Santarem or Tomar for a Rest Day

[Kev&Kath]

Will be walking the CM this time next year starting in Lisbon. Will be in no rush, and was looking for advice from those that have walked on perspectives of Santarem versus Tomar for a rest day. Will be cutting over to visit Fatima for a couple of nights after the day off.

Any specific recollections of either town....appreciated!

 

[trecile]

I don't know what you mean by the CM, but Tomar I would choose Tomar.

Tomar, a Templar City | www.visitportugal.com

Former seat of the Order of the Knights Templar, Tomar is a city of great charm for its artistic and cultural wealth, whose greatest expression is in the Convent of Christ, one of the chief works of the Portuguese Renaissance. Whatever your reason for visiting the city, climbing up to the...

www.visitportugal.com

 

[jungleboy]

Tomar, most definitely. Santarém is nice but you can see its highlights in an hour or so in the afternoon after you arrive. Tomar has the Convento do Cristo, which is the most impressive historic attraction on the CP (in my view) and is best appreciated on a rest day rather than hurriedly/tiredly after a day's walk. Another recommended thing to do in Tomar that takes some time is to walk out to the aqueduct, although if your Fátima diversion is on foot anyway, then this is part of the Fátima-Tomar trail so you will get to walk it regardless.

 

[Kev&Kath]

I don't know what you mean by the CM, but Tomar I would choose Tomar.

Tomar, a Templar City | www.visitportugal.com

Former seat of the Order of the Knights Templar, Tomar is a city of great charm for its artistic and cultural wealth, whose greatest expression is in the Convent of Christ, one of the chief works of the Portuguese Renaissance. Whatever your reason for visiting the city, climbing up to the...

www.visitportugal.com

Trecile...thank you and my apologies...meant to be CP. Tomar looks it gets the nod from those that have walked this route!

 

[Kev&Kath]

Tomar, most definitely. Santarém is nice but you can see its highlights in an hour or so in the afternoon after you arrive. Tomar has the Convento do Cristo, which is the most impressive historic attraction on the CP (in my view) and is best appreciated on a rest day rather than hurriedly/tiredly after a day's walk. Another recommended thing to do in Tomar that takes some time is to walk out to the aqueduct, although if your Fátima diversion is on foot anyway, then this is part of the Fátima-Tomar trail so you will get to walk it regardless.

Jungleboy...thank you! I'll be planning for a break in Tomar, and I think we would enjoy the Convento do Christo. Appreciate the recommendation!!

 

[trecile]

I'll be planning for a break in Tomar, and I think we would enjoy the Convento do Christo.

I arrived too late in the day to visit inside the Convent (well, it was too late after I washed my clothes and rested a bit). I took a tuktuk up to the Convent, just to see from the outside, and the view up there, and walked back down. On the way back down I came across these lovely gardens that are part of Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes (Seven Hills National Forest)

Seven Hills National Forest · Avenida Dr. Vieira Guimarães 1 2300, Tomar, Portugal

★★★★★ · Garden

goo.gl

​

 

[Kev&Kath]

I arrived too late in the day to visit inside the Convent (well, it was too late after I washed my clothes and rested a bit). I took a tuktuk up to the Convent, just to see from the outside, and the view up there, and walked back down. On the way back down I came across these lovely gardens that are part of Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes (Seven Hills National Forest)

Seven Hills National Forest · Avenida Dr. Vieira Guimarães 1 2300, Tomar, Portugal

★★★★★ · Garden

goo.gl

View attachment 154873​

Looks terrific!! Thanks for sharing.

I've just started familiarising myself with the CP...and I'm quite confused (in a nice way) thus far. I just received John Brierley's (RIP) guide...and now wrestling with the four routes explained therein. I was initially thinking (before getting the guide) of walking the coastal route (Camino da Costa), but it really looks more complicated the further north you progress. I also sense a good few pilgrims avoid the coast...and I'm non the wiser on why. That said, I very much enjoy this time of 'discovery' and soliciting advice from those that have walked!

 

[trecile]

Looks terrific!! Thanks for sharing.

I've just started familiarising myself with the CP...and I'm quite confused (in a nice way) thus far. I just received John Brierley's (RIP) guide...and now wrestling with the four routes explained therein. I was initially thinking (before getting the guide) of walking the coastal route (Camino da Costa), but it really looks more complicated the further north you progress. I also sense a good few pilgrims avoid the coast...and I'm non the wiser on why. That said, I very much enjoy this time of 'discovery' and soliciting advice from those that have walked!

