“I thought I knew a fair bit about the Knights Templar. Turns out, not so much. That’s where Francisco really shined. On the drive out to Tomar — a quaint village northeast of Lisbon — he filled in all the gaps, especially the Templar ties to the birth of Portugal as a nation. His driving? Impeccable. Not once did we “fear for our lives” (a refreshing change, considering the rally-car experience we had with another company the very next day in Sintra). His knowledge of Portuguese history, and the role Tomar played in it, was stellar. We visited the Convent of Christ, a cathedral the Templars built – Church of Santa Maria do Olival, along with a river fort – Castelo de Almourol – they constructed (the river fort being a fabulous Geocache location to boot). Francisco even introduced us to a few authentic Portuguese dishes we never would have tried on our own. And, by pure luck, we shared the road with hundreds of motorcyclists on their annual pilgrimage to Fátima for the “Blessing of the Helmets.” A surreal, unforgettable moment. From now on, we’ll be looking for With Locals tours first. Our day with Francisco set the bar high – and after the subpar “Get Your Supposed Guide” tour, the choice feels like a no-brainer. (If only we’d booked Francisco for both days, we’d have saved ourselves some awkward moments, heart racing, white-knuckle seat-gripping and a few gray hairs.)”
