The Institute of Medieval Studies of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, NOVA University, the Monastery of Alcobaça and the Portuguese Association of Tourist Guides and Interpreters has designed this course for future tour guides and interpreters currently studying for their tourism degree, entitled “O quotidiano monástico em Alcobaça e Cós. Séculos XII – XVI” (Monastic daily life in Alcobaça and Cós. 12th – 16th Centuries).

The main objective is to provide participants with knowledge that will allow them to interpret and contextualise the daily life of the monasteries of Alcobaça and Cós, their relationships both with the surrounding territory and with the ruling powers under whose protection they flourished during the Middle Ages. This covers aspects related to architecture, liturgy and its performance, as well as the books produced in the Alcobaça scriptorium and the experiences of the small community of Cós. The sessions and visits, to be held at the Monastery of Alcobaça (afternoon of 31 January) and the Monastery of Cós (morning of 1 February), will feature contributions from several researchers, experts in these fields, sharing their knowledge and experience with the participants.