The Village of Óbidos
“The village of Óbidos is exquisite in every way. I could wander around these streets with my camera for hours…which I duly did!”
Rua Porta do Vale in
FROM A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE
One thing that puzzled me was that the locals seemed so sad! They walked along the main street with their heads hung low. Had someone died? Maybe they’d 3-putted on the 18th at Royal Óbidos and lost the match.
Then I realised, the cobblestones on those magical, meandering lanes are so uneven, they were watching out for their feet! Good point!
Rua Porta do Vale looking the other way. Whichever way you turn, you’ll get a great picture.
The medieval village of Óbidos is one of the most picturesque & best-preserved in all of Portugal. It’s only an hour north of Lisbon and 20 minutes from the golf hub of Praia D'el Rey.
The town was already established long before the Romans arrived in 205 BC. The castle dates back to the Roman occupation but the current layout is Moorish, combined with several restorations and reconstructions from various Portuguese kings. The main towers we see now date back to 1375. In the 19th century, the village & its castle became prosperous when King Dinis offered it to his wife Isabel, who turned it into a fashionable spot for the royal court!
KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY
There’s an aqueduct around the main village which looks Roman but it’s 16th-century built at the orders of Catherine of Austria who was Queen of Portugal from 1557 until 1562. Most of the royal families were connected. Catherine in fact married her first cousin, King John III of Portugal.
HIGHLIGHTS
Óbidos walkways are charming but treacherous if you’ve had a few ‘Ginjas’.
As if the place isn’t sweet enough, they hold a ‘Chocolate Festival’ in March which by all accounts is a good time to drop in. But any time of the year is good to sample Ginja, a sour cherry liqueur served in a chocolate cup.
There’s the Medieval Market in July which is hugely colourful and maybe the best time to visit. Óbidos Vila Natal, the Christmas Festival covers pretty much all of November & December.
The most popular local dish here is bouillabaisse made from fish from the Óbidos Lagoon and the wines of the ‘Oeste’ region go particularly well.
