Time Travel At The Convent Of Christ Tomar

I can’t imagine visiting here without a guide and Monica was terrific. We learned so much more doing a tour with her than we would have wandering around ourselves. We have done many tours while visiting Portugal and we agree that Monica is the best tour guide we’ve had!

Mónica is our go-to tour guide when visiting Tomar, because she is simply the best. We did a great tour of the city with her last year and Monica got us interested in the knights Templar, so much that Tomar is one of our favorite cities in Portugal now. So when my son came to visit, we had to show him Tomar and this time Monica showed us around the convent of Christ and we again were awed by her vast knowledge. Monica is truly a gem and I can only recommend a tour with her when you are in town!

Monica is a friendly and professional guide. She explained the complicated history in a simple and easy-to-understand way. I really enjoyed learning more about the colors of the tiles, the different cross symbols, and many other interesting details. She is also very good at finding nice angles for photos and took some great photos of me! I really enjoyed the tour and highly recommend joining Monica’s tour when you visit Tomar.

Amazing tour! 10/10. Monica is a wonderful guide, born and raised in Tomar, history major. Highly recommend!

A long day with several very beautiful locations. from Atlantic ocean to royal palace and parks with temple night footprints.

We had an absolutely wonderful time on our guided tour of the Convento de Cristo with Monica! She was incredibly informative and shared so much fascinating history with us. What truly set this tour apart, though, was Monica’s deep, obvious connection and passion for the history of her country. It made the entire experience feel so much more meaningful. We really enjoyed ourselves and learned so much more than if we had just wandered through the Convent on our own. Booking this tour was well worth it, and we highly recommend Monica to anyone visiting Tomar!

We had a wonderful tour with Monica. She is very knowledgeable on her history. Would highly recommend this tour especially if you have an interest in the Order of Christ.

Monica was extremely knowledgeable,’friendly, and patient. My reservation messed up but she patiently waited for me and gave me a thorough and informative tour. I got so much more out of it compared to doing it alone!

I would highly recommend anyone touring Tomar to book a tour with Monica. This was one of our most interesting tours while visiting Portugal. Monica had so much knowledge to share with us every step of the way, her experience and joy of history is apparent and appreciated. It is remarkable how much history is in this town and within these walls. Monica explained everything in such detail I’m still telling my friends about it and am in awe. Definitely contact Monica while visiting Tomar, you will not regret it!!! Enjoy :)

Monica was a warm and knowledgeable guide through the Convent of Christ! I learned a ton about the history and architecture and she knew the best spots for photos. I thought the price was very fair for the value I received. Highly recommend this tour!

Monica was the best tour guide we have had in over 25 years of touring! Her passion and knowledge is amazing and she gave us so much interesting information and took us to so many breathtaking places! She really made our trip to Portugal, so memorable and special. We highly recommend Monica and suggest that you take any of her tours. You won’t regret it and you will never forget all of the great places that she takes you to. She went above and beyond to make our trip special. She is such a wonderful lady and such a fantastic tour guide!

Monica was a wonderful guide. She provided historical context and fascinating facts about the covenant and the Knights Templar. She really made the tour meaningful.

We had a wonderful tour with Monica! She is a fantastic guide, full of knowledge and interesting information. She made the tour extra special with her history background. We highly recommend this tour with Monica.

Monica was very knowledgeable and really made the history come alive. Despite the castle being closed and ongoing renovations within the convent, she managed to keep our interest peaked. After the tour she suggested some good spots to further explore. Recommended.

This was a fantastic tour. Out guide, Manuela was worth every penny! She was knowledgeable and passionate about the Convention of Christ and its importance in history. We learned so many things that we would have missed if we did not do this private tour. To get the most from this snapshot of history, for me, I highly recommend this tour. I would do this again. Great experience.

Monica was most knowledgeable- she made all the learning and history fun. It was neat to learn she has been studying this history all her life and volunteered as a young teen at the convent to learn as much as she could. Her passion and enthusiasm for this history is endearing. Book with her if you make it to Tomar- she will also have many recommendations of other historic parts of Portugal!

Monica was.a fantastic guide who has a wealth of knowledge regarding the Templars, the Convent of Christ, and Portuguese history. Her color commentary really made our tour special and informative.

