Day 2 - Tomar, Fatima, Batalha, Nazare

We took a day trip about two hours south of Braga to visit several cities with great historical sites. 

We started in Tomar where we saw the Knights Templar Castle and the Convent of Christ. 

The Knights Templar Castle was built in 1160. 

Right next to the castle is the Convent of Christ. It is under renovation, but we were able to see most of it. There were several beautiful courtyards and a dining hall that could be the great hall in Harry Potter. 

Traditional Portuguese tiles

Dome Chapel

Dormitories 

Furnace room where they build the fire and heat goes through ducts (rectangle opening high on the wall).

Dining hall

Kitchen

Under ground water storage

We went to lunch in a town called Ourem. The T-bone steak was raised locally. They sear the outside and bring a hot stone where you put the pieces of meat on to finish to your liking. 

After lunch, we went to Fatima to see the Basilica of Fatima. 

Our next stop was the Batalha Monastery. There was a church attached and the unfinished chapel. 

Exterior 

Chapel - the ceiling is about 100 feet high. The pictures don’t capture the grandeur. 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - similar to the U.S. one in D.C., active duty military guard the tomb.

Unfinished chapel

Our last stop today was Nazare to watch the sunset. Nazare is known for its waves and surfing, but the ocean was calm. 

A beautiful way to end a busy day of sight seeing! 

A big thanks to Eduardo for his generosity, driving, and sharing his knowledge of Portuguese history.