in Sintra at 14:30 instead of 15:00 makes a significant difference for palace ticket timing.
Tomar medieval quarter: 45–60 minutes is realistic. The Synagogue (only intact medieval synagogue in Portugal), Santa Maria do Olival (burial site of Templar Grand Masters), and Republic Square are within 10 minutes’ walk of one another. Your guide knows the best walking order and where to find a table for lunch.
Lunch in Tomar. Tomar has affordable, good-quality restaurants on and around Republic Square. Sintra’s cafes cater to the day-trip crowd and are priced accordingly. Build in 45 minutes for lunch in Tomar before driving south.
What You Can See
Convent of Christ – UNESCO No. 265, the Centrepiece of Templar Portugal
The Charola – the 16-sided circular church at the heart of the Convent of Christ – was designed specifically so that mounted knights could participate in Mass without dismounting. It worked: this is still a functioning sacred space, in a building founded in 1160 and in continuous use since.
The Convent of Christ (Convento de Cristo) was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 (reference No. 265). Construction began under Gualdim Pais (c. 1118–1195), the Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal. The Knights Templar held the site until 1312, when Pope Clement V dissolved the Order via the Papal Bull Vox in excelso. King Dinis I of Portugal negotiated the survival of the Portuguese Templar chapter as the Order of Christ in 1319, which retained the Tomar complex as its headquarters.
The Charola (Rotunda) is the original 12th-century Templar oratory – a 16-sided Romanesque structure modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Interior diameter: approximately 11 metres.
The Chapter Window (Janela do Capítulo), on the west façade of the main nave, was completed between 1510 and 1513 by Diogo de Arruda. It is considered the most elaborate expression of the Manueline style in Portugal: carved coral, algae, ropes, armillary spheres, cork oak roots, and the Cross of the Order of Christ in a single architectural composition.
Entry: €15/adult (museusemonumentos.pt). Pre-booking recommended July–August; generally available same-day in low season.
Tomar Medieval Quarter
Three of Tomar’s most significant medieval buildings are within 10 minutes’ walk of one another and the Republic Square lunch restaurants: the only intact medieval synagogue in Portugal (1430–1460), the burial site of the Templar Grand Masters (13th century), and a church with a Manueline portal and a 1538 triptych by Gregório Lopes.
Igreja de Santa Maria do Olival (13th century): Gothic church, historically the mother church for all Templar churches in Portugal. Burial site of Gualdim Pais and subsequent Templar Grand Masters.
Synagogue of Tomar (Sinagoga de Tomar): Built between 1430 and 1460, now the Luso-Hebraico Abraão Zacuto Museum. It is the only intact medieval synagogue in Portugal. Following the Edict of Expulsion of 1496, the building was converted to other uses. The original four-column interior with Gothic vaulting survives.
Republic Square and São João Baptista Church: Late 15th century. Manueline portal and a triptych painted by Gregório Lopes around 1538.
Tomar celebrates the Festa dos Tabuleiros every four years – a processional festival in which participants carry elaborate flower trays on their heads. The next edition is scheduled for 2027.
Sintra Cultural Landscape – UNESCO No. 504, First European Cultural Landscape
Pena Palace
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira was completed in 1910, commissioned by António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro (1848–1920) and designed by Italian architect Luigi Manini. The estate covers 4 hectares and includes a Neo-Manueline palace, a chapel, a lake, grottoes, and the Initiation Well (Poço Iniciático).
The Initiation Well is an inverted tower descending 27 metres into the earth, with a spiral staircase of 9 platforms separated by sets of 9 steps – interpreted as a reference to Dante’s nine circles or to the nine spheres of Freemasonic initiation. Tunnels connect the well to other points of the estate. The property was classified as a National Monument in 1997.
Tickets: €20/adult. Timed entry; book in advance.
Moorish Castle (optional viewpoint)
The Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) was built by the Moors in the 8th–9th centuries at 412 m elevation. Its walls extend 450 m along the ridge, with five towers and a cistern. The castle was captured by King Afonso Henriques in 1147 during the same campaign that took Lisbon.
On this tour, the Moorish Castle is typically an exterior drive-by viewpoint given time constraints, rather than a full entry stop. If the castle is a priority, mention it at booking – the guide can adjust the Sintra time allocation. Entry: €12/adult.
What’s Included
- 8 Hours Tour
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Local driver-guide
- Hotel/apartment pickup and drop-off in Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Estoril, or anywhere along the Estoril Coast
- Mandatory insurance
- Fuel, tolls and parking costs
Not included
- Meals and drinks
- Entrance tickets to monuments or palaces
- Tips (optional)
Note: Some Sintra monuments require timed-entry tickets. Advance purchase is recommended.
Tour Prices
Prices are per vehicle (private tour), not per person.
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Up to 2 Pax €350
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3 to 4 Pax €450
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5 to 8 Pax €570
Cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Cancellations within 24 hours are non-refundable.
Contact us and Book your Tour
Best Time of Year for This Tour
April–June (recommended): Temperatures 18–23°C. The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park and Tomar’s riverside at peak green.
July–August (peak season): Temperatures 25–32°C.
September–October (second recommended window): Temperatures 20–26°C. Crowds ease after August. Tomar’s olive groves along the Nabão River show early autumn colour. October is excellent for both sites.
November–March (low season): Temperatures 10–17°C; Serra de Sintra significantly cooler and often misty – atmospheric for palace photography.
FAQ
Is this a private Tomar-Sintra tour from Lisbon?
Yes. This is a private full-day tour from Lisbon that includes visiting Tomar and Sintra, with a private driver-guide and vehicle exclusively for your group (up to 8 people).
Is the price per person or per vehicle?
Where is pickup included?
Pickup and drop-off are included in Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Estoril, or anywhere along the coast.
What will we visit in Tomar?
The main highlight is the Castle and Convent of Christ (UNESCO), famous for its connection to the Templar Knights and the Order of Christ.
Can we customise which sites we visit?
Are entrance tickets included?
No. Entrance tickets and meals are not included.
Can I book as a solo traveller?
Yes. The private tour can be booked for one person; pricing remains per vehicle.
What happens if it rains?
The tour runs year-round. Stops and timing can be adjusted for comfort and safety. Sintra may be cooler or mistier due to its microclimate.
Do you provide child seats?
Child seats are available on request. Please provide the child’s age and weight when booking.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancellation of the service less than 24 hours prior to the reservation is non-refundable.
What languages does the guide speak?
Is this tour suitable for people with mobility limitations?
What Our Guests Say
We are proud of the feedback we receive from travellers. Guests often mention our knowledgeable driver-guides, smooth organisation, and the unique combination of Tomar’s Convent of Christ and Sintra’s UNESCO charm in one private day tour.
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