There is one thing that Tomar doesn’t lack and that is Coffee Shops. Everywhere you go, be it in the central areas or in the outskirts of the city, you are bound to always find Cafes nearby. Coffee Shops are part of the Portuguese culture as it is there that people get together to talk, make friends and of course drink a coffee or “bica”. Many people even prefer to go to a coffee shop to write something. rather than going to a library. These photos below were shot in different areas of Tomar like Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeira, Praça da República and Rua dos Arcos.
This coffee shop in a small lane close to Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeira in Tomar
This an esplanade and cafe located at Praça da República in Tomar, In summer people love to have their coffees outside
This coffee shop is called Tendinha and it is very old, located at Rua dos Arcos in Tomar
These coffee shops are located in completely different areas of Tomar. The first photo is the coffee shop at the Convent of Christ. You can enjoy an excellent coffee with cakes and have lunch too if you are happy with sandwiches. The second photo is Café do Rio at Rua Marquês de Pombal. It’s name derives from the fact that it’s close to Nabão River as “Rio” means “River”. The third coffee shop called Covil dos Templários (Den of the Templars) is at Rua Cândido Madureira, and interesting enough this is exactly the house I lived in the sixties when I was a kid. It was a house with ground and first floor. The ground floor has become this coffee shop, while the first floor is now a dental clinic.
This is the the coffee shop and cafeteria located at the Convent of Christ in the City of Tomar
This coffee shop is called Café Rio and is close to Nabão River (Rio Nabão) at Rua Marquês de Pombal in Tomar
Covil dos Templários is a small coffee shop at Rua Cândido Madureira, close to the Seven Hills National Forest in Tomar
This Pastry shop called Pastelaria Avózinha, which is also a coffee shop, is quite close from my mother’s apartment and it’s located at Rua dos Voluntários da República in the City of Tomar. My wife used to buy bread and pastries there and sometimes we would also have a cup of coffee. Interesting enough there is a radio station in Tomar, called Rádio Hertz which sometimes runs interviews directly from this pastry shop. This radio program is called ‘À mesa do café’ (At the table of the coffee shop).
My wife, my son and I, walking to the pastry shop Pastelaria Avózinha in the City of Tomar, to have a "bica" which is a traditonal Portuguese cup of coffee.
Another photo of Pastelaria Avózinha, located at Rua dos Voluntários da República in Tomar. In summer they also have an esplanade on the footpath outside
This is Pastelaria Avózinha inside. They serve an excellent coffee and their bread and pastries are fantastic. My wife is at the counter ordering some pastries
This Coffee and Pastry Shop in the City of Tomar, known in Portuguese as Pastelaria Estrelas de Tomar, opened its doors in 1960, which makes them one of the oldest coffee shops in town. I remember that from the mid 70’s to the mid 80’s, you could hardly find a free table at certain hours of the day, such was its popularity. Now Tomar is a larger town with new suburbs and new coffee shops and as result you can always find a nice table to enjoy a good espresso coffee and eat one of its delicious and traditional pastries.
This photo of Pastelaria Estrelas de Tomar, was shot from across Nabão River at Mouchão Park. This is a coffee and pastry shop that opened its doors more than 50 years ago
Photo taken inside Pastelaria Estrelas de Tomar. On the other side of the window is Rua Marquês de Tomar, Nabão River and Mouchão Park. You can have a coffee while enjoying nice views
This is an aromatic Portuguese espresso coffee, also known as bica, served at Pastelaria Estrelas de Tomar. My wife was the one stirring the coffee before drinking it
I used to be a regular customer of another coffee shop in Tomar, but sometimes, when the other one was closed or at night, I would also visit D’Arco Coffee Shop at Avenida Norton de Matos, to have a “bica” which is a typical Portuguese espresso coffee. D’Arco Coffee Shop used to belong to a family and they all worked there, including his teenager son who now must be in his 40’s. I also remember that one of his coffee shop waiters, was a young man who later went to university to study law, and he is now a Portuguese Judge. He is probably being treated as “your honour” when he is in a court of law.
This is the esplanade of D'Arco Coffee Shop at Avenida Norton de Matos in Tomar, Portugal. I didn't have the opportunity to take photos on the Café inside
Outside D'Arco Coffee Shop you can enjoy a "bica" (espresso coffee) under the shade of a canopy. In summer people often prefer to be served outside
Another view of a canopy, a table and chairs of D'Arco Coffee Shop in the City of Tomar. Nearby, to the right of this avenue, is the hedquarters of Tomar firefighters
Just seven months and 15 days, after the revolution of 1910 in Portugal, which transformed the country from a Monarchy into a Republic, Café Paraíso (Paradise Coffee Shop), opened its doors in the City of Tomar, on the 20th of May, 1911. In the beginning Café Paraíso was owned by five partners but in time only Mr. Manuel Cândido Mota remained, and since then, this 100 years old coffee shop, located at Rua Serpa Pinto (Corredoura), has belonged to the same family.
Café Paraíso on the left, at Rua Serpa Pinto (Corredoura) in Tomar. This is a 100 years coffee shop, which opened its doors in 1911. In summer they also have an esplanade outside.
The entrance to Café Paraíso at Corredoura in the City of Tomar. It was a rainy when I shot this photo. At night Paradise Coffee Shop also operates as a bar, until 2.00AM.
There was a time Café Paraíso was the coffee shop where the elders of Tomar used to gather to have coffee and chat. As time went by and senior people passed away the clientele changed. Now it's patrons are a mix of people of all ages
I remember that when I arrived in Portugal coming from Angola in 1975, I immediately became a regular patron of Santa Iria Coffee Shop (Café Santa Iria) in Tomar, which is located at Rua Marquês de Pombal. I was 21 years old, and at the time it was the place to be for young people. It was there that I met all my new friends, who were introduced to me by Luiz Filipe Lopes Diz, who I used to muck around with in the 60’s when I lived in Tomar for a couple of years. It was also here that I first saw the lady who I later got married with and who is still my wife. I have great memories of Santa Iria Coffee Shop and of course I went there a few times in 2010 to enjoy the traditional bica (Portuguese expresso coffee).
This is the street Rua Marquês de Pombal in Tomar, Portugal, and on the right is Santa Iria Coffee Shop, one of the oldest and more interesting coffee shops in town
Another view of Café Santa Iria in the City of Tomar with lots of people outside. This was the first coffee shop that I became a regular customer
When I shot this photo of Santa Iria Coffee Shop I was sitting on a bench nearby. Behind me was the Chapel of Santa Iria. That's why this Café is named Santa Iria