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Portugal a pleasure. Primary and secondary roads are well main- tained, signage is good and service plazas, with excellent cafés, are immaculate.


Knights & Castles 3


Tomar and its environs have enough historical and ecclesi- astical treasures to make your head spin. Among them are no less than three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: ethereal Alcobaça Monastery, founded by the Order of Cistercians in 1153 and the largest Gothic religious structure in Portugal; soaring Batalha Monastery, another magnificent example of Portuguese Gothic architecture; and—most flamboyant of all— the Convent of Christ, originally the Portuguese headquarters of the crusader-era Knights Templar, an order that became the Knights of Christ in the 14th century.


1. Monsaraz. 2. Convent of Christ, Tomar. 3. 17th-century tile, Vila Viçosa. 4. Pousada Mosteiro do Crato. 5. Elvas.


Alcobaça, built by Portugal’s first king to commemorate a victory over the Moors, became an important royal abbey. In a place of honor on each side of the transept are the elaborately carved tombs of King Pedro and his beloved mistress, Inês, be-


FOR MORE INFORMATION


PLAN YOUR TRIP visitportugal.com


visitalentejo.pt centerofportugal.com


GETTING THERE TAP Portugal


A member of the Star Alliance, Portugal’s national airline offers service from Newark to Lisbon and Oporto. New this year are hourly flights between Lisbon and Oporto. Friendly service, excellent food and wines, and over 100 movies make TAP a pleasure to fly. In 2017, TAP will be the first to launch the new Airbus A33neo airliner, designed with fuel economy and passenger comfort in mind. flytap.com, 800-221-7370.


Auto Europe


With connections in 180 countries, this award-winning U.S.-based rental car aggregator helps customers find the lowest rates. Downloadable guides detail regulations and insurance considerations in every country. autoeurope .ca, 888-223-5555.


ACCOMMODATIONS Hotel dos Templários Luz Houses


Quinta das Lavandas


hoteldostemplarios.pt luzhouses.pt


quintadaslavandas.pt


Pousada Mosteiro do Crato pousadas.pt/en/hotel/pousada-crato Alentejo Marmòris Hotel & Spa alentejomarmoris.com Pousada da Rainha Santa Isabel pousadas.pt/en/hotel/pousada-estremoz


115 CSD


Official site of the Portuguese National Tourist Office The Alentejo region The Centro region


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headed by Pedro’s father (and posthumously coronated by Pedro!). The Batalha Monastery (batalha means “battle” in Portuguese) is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and commemorates a decisive Portuguese military


victory over the Spanish in 1385. Tomar’s Convent of Christ is perhaps the most fascinating. Its polygonal church, dating to the 12th century, is said to be patterned after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.


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