I have only done the Central route. Based on what others have told me if you really like walking on beach boardwalks then the coastal is for you.
However a friend told me that some of the beach towns can start to look like beach towns anywhere, and that the Central route has more variety. This is second hand, so I don't know how true it is.

 

[dougfitz]

I chose to take a rest day in Tomar, after walking to Fatima from Lisbon, and catching the bus back to rejoin the CP Central route. Santarem was a little too early in my walk to be a good candidate for that. Tomar wasn't quite right either, but in terms of interesting things to do, it was a much better choice than anything in the few days afterwards.

 

[Kev&Kath]

I chose to take a rest day in Tomar, after walking to Fatima from Lisbon, and catching the bus back to rejoin the CP Central route. Santarem was a little too early in my walk to be a good candidate for that. Tomar wasn't quite right either, but in terms of interesting things to do, it was a much better choice than anything in the few days afterwards.

Dougfitz thanks for this. At this early planning phase I have us walking to Tomar, then we'll bus to Fatima for a couple of days...then bus back to Tomar to continue north (we won't have the extra few days to walk Tomar to Fatima return. I'm interested, though, in your walk to Fatima. We'd prefer to 'walk' there, but I was planning on the belief that Santarem was a 'not to be missed' town.

 

[dougfitz]

I'm interested, though, in your walk to Fatima. We'd prefer to 'walk' there, but I was planning on the belief that Santarem was a 'not to be missed' town.

The Fatima route along the Rio Tejo goes through Santarem. That is where the CP heads in a more northerly direction, and the Caminho Tejo heads generally to the north west. There are other routes to Fatima that don't go through Santarem, which other forum members have done, but you don't need to miss Santarem to walk to Fatima.

edit: if you are visiting Fatima with the intent of participating in the religious ceremonies, you will might find enough to occupy a couple of days. I didn't, and found that you can see pretty much all of the sanctuary area in half a day or less, and still have time for souvenir shopping.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Don't know much about Santarem, and whilst I personally find the Youth Hostel in Tomar to be pretty obnoxious, never mind that I stayed there twice last year on the way in towards and then out away from Fátima -- if you can find the cheap bars and restaurants as opposed to the full-on tourist trap places, Tomar can be great !!

There's one place to eat on probably Travessa de S. João left out of the Youth Hostel then second street on the left which is both cheap and good, just a normal menu, lunch and dinner both. Good people running it too.

As to a normal café, flee the centre and you'll find one. Also supermarkets.

As to Fátima, on the way between Fátima and Tomar there is Fungalvaz, where there is a very simple Albergue among the purest, as well as an absolutely fantastic bar-restaurant -- and that route is best walked Fátima > Tomar than the other direction. Some of the views along that way are stone cold spectacular !!

 

[Pilgrim9]

" to Fatima for a couple of days "

Fatima is pleasant but it is not a large place. I explored the town quite thoroughly and saw everything I wanted to see in one full day.

 

[t2andreo]

Looks terrific!! Thanks for sharing.

I've just started familiarising myself with the CP...and I'm quite confused (in a nice way) thus far. I just received John Brierley's (RIP) guide...and now wrestling with the four routes explained therein. I was initially thinking (before getting the guide) of walking the coastal route (Camino da Costa), but it really looks more complicated the further north you progress. I also sense a good few pilgrims avoid the coast...and I'm non the wiser on why. That said, I very much enjoy this time of 'discovery' and soliciting advice from those that have walked!

The more traditional interior or central route has more pilgrim related services and accommodations than the coastal route. The Coastal Route is a more recent phenomenon. It has adequate support provisions, but not as many or as convenient as the central / interior route - at least IMHO.

Plus, the ocean is the same one that east coast Americans and Canadians see at home - just from a different angle. There is no difference, except the sun is in the wrong place. At least that was my observation - I was living in Florida at the time. So, most of the seaside stuff was "ho hum..."

One year, leaving Porto, I started to follow the coastal route. After one day of being underwhelmed, I cut back over to the traditional interior / central route.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[lt56ny]

Tomar is a more interesting city for sure, in my opinion. I stayed at this albergue:

Hostel 2300 Thomar | Albergue de Peregrinos en Tomar | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Hostel 2300 Thomar, en Tomar: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

The owner was really nice and helpful. Clean and comfortable. If my memory serves me correctly there is a really good Italian restaurant on the same street. I believe it was to the left when you left the albergue. Three cheers for my dear college buddy Jerry who offered to take me there for dinner and did pick up the check!!!! Love you Jerry.