Our visit to Tomar was made 100x better with Monica as a guide! We felt so lucky that we had a local resident and historian to take us through the convent and castle. Monica was so knowledgeable about the history of Portugal, the knights and the castle and architecture. She shared so many details with us about the stone carvings and symbolism of the work done. If we did this without a guide, we would have missed so much context. We were amazed by how thoughtful and purposefully built the castle and convent were. She answered all our questions and made the whole tour and experience fun and enjoyable. She was very patient with our photo taking and knew all the good angles to capture the beauty. She also helped us take photos and shared local recommendations for when we were in the town. I would highly recommend anyone touring Tomar to book a tour with Monica. You will have the best time! Thanks Monica!!!

Monica made this experience unforgettable If you visit the Convent of Christ, book Monica as your guide. Yes, the castle is currently under renovations — but don’t let that stop you. Monica made sure it didn’t matter for a second. Her knowledge runs so deep that she held our attention completely, answering every question with confidence and genuine enthusiasm. She turned scaffolding and construction into a non-issue, because the real experience was her storytelling. We left feeling like we truly understood what we had seen, not just that we had walked through it. That’s entirely down to Monica. Highly recommend without hesitation — renovations and all.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Monica was amazing. A perfect guide for the site…truly a wealth of knowledge for this beautiful gem of Portuguese culture…and so many other things in Tomar. If you are in town, don’t hesitate to book one of her tours. Fun fact: she takes great photos!!

One of the best tours we had in Portugal! Monica, our guide, was knowledgeable, passionate, and highly professional. She spoke excellent English and answered all our questions with clarity and enthusiasm. She also pointed out details we would never have noticed or understood on our own. We’re very glad we chose to book a tour, as the Convent of Christ in Tomar is a truly spectacular site with a rich history—one that now feels much more meaningful to us. Thank you very much!

Monica was a wonderful tour guide. She was very knowledgable and took the time to point out things that we never would have noticed or known about if we hadn't hired her. We would highly recommend this tour, even without the castle being open.

Our experience with Monica was great. Even though we couldn't get to the castle because of renovations, she did a wonderful job filling in the gaps, providing detailed knowledge on the history and symbolism of the convent and answered all of our questions thoughtfully. We had initially considered doing a self-guided tour, but are so glad that we opted for a guided experience! It really made our experience with this site 110% better and gave us a really in-depth understanding of the history, culture, and context of the templars and monks.

Monica was fantastic! She was clearly knowledgeable and asked fun questions to make the tour more interactive. We got so much more out of the experience by having such a great guide. She also cleverly avoided the crowds by rearranging the order of the areas she showed us. Highly recommend!

Monica, our guide, was very well informed about the history. I wouldn’t hesitate to book with her again. This was a good tour - we learned much more than if we had just toured the convent on our own. She also gave us recommendations on some other sites nearby.

We were very fortunate to find Mónica, and enjoyed her absolutely fantastic tour of Tomar’s stunning Convento de Cristo. We were so impressed with her broad historical knowledge, which she made very relatable throughout the tour. She clearly has a strong passion for her hometown, and we can certainly see why as it is a very special place. We also learned a lot about the remarkable history of Portugal throughout the centuries, and Mónica even followed up with us after the tour to suggest some additional reading materials which was very much appreciated. Do yourself a favor and book a visit with Mónica. You will not find a better guide, and without a doubt, your experience will be greatly enhanced.

Excellent and extremely knowledgeable guide. Monica was very friendly and accommodating. Did not feel rushed at all! Highly recommended!

We took a guided tour of the Convento de Cristo with Monica, and it was truly fascinating and extremely well done. She shared a wealth of engaging and insightful information, which allowed me to fully immerse myself in and appreciate the experience. Thank you again ❤️

Speechless. We did a tour inside the Convento de Cristo in Tomar. Really not just an intense and deep dive into the history of the place, the Templars Knights in Portugal, but also a very capable guide, helping, witty and both super-professional and friendly. Go there, and have a tour with Monica!

We had an amazing experience with this tour and specifically our guide, Monica! Not only was it incredibly fun but it was packed with fascinating information we never would have discovered on our own. Monica was fantastic—she shared stories and insights you can’t find in any guidebook, and her passion for the area made everything come alive. She even pointed out little details and hidden gems we would have completely missed without her expertise. On top of that, she took great photos for us along the way, so we could just enjoy the moment. We learned so much more than we ever expected, and it made the entire outing unforgettable. Highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants a deeper, more enjoyable experience!

