ITINERARY FOR UNIVERSITY OF ÉVORA FOUR DAY FIELD TRIP

"HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF MODERN PORTUGAL"

DAY 1

DEPART ÉVORA FOR COIMBRA

MOTOR COACH TO COIMBRA.

AFTERNOON TOUR OF COIMBRA INCLUDING UNIVERSITY OF COIMBRA, PORTUGAL'S FIRST UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHED IN 1290.

Situated on a hillside on the banks of the Mondego River, Coimbra is Portugal's 3rd largest city and was the country's first capital. The tall towers of its medieval university, which has long dominated the intellectual life of Portugal, overlook the town. The most fascinating part of the University is that portion which occupies what remains of the old royal residence, which King João III turned over to the University in 1537. There are many impressive buildings to see on campus, but the most impressive is the Biblioteca Joanina built during the reign of King João V in 1724. We will also visit the Old Romanesque Cathedral, which dates from 1140.

OVERNIGHT COIMBRA

DAY 2

MORNING DEPARTURE. VISIT CONIMBRIGA, LARGEST ROMAN SETTLEMENT DISCOVERED IN PORTUGAL.

Conímbriga is one of the most impressive ruins found in the Iberian Peninsula. Particularly impressive are the well-preserved mosaic floors. The site was occupies in the Iron Age by Celts, but what we see today are preserved ruins of a Roman town founded in the 1st century.

DEPART FOR GUIMARAES, BIRTHPLACE OF THE KINGDOM OF PORTUGAL. ALFONSO-HENRIQUES WAS BORN IN THE CASTLE IN 1110 AND DECLARED HIMSELF KING IN 1139. In the 10th Century Guimaraes was little more that a monastery and defensive fortification. In 1095 Alfonso VI of Castile-Leon gave the County of Portocale to his daughter Teresa, and her husband Henry of Burgundy who enlarged the castle into a major fortification. There is a small Romanesque Church in front of the castle where it is said Alfonso Henrique was baptized. Also of interest is the 16th century Ducal Palace, which was reconstructed in the 1930's by Salazar and became one of his favorite residences.

OVERNIGHT GUIMARAES

DAY 3

VISITS AT CITANIA BRITEIROS, AN IRON AGE PRE-ROMAN CELTIC COMMUNITY, ONE OF PORTUGAL'S MOST IMPORTANT ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES

DEPART FOR LEIRIA. VISIT THE MEDIEVAL CASTLE.

Leiria was founded in the 1st century by the Romans and called Collipo. When Alfonso Henrique captured the area from the Moors he had a fortified castle built in 1135. Alfonso II held one of the first meetings of the Portuguese Parliament in the castle in 1254. However, with the capture of Lisbon in 1147 the interest of the Portuguese kings shifted south and the castle eventually fell into ruin due to neglect. King Dinis who turned it into a royal residence restored it in the 14th century. Within the interior of the castle stand the remains of a beautiful Gothic Church.

OVERNIGHT LEIRIA.

DAY 4.

DEPART LEIRIA FOR BATALHA, HOME OF PORTUGAL'S MOST MAGNIFICENT CHURCH. THE CHURCH AND MONASTERY OF BATALHA WERE BUILT TO CELEBRATE PORTUGAL'S UNEXPECTED AND SPECTACULAR VICTORY OVER SPAIN AT ALJUBARROTA IN 1385 WHICH PRESERVED THE POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE OF PORTUGAL.

KING JOAO I VOWED HE WOULD BUILD A MAGNIFICENT CHURCH IF HE WERE VICTORIOUS. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GOTHIC CHURCH COMMENCED IN 1388 AND CONTINUED FOR 145 YEARS. IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH IS A MAGNIFICENT EQUESTRIAN STATUE OF NUNO ALVARES PEREIRA, THE YOUTHFUL COMMANDER WHO LED THE PORTUGUESE TO THIS STUNNING VICTORY.

PROCEED TO ALCOBACA TO VISIT THE INCREDIBLE CISTERCIAN CHURCH AND ABBEY COMPLETED IN 1253. THE CHURCH ALSO HOLDS THE TOMBS OF THE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS, KING DOM PEDRO I AND INES DE CASTRO.

The sight of its magnificent Cistercian Abbey, the Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaca, dominates the small town of Alcobaca (at the confluence of the Alcoa and Baca Rivers). Portugal's first king, Alfonso Henriques is believed to have vowed that he would found a monastery if he captured the strategic city of Santarém from the Moors. He fulfilled his vow and construction of the great church began in 1153 and continued until 1253. It stands today as Portugal's largest church. The Baroque facade was added in the 17th and 18th centuries. King Dinis added the main cloister in the early 14th Century.

While the interior is in the typical austere style of the Cistercians, there are a number of beautiful examples of sculpture, including the 14th century tombs of King Pedro I and Inês De Castro.

CONTINUE ON TO TOMAR

Tomar

Tomar is a charming town. Tomar is located 137km (85mi) NE of Lisbon and is intimately related to the Order of the Knights Templar. Tomar is dominated by a 12th-century Templar castle containing one of the country's most significant and impressive monuments, the Convent of Christ (declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO).

The Order of the Knights Templar helped the Portuguese fight the Moors in the 12th and 13th centuries and was rewarded with extensive land and political power. By 1314, the Templars had amassed both great riches and many enemies and the pope (encouraged by King Philip of France) outlawed the order. King Dinis however, protected the Order in Portugal and renamed it the Order of Christ. Henry the Navigator became the most famous of the grand masters, using much of their money to subsidize his explorations.

In 1418 Prince Henry built the extraordinary Charola and the Templars' fortress. In the 1550's the Great Cloister and Manueline flourishes were added.

An elaborate portal leads to the outstanding nave with exuberant Manueline decoration. Tomar convent cloisters Next to it is the Charola where the Templars attended mass on horseback, with a layout based on the Rotunda of Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre. It has a central octagon of altars and includes 16th-century paintings and frescoes.

EARLY EVENING RETURN TO ÉVORA