 

[MesaWalker]

Besides the Convento do Cristo above the city and walking to the amazing aqueduct (if you won't have already seen it), Tomar has a very interesting Templar church in the town, the oldest synagogue in Portugal which is now a small museum, and a lovely river and park running through the city. Tomar is a real gem. I also recall excellent pastries, but I guess when you're on the Iberian peninsula, so you come to expect that!

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

Will be walking the CM this time next year starting in Lisbon. Will be in no rush, and was looking for advice from those that have walked on perspectives of Santarem versus Tomar for a rest day. Will be cutting over to visit Fatima for a couple of nights after the day off.

Any specific recollections of either town....appreciated!

It sounds like the general vote is for Tomar--I would tend to agree. The sights are close together, and the Convent of Christ is spectacular--the government's historical-monuments department has just been sprucing it up, and photos I've seen are quite spectacular!

However, Tomar is much more a tourist town than it was in 2017, when we first visited. The old part of town, particularly, has changed, with a lot of upscale and pricey restaurants.

Two places that still exist primarily for the locals are Pastelaria Tropical, which has some of the tastiest baking and other snacks I've come across in central Portugal (not as sweet as is typical), and Cervejaria .do Fernando (shown as Fernando's Brewery on Google Maps.) This is not a pub but a small local restaurant.

Both of these are walking distance from the hostels where most peregrinos stay, but not in the main square. Highly recommended and affordable!



Bom caminho!

 

[John Sikora]

One more vote for Tomar. Santarem is very nice but it's not as nice as Tomar. As others have stated, make sure you find the time to see the Convento. Also, the area along the river is very nice for dinner. If memory serves, the walk into Tomar is less than inspiring but don't let that set your mood. The central area is really nice.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I agree with the majority and choose Tomar...it's totally awesome! In addition to most everything it offers, I loved walking the castle walls and seeing the colorful rooftops below.

 

[Kev&Kath]

The more traditional interior or central route has more pilgrim related services and accommodations than the coastal route. The Coastal Route is a more recent phenomenon. It has adequate support provisions, but not as many or as convenient as the central / interior route - at least IMHO.

Plus, the ocean is the same one that east coast Americans and Canadians see at home - just from a different angle. There is no difference, except the sun is in the wrong place. At least that was my observation - I was living in Florida at the time. So, most of the seaside stuff was "ho hum..."

One year, leaving Porto, I started to follow the coastal route. After one day of being underwhelmed, I cut back over to the traditional interior / central route.

Hope this helps.

Tom

Tom...thank you...yes...that is helpful. We're in GA (definitely NOT coastal) and, for whatever reason, seem drawn to the coastal path. That said, like you, if it all becomes 'much of a muchness' then good to know a change to the interior is always there as an option. Cheers!

 

[JabbaPapa]

The more traditional interior or central route has more pilgrim related services and accommodations than the coastal route. The Coastal Route is a more recent phenomenon. It has adequate support provisions, but not as many or as convenient as the central / interior route - at least IMHO.

The Coastal has great infrastructure -- the real difference is it's a lot more expensive day-to-day.

 

[peregrinaTrish]

Another vote for Tomar for a rest day. I only had a few hours when I visited and wished I'd had more time. Same highlights mentioned previously.

That said I really enjoyed my afternoon/evening in Santarem when I walked the Lisbon-Fatima route (2019): especially wandering around the historic area, St Stephens-Santuário do Santíssimo Milagre (eucharistic miracle site), Santarem Cathedral-Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, and the Jardim das Portas do Sol (particularly at sunset) to look out over the valley you've just crossed. Breathtaking & such a sense of accomplishment.

In Fatima, staying overnight means you'll be able to participate in the international rosary and candlelight procession around the plaza which were highlights for me. So beautiful. Also, walking around the sanctuary at daybreak before it gets crowded.

Bom Caminho!

 

[Kev&Kath]

Another vote for Tomar for a rest day. I only had a few hours when I visited and wished I'd had more time. Same highlights mentioned previously.

That said I really enjoyed my afternoon/evening in Santarem when I walked the Lisbon-Fatima route (2019): especially wandering around the historic area, St Stephens-Santuário do Santíssimo Milagre (eucharistic miracle site), Santarem Cathedral-Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, and the Jardim das Portas do Sol (particularly at sunset) to look out over the valley you've just crossed. Breathtaking & such a sense of accomplishment.

