The Lines of Torres Vedras

According to the present Duke of Wellingon, writing in the foreword of Norris & Bremner’s ‘The Lines of Torres Vedras’, the outcome of ‘the spectacular nature of this defeat has never been fully appreciated by military historians’.

This is what we aim to show you during a half-day, full day or two day tour of the Lines. We can demonstrate not only their strategic importance, but also how Wellington and his chief engineer, Colonel Richard Fletcher, managed to make use of the natural layout of the hills north of Lisbon to construct a defensive line of forts and obstacles whilst enabling the field army to manoeuver freely between the Lines.

We visit several of the 152 forts and redoubts that constitute this amazing and vast engineering work that was carried out by a small group of engineers and the local population in a remarkably short period of time. To help alleviate the pace of the tour we introduce you to some of the local wines and gastronomy during the lunch break.