The tour designed by Tiago led us through some of the most fascinating Monasteries in Portugal. We started with the Alcobaça Monastery, which is closely linked to the birth of Portugal as a Country and to the first dynasty of Portuguese monarchs. The monastery was established in the middle of the XII century by Afonso Henriques, even before he was recognized as the first Portuguese king. It was a gift to Bernard of Clairvaux, following the future king's conquest of the city of Santarém from the Moors in March 1147. Bernard of Clairvaux was the main responsible for the reform of the Cistercian Order, one of the main monastic orders in Europe for centuries, and the creator of the monastic rule followed by the Knights Templar, having been canonized just 21 years after his death by Pope Alexander III. The construction of the monastery was the fulfillment of a vow Afonso Henriques made in exchange for Bernard of Clairvaux's spiritual support in the conquest of Santarém. The story of the foundation of the convent is beautifully portrayed in XVIII century tile panels in the Room of the Kings, where one can also appreciate a group of statues representing Afonso Henriques being crowned king by Alexander III in the presence of Saint Bernard. The Alcobaça Monastery was built following the Cistercian Order precepts, along lean architectonic lines and without decoration or images inside. The church and monastery were the first Gothic buildings in Portugal, representing the arrival of the style in the country. The construction of the complex was concluded in the XIII century, under King Denis I, who ordered the construction of the Gothic cloister (the Cloister of Silence). During the second dynasty of Portuguese monarchs, under King Manuel I, a second floor was added to the cloister and the new sacristy was built, both following the Manueline style, a characteristic Portuguese late Gothic style. In the XVIII century, the monastery received several additions in Baroque style, such as the towers of the church and the elaborate altarpieces, sculptures and tile panels. The Monastery’s association with the first dynasty of Portuguese monarchs led to it becoming one of the most important mediaeval monasteries in Portugal, and the richest and most influential in Portugal in the dawn of the XIV century. In the Church we also find the gothic tombs of King Pedro I and his mistress, Inês de Castro, main characters of the tragic story which involves the murder of Inês on the orders of Pedro's father, King Afonso IV, to prevent them from getting married, due to the consequences this marriage would have in the succession of the Crown of Portugal. In recognition of its artistic, cultural and historical relevance, Alcobaça Monastery was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1989. Tiago also managed to get us to visit the Woodcutting Cloister (“Claustro do Rachadoiro”), a space currently occupied by a hotel. After visiting the monastery, we took a short walk around the city of Alcobaça, followed by lunch at a local restaurant. We then headed to the Batalha Monastery. Officially known as the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory, the monastery was erected in fulfilment of a vow by King John I — the first monarch of the Aviz Dynasty, the second Portuguese royal dynasty — to commemorate the Portuguese victory over the Castilians at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385, which consolidated Portugal's independence from Spain. Built by the Dominican Order, it is a masterpiece of Gothic Art in Portugal that allows us to accompany the evolution such architectural style experienced in the two centuries the construction of the monastery lasted. The complex impresses with its features of the Flamboyant Gothic and Manueline styles. The spectacle is completed by the light entering through its stained-glass windows, which draws colorful patterns on the wall of the church. The connection of the Monastery with the Aviz Dinasty in evidenced by the Chapel of the Founder (“Capela do Fundador”), the first royal pantheon in Portugal. Here stand the enormous medieval tomb of King John I and Queen Philippa of Lancaster — holding hands as an expression of the good relations between Portugal and England —, and the tomb of Prince Henry the Navigator. Adjacent to the church is the half-completed building of the “Unfinished Chapels” ("Capelas Imperfeitas"), commissioned by King Edward of Portugal as a second royal mausoleum for himself and his descendants — although only he and his queen Eleanor of Aragon were buried there —. Here, the Manueline style predominates, especially in the massive unfinished buttresses and in the monumental fifteen-meter tall portal, decorated into a lacework of Manueline motives, such as armillary spheres and ropes. This sumptuous decoration contrasts beautifully with the clean Renaissance style of the loggia. Due to its artistic, cultural and historical relevance, the Batalha Monastery was also listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Both the Alcobaça Monastery and the Batalha Monastery should be visited by anyone who loves history and architecture! Our tour ended with the visit to the church of the old Monastery of Santa Maria de Coz, a hidden gem discovered by Tiago when he was preparing the tour. The monastery was occupied by Cistercian nuns, being one of the few female monasteries in Portugal, and was dependent on the nearby Alcobaça Monastery. The church, the only part of the monastery that has been preserved, boasts rich baroque decoration, with beautiful blue and white tile panels, gilded altars and painted wooden ceilings. It was the perfect closing to our tour! It was a fascinating tour, which enabled us to appreciate various architectural styles and revisit episodes that defined Portugal’s history, such as the recognition of Afonso Henriques’s legitimacy as king by Pope Alexander III and the consolidation of Portugal's independence from Spain. During the tour, Tiago gave me the appropriate keys to understand the elements that characterize each of the architectural styles and diligently explained the historical context surrounding the development of the Monasteries, which are true statements of the first two dynasties of the Portuguese Crown. His being an architect offered a significant differential in our journey through the monasteries and allowed him to better highlight the main features in each space. Tiago has a real passion for sharing his knowledge and the skill to do so in a simple and interesting way. He was always open to discuss any matters that came up and provide further details about the venues. Moreover, he is a friendly and amusing person, and conversation spanned across several engaging subjects. In short, I learnt a lot in a very pleasant way and had a fantastic time with Tiago.

Tiago Mirando's ability to weave history, art, architecture, and geography makes the neighborhoods and city 'come alive'. Tiago shares "hidden gems" (visual and culinary) with contagious enthusiasm and notable breadth of experience. The entire tour is a time of discovery and delight.

An extremely useful start to our Lisbon trip. Bert was knowledgeable across the board and could answer our many questions on all topics. He was also good company. An enjoyable morning !