In Fatima, staying overnight means you'll be able to participate in the international rosary and candlelight procession around the plaza which were highlights for me. So beautiful. Also, walking around the sanctuary at daybreak before it gets crowded.

Bom Caminho!

Trish - thank you! My wife and I participated in the the candlelight procession at Lourdes...and would look to repeat at Fatima. Your pic of same is outstanding. Like you..we're usually early risers on Camino, and would also be in for an early morning walk before breakfast!

Trish - did you walk to Fatima, or bus from Santarem/Tomar? Cheers.

 

[peregrinaTrish]

Trish - thank you! My wife and I participated in the the candlelight procession at Lourdes...and would look to repeat at Fatima. Your pic of same is outstanding. Like you..we're usually early risers on Camino, and would also be in for an early morning walk before breakfast!

Trish - did you walk to Fatima, or bus from Santarem/Tomar? Cheers.

I walked from Lisbon to Fatima. (Stages: Lisbon, Alpriate, Via Franca de Xira, Azambaja, Santarem, Amiais de Baixo, Fatima - some long stretches but a wonderful experience.) Once in Fatima we hired MyDayTrip.com to drive us from Fatima to Tomar/Batalha/Alcobaca for some whirlwind, post-pilgrimage tourism and then drop us in Lisbon for our flight home. It seemed a shame to be so close to these UNESCO World Heritage sites and not visit them, even if briefly. Very glad we did!
Some day I will make it to Lourdes!

 

[jayree]

Tomar for sure but if you want a second rest day consider Coimbra.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Tomar for sure but if you want a second rest day consider Coimbra.

Yes, another goodie.

 

[Kev&Kath]

I walked from Lisbon to Fatima. (Stages: Lisbon, Alpriate, Via Franca de Xira, Azambaja, Santarem, Amiais de Baixo, Fatima - some long stretches but a wonderful experience.) Once in Fatima we hired MyDayTrip.com to drive us from Fatima to Tomar/Batalha/Alcobaca for some whirlwind, post-pilgrimage tourism and then drop us in Lisbon for our flight home. It seemed a shame to be so close to these UNESCO World Heritage sites and not visit them, even if briefly. Very glad we did!
Some day I will make it to Lourdes!

Thanks again Trish. Appreciate your detail on stages walked to Fatima...very useful and informative. Cheers.

 

[Lleslie]

We ended up with 3 nights in Tomar, had planned a rest day then ended up there the night before as the albergue in Asseiceira was full. Stayed that night in Hostel 2300 in a dorm - nice hostel in main street of the old town then changed to our pre booked accommodation at Thomar Story Guest House just around the corner - much quieter and lovely - would recommend. Really enjoyed Tomar for the sites others mentioned. Enjoyed an excellent meal at the Taverna Antiqua in the main square and at Tomar in Love cafe a couple of streets over. It's a new cafe run by a couple of African ladies - the chicken dish was excellent! On our unplanned second rest day we took a taxi 10k north to Calvinos and walked back to Tomar to shorten the next stage which had the advantage of walking down that mostly up hill section.

 

[p3nny]

After walking Lisbon to Fatima, we took a rest day in Tomar. Loved it. Hard to call it a rest day, though. We spent hours in the Convento de Cristo, also walked along the aqueduct and all through Tomar. We also arrived during a medieval festival. Bonus!

 

[Kev&Kath]

Tomar for sure but if you want a second rest day consider Coimbra.

Jayree...yep...that's another town name that keeps cropping up in the planning! Cheers.

 

[Kev&Kath]

We ended up with 3 nights in Tomar, had planned a rest day then ended up there the night before as the albergue in Asseiceira was full. Stayed that night in Hostel 2300 in a dorm - nice hostel in main street of the old town then changed to our pre booked accommodation at Thomar Story Guest House just around the corner - much quieter and lovely - would recommend. Really enjoyed Tomar for the sites others mentioned. Enjoyed an excellent meal at the Taverna Antiqua in the main square and at Tomar in Love cafe a couple of streets over. It's a new cafe run by a couple of African ladies - the chicken dish was excellent! On our unplanned second rest day we took a taxi 10k north to Calvinos and walked back to Tomar to shorten the next stage which had the advantage of walking down that mostly up hill section.

Busy taking notes at this end! Thanks Lleslie.