Our trip to Portugal was in the spring, April 8-16, and we were blessed with the extraordinary experience of Knights Templar Tours in Portugal. Found them on the internet when I was looking for someone who could provide an intelligent custom multi-day tour of Portugal at a reasonable price. We didn’t want to drive and we wanted a guide with REAL expert knowledge, one who could give an insightful account of the history and cultural significance of the places we were going to visit. Our two teenage children were traveling with us so I wanted the trip to be an educational one. Knights Templar Tours delivers all this and more!
What sets Knights Templar Tours apart from all the other tour providers I had contacted is their willingness to go the extra mile to make your tour exactly the way you want it, with smart suggestions on how to maximize your experience of the sights, all within budget. And simply put, they’re all very, very nice people!
Peter Moore genuinely tried to help me figure out the logistics of my itinerary without expecting me to actually place a booking with his company. He offered to help me with information on train routes and schedules. I really appreciated that, and it certainly made me take a second look! It was a pleasure working with Peter, even his after-sales service is impeccable. He is always very courteous, respectful and unassuming in his emails. You really get a sense of the company’s mission and their commitment to personalized service. Dealing with Knights Templar Tours is easy and effortless; you will be taken care of. There is no English language barrier as Peter is British, and he has travelled extensively himself, so communicating the many nuances of what you want out of a travel experience is very easy.
Although Knights Templar Tours seems to focus on central Portugal, they most certainly cover the entire country. We started off in Porto, then headed north to Guimaraes and Braga. We had booked a separate hiking tour in Gerés National Park with a local guide. After Gerés we headed to the central region, visiting Aveiro, Buçaco forest, Coimbra, Fatima, and Tomar before heading to Lisbon along the coastal towns of Nazaré, with a delightful stop at Obidos. We capped the weeklong journey with tours of Lisbon and the surrounding coastal areas of Sintra, Estoril, Cabo de Roca, and Cascais.
Our guide was João Fiandeiro Santos, who is truly an expert on all of Portugal! He’s exceptional. His knowledge of Templar history is extraordinary, as is his passion for Portugal and its culture. His ability to share this with others in a very engaging manner makes for a wonderful tour. We enjoyed many walks with João, and the feeling was always like an old friend showing you his neighborhood. He is an easygoing fellow who tirelessly answered what must have been more than a thousand questions! Indeed, he had an answer for almost everything, and he widened our perspective. Our kids were fascinated by the history, the symbolisms inherent in the architectural elements of the monuments, and the evolution of the country and its people. João is able to relate the past with the present, providing you with a different world-view of things. Our discussions also revolved around Western esotericism and its various movements throughout the ages–touching many areas of philosophy, religion, art, science, popular culture as well as counter-culture. It was a very interesting learning adventure for all of us!
It was fun driving around with João. He is an excellent driver who managed the time very well. We sampled local cuisine–the francesinha of Porto, the roast piglet of the central region, and the seafood stew of the coast, among many others. João managed to get us a table with an incredible view of the coast in Nazaré and we had an unforgettable meal there! All of João’s guided tours were excellent, and some of our favorites were the Igreja de São Francisco in Porto, the Biblioteca Joanina in Coimbra, the Convent of Christ in Tomar, and the Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra. João was in his element in these special places. He brought them to life in a way that no other guide or guidebook can. It was as if we were with a Templar knight himself!
This was a truly memorable trip and our only regret is not planning for a longer one. But then again that gives us a reason to return, and we will surely contact Knights Templar Tours again.