Ten days of fair, the Santa Iria procession and, for the first time, the Iria Music Fest, with music every day in the Várzea Grande tent.
The fair was created by a royal charter from Philip III on 3 October 1626 and is held every year in honour of Santa Iria, Tomar's patron saint. In 2026 it turns 400.
On 20 October, after Mass at the Santa Maria do Olival church, the saint's image is carried in procession through the town to the Ponte Velha. There, flower petals are thrown into the Nabão in memory of her martyrdom, and the image is taken into the Chapel of Santa Iria.
Legend says Iria was a young woman from Nabância, Roman Tomar, who was killed and thrown into the river. The Nabão carried her body to the Tagus, and the town where it came ashore, Scalabis, was renamed Santarém in her memory.
The Chapel of Santa Iria, by the Ponte Velha, stands on the site of a Visigothic monastery and was rebuilt in the 16th century with a carved Renaissance doorway and window. In the side chapel of the Valle family is a Calvary altarpiece attributed to João de Ruão; the conservation work on it is presented on 12 October at 15:00 at the Casa dos Cubos.
Everything happening at the fair, day by day: concerts, the procession, Masses, the race, the antiques fair and more.
Official programme on Tomar council's website (in Portuguese) →
Várzea Grande tent: Monday to Thursday 20:00 to 01:30, Friday and Saturday 20:00 to 02:30, Sunday 18 from 14:00 to 01:30 and Sunday 25 from 15:00 to 01:30.
Getting into the fair is still free. For the first time, the concerts on six nights at Várzea Grande need a ticket.
Buying online adds a 6% booking fee. Reusable cup: €0.50. Prices set by Tomar Câmara Municipal.
Buy tickets onlineBy car or by train, everything you need to get to the fair.
Every car park in Tomar, including the underground one.
Open in the guide →There are direct trains from Lisbon. The station is a few minutes on foot from Várzea Grande.
Timetables at CP →Coming from outside Tomar? Find where to eat and where to stay in the Vamos Tomar guide.
The places that matter during the fair, from the concert tent to the Ponte Velha. Tap a place to find it on the map.
Quick answers for anyone coming to the fair for the first time.
No. Getting into the fair is free every day. Only the concerts on six nights in the Várzea Grande tent (16, 17, 21, 22, 23 and 24 October) need a ticket. On those nights the grounds are open to everyone until 19:00 and reopen at 20:00 for ticket holders only.
Monday to Thursday 15:00 to midnight, Friday 15:00 to 02:00, Saturday 11:00 to 02:00 and Sunday 11:00 to midnight. The concert tent opens at 20:00. On Saturday 24 the clocks go back: the fair closes at 02:00 old time (01:00 new time).
Online at the council's official ticket shop (6% fee), at the Tomar tourist office from 6 to 15 October (10:00 – 17:30), or at the box office on the fair grounds during the fair. Opening night is €10, the other nights €7, and the Passe Geral for all six nights is €25. Box office times
Children under 12 don't pay for concert nights.
On Santa Iria Day, Tuesday 20 October. There is a Thanksgiving Mass at 09:00 at the Santa Maria do Olival church, and the procession sets off at 10:00 along Rua Aquiles da Mota Lima, Praceta Mário Nunes, Rua Manuel de Matos, Praceta Raul Lopes, Alameda Um de Março and Rua Marquês de Pombal to the Ponte Velha, where petals are thrown into the Nabão. The image is then taken into the Chapel of Santa Iria. See 20 October
The funfair is next to the Mercado Municipal during the fair. Sunday 18 October is Family Day, with Pão de Ló and bouncy castles from 14:00 and free entry. See it on the map
There are several car parks in central Tomar, including the underground one; see them all in our parking guide. The Várzea Grande is in the town centre, so the easiest thing is to leave the car in a car park and walk.
Concerts start at 22:00 or 22:30 and finish late. If you're coming by train, check the time of the last train on the CP site before you set out. If it doesn't work, stay the night in Tomar: see where to stay.
The concerts are inside the Várzea Grande tent. The rest of the fair is outdoors, so bring a jacket: October nights in Tomar can be cool and damp.
The fair uses reusable cups, which cost €0.50. Keep yours for your next drinks.
Online tickets are paid by card. For the stalls and food tents, bring some cash too, as some may only take cash.
Got another question? Message us on Instagram, @vamostomarinsta.
Send them this guide: programme, tickets, map and procession in one place.
Contact the Vamos Tomar team on Instagram or by email: @vamostomarinsta · [email protected]
Every Sunday the Weekly rounds up what's on in Tomar that week. On Instagram we follow the fair day by day until it closes on 25 October.