Monica is amazing and a wealth of knowledge! We learned so much on the tour and she was so charming. She also gave us excellent recommendations on other places to visit and shop!

It was amazing experience with very interesting and deep dive into history! Monica was very informative and kind! Highly recommend!

We had an amazing time with Monica! Our family of four learnt so much from her. She was very kind and patient with our kids questions and helped us to understand the history of Templars and all Portugal. She engaged us all in looking for clues and signs. We started in Tomar Convent which is full of mysteries and you really appreciate someone who knows it there to explain you the details and stories. Then we continued to Fatima where she walked with us around the forest where Angel appeared to the Shepards kids and further to their homes and lastly where Virgin Mary appeared. Kids loved all the stories and learnt about the life in early 20th century. Monica was a true professional with fun approach!

Monica was an excellent guide. She was very knowledgeable and gave us some amazing insights into the history of the Templars and The convent of Christ. It was hard to believe that when we finished the tour two and a half hours had passed. Her attention to detail and the information about the architecture and the life of the Monks was extensive. I would highly recommend Monica and Enchanting histories.

Monica was an excellent tour guide for this experience. We arrived a little bit late after some delays picking up our rental car in Lisbon but Monica was still able to accommodate us. She was very knowledgeable about the history of Tomar, art and architectural features around the Convent and evolution of the religious orders. It was a great learning experience outside the regular tourist track of Portugal.

This is a really great tour of the Knights Templar castle and convent. Absolutely recommend this for your Tomar visit. Monica has a very detailed historical knowledge of the castle/ convent and it’s features, and I found her tour very informative and interesting.

Fabulous tour with Monica who explained the history, architecture and all the symbolism of the castle and convent. She’s very knowledgeable, personable and easy to understand. I highly recommend touring with her. You will be pleased.

Monica was excellent! So knowledgeable and attentive. It is so worth it to have someone explain the history and significance of what you are seeing and experiencing.

Monica is a student history, well versed in dealing with the public. She was extremely persistent in helping us get tickets into the chapel which we discovered was not part of the tour. She also gave insights into resources and other historical areas to visit, such as Almoural Castle.

Amazing tour with Monica! This is a special place with such fascinating history and stories. It was also worthwhile to be in a smaller town - recommend a day of just wandering and relaxing in Tomar before or after a tour.

Monica is a professional, extremely well prepared guide. She provided continuous information and explanation for everything that we were seeing. Highly recommended, great value, fantastic experience. One of the best tours we have been on.

Mónica’s knowledge was like traveling through time, so far above and beyond anything we imagined. My 4 friends and I had an absolute bliss from start to finish. I am so grateful for the experience – every single minute of her guided tour and explanations was fascinating. Truly amazing. You must do this with her!

Monica is such a wealth of information. She is a historian and told us about more than I ever could have dreamed of. She made the whole castle and convent come to life. She knew so many details about every room and what happened there, transporting us right back as if we were there. She could explain the different styles of Architecture. She would also point out so many little hidden detail details that I would miss if I went around by yourself.. if you get a chance to have a tour with Monica a true historian your experience at the convent and Castle will be so much better.

Fascinating history brought to life by Monica, an engaging guide, extremely knowledgeable, very fluent in English and made a memorable experience for us.

We had an excellent tour with Mónica. She was extremely knowledgeable, answered all our questions and conducted the tour at the perfect pace. We would have missed so much information about the Templar Knights and the Monastery had it not been for Mónica.

A MUST tour- history comes to life with Monica who is extremely knowledgeable, a great storyteller & interesting. MUST

WE met Monica accidentally, in the church of Santa Maria do Olival. I thought she was working and asked a question, she was so knowledgeable and helpful that we decided to take a tour with her the next day. The tour was exceptional, brilliant! So much depth and insight, not only the historical facts but conversations about the society and beliefs of those times. A fantastic morning spent with a local sage. we are lucky to meet Monica and we hope to visit again next year.

A wonderful visit with Mónica! She really took us back in time. We warmly recommend visiting the convent with such a knowledgeable guide who can explain about so many aspects of the history behind the construction and life of this wonderful place. Mónica also gave us nice tips for taking interesting pictures. A very professional, kind and fun person to spend time with. Thank you Mónica!

The tour with Monica was very interesting. We learned a lot about the Templar Knights and the convent. Monica is a very kind person and amazing guide.