Welcome to Portugal Holiday Villas - Holiday Villas, Apartments and Bed-and-Breakfasts near to historic Tomar, the ancient headquarters of the Knights Templar, and the rural heart of this sunny country.

For a countryside holiday retreat, most with private pool and no shared facilities, come and be introduced to relaxation, tranquility, history, lakes, caves, vineyards, handicrafts, a different gastronomy and lovely people. For the more energetic, there are exciting local activities - water parks, go-kart tracks and lots more - for both adults and children. Tourism has not yet spoilt the region which is mainly agricultural and enjoys warm sunshine from May to September, with just enough rain to keep the landscape green and fresh.

You can choose between Self Catering Villas and Apartments or Bed and Breakfast accommodation to suit your mood, your pocket and your holiday aspirations, be it family friendly homes, large parties needing room to get together and to find individual tranquility, to cosy cottages for romantic couples seeking a hideaway.

On your arrival you will be welcomed by us or the owners - your "support and local resource people". It's very important that you feel relaxed, comfortable and at home, so you get more than the keys to the rental home or villa with instructions on how to use the equipment. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide many of the extras you may require to make your holiday very special. Whenever you want help with where to go, what to do - an anniversary cake, flowers for that special occasion, a romantic meal for two with taxi organised, a special trip - the little things that it takes to make it a holiday full of happy memories, just say the word.

Arrival and Departure days are flexible for all of our villas so that guests can take advantage of cheaper fares on low-cost airlines. For example, on EasyJet from London to Lisbon in June, there is a saving per person by flying on Saturday rather than Sunday!

Portugal is one of the cheapest countries in Europe for food and drink. There are lots of small bars and cafes where you can have a lunchtime snack with a drink for two or three euros per person. An evening meal with drinks at a restaurant is usually around per person. Food costs at the supermarkets are in general much cheaper than in the UK and, to really save, the local weekly markets common in small towns throughout Portugal are cheaper than the supermarkets for fruit, vegetables, meat and bread.

See you soon! Carole and Vic.
Most of the villas are located around Tomar, the historical and geographical heart of Portugal. The castle/convent, ancient headquarters of the Knight Templars, towers over the cobblestone town.

The city is built on the river Naboa, and weeping willows and wisteria delight the eye in the heart of this sunny land. The narrow streets are full of the perfume of flowers and the atmosphere of yesteryear. Locally, life is still based on domestic agriculture - nearly all our neighbours grow grapes for their own wine to drink with friends and family - conviviality is a part of the culture and we like you to experience that too.

The Casa Das Flores apartments are close to Leiria, the name of both a city and a region with a long and varied heritage - ancient castles, battle sites from the Christian Reconquest, convents and monasteries plus large tracts of historic pine forests.

This region traditionally produces food, wine, ceramics, art glass and crystal with industries such as rush and reed crafts, quarrying, farming and fishing.

There are museums - caves – dinosaur tracks (the real thing) - serras - theatre and associated arts.

There are the ancient castles of Tomar (once the home of the Knights Templar), Leiria, Montemor-o-Velho, Ourém, Penela, Pombal and Porto do Mós; the world famous religious shrine at Fatimá, plus other renowned historical sites such as Alcobaça, Aljubarrota, Batalha, Caldas da Rainha, Coimbra, Conimbriga and Óbidos.

You can walk high in the Serras and visit the cave systems of the Serra dos Candieiros; it is also possible to visit the site where you can see the footprints made by the dinosaurs that inhabited this region so very many years ago.

Close by is the Atlantic with amazingly long stretches of sandy beach, backed by dunes and pine forest in the main, but sometimes by dramatic rocky cliffs as at Nazaré and San Pedro do Moel.

Good links take you both by road and rail to Lisbon (and the Oceanario at the National Park), Fatima (the spiritual heart and pilgrimage centre), and the university towns of Coimbra (the ancient capital of Portugal) and Porto (for a river boat visit to the port houses). Then the Golden Eagle golf course at Caldas da Rainha is about an hour’s drive away and well worth the trip.

The year is filled with events - festivals of jazz, dance, beer and local handicraft.