Visiting Obidos, Portugal’s Medieval Walled Town
The small village of Óbidos is a popular stop for visitors to Portugal, due to its authentic medieval charm and easy access from Lisbon. It’s good for a solid couple hours visit, especially if combined with other stops in the area.
What we enjoyed most in Óbidos was walking along the fortified walls to take in the views, exploring the quaint cobblestoned Rua Direita, and indulging in some delicious Ginja de Obidos, the traditional cherry liquor of the region served in a little chocolate cup.
We were in Óbidos during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and this was a particularly fun time to visit, as Óbidos is famous for turning the entire town into one giant Christmas Village.
It is even referred to as “Christmas Town” which brought to mind the fabled Christmas Town of the old Santa Claus is Coming to Town claymation holiday special I used to watch on television as a kid. And I have to admit, it totally looked like it!
What’s unique about Obidos?
Óbidos - which literally translates to “walled city” - is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval walled villages, built within the walls of an ancient castle. Its uniqueness and picturesque old-world charm make it one of Portugal’s most visited towns, an example of a traditional Portuguese village that is enjoyed by locals and travellers alike.
But tourism hasn’t quite spoiled it yet. Two thousand or so people still live there, occupying its pretty whitewashed houses and dedicating their lives to the traditional crafts of the area, including the production of their beloved Ginja.
It is a popular day trip from Lisbon, as it is only about an hour’s drive north from the capital. Often, travelers may stop in Óbidos while driving from Lisbon to Porto.
Obidos goes all-in for Christmas.
Óbidos prides itself on being a cultural hub and hosts a number of popular festivals throughout the year:
In spring, there is the Chocolate Festival, where the town is transformed into a chocolate wonderland (Willie Wonka, eat your heart out!). The festival features giant chocolate sculptures throughout the town, along with tastings, workshops and family-friendly activities.
The Medieval Fair in the summer, features historical reenactments, including knights and fortune tellers around the castle, plus open air markets, music and performances. And of course medieval-themed food! It usually takes place for the whole month of July.
A Literary Festival follows in autumn. Called FOLIO (International Literary Festival of Óbidos), the festival brings together authors, thinkers, poets, artists and other creatives for a program of literary inspired activities, including writers' tables, author readings, masterclasses, discussions, music, film and art exhibitions.
Topping off the year, the winter Christmas Village is the most popular of all. Since we were there for this one, I have more info later in this post.
The Christmas tree is actually a children’s ride. In the background is one of the town’s parking lots.
What is the best way to visit Obidos?
Admittedly, it was pretty crowded when we visited Óbidos, but it was Christmas week, and a weekend day to boot. Probably one of the busiest days of their year, I would imagine. A lot of small tour groups were milling around, and the town did seem a little overwhelmed (including the bathrooms!).
It is probably best to avoid weekends altogether if you can, especially during one of their popular festivals.
Driving is the best way to get to Óbidos. The drive from Lisbon is just over an hour on well-marked modern highways.
The parking, however, is not stellar. There are two gravel pay parking lots in front of the entrance gate that fill up quickly. There’s a lot of tour vans buzzing in and out.
We visited Óbidos as part of a small group van tour that included Fátima, Nazaré, Batalha & Óbidos.
We think this is a good way to see Óbidos, and it felt like enough time to spend there.
Of course, you could always spend more time by having lunch or dinner in town, or even staying overnight, which we did not. But we were happy and satisfied visiting Óbidos as part of a multi-stop day trip, and would recommend doing it this way.
Here’s a link to the tour we took and really enjoyed: From Lisbon: Fatima, Batalha, Nazare, Obidos - Small Group
There isn’t really a good train option to Óbidos, but you can take a bus from Lisbon. The express bus is operated by Rodotejo and departs from Campo Grande train station, and costs about €10.
We have full blog posts on Nazare and Fatima, if you’d like more information on these nearby attractions.
Walking along the walls is a fun way to see Obidos.
A brief history of Obidos
Historically, the walled village of Óbidos dates back to Portugal's Celtic period, and was later taken over by the Romans in the 1st century AD. The Moors then came along in the 8th century, and you can still see the Moorish influence in the Castle and other structures.
Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques, conquered the castle in 1149, thus beginning a royal connection that would last until the Republic took over.
King Dinis and Queen Isabel spent their honeymoon in Óbidos in 1282, and the king gave the queen the entire town as a wedding gift. Thus began the tradition of Óbidos being the property of Portuguese queens, and thereafter, the queens had much to do with what happened in the town, including the construction of monuments and an aqueduct just outside the village walls. (Until 1834, anyway, when the “Casa das Rainhas” - the set of assets granted by Portuguese monarchs to their consorts - became extinct.)
The walls surrounding the village were originally built in the 1300s, but were partially damaged by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. They were completely restored in the early 20th century and today, walking along the walls is a popular activity with visitors.
Today the castle and the entire village are classified as national monuments. In 2007, Óbidos was voted one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.
Did you know - One of the other “Seven Wonders of Portugal” is Pena Palace in Sintra. Check out our blog post Visiting Sintra and Pena Palace: what to see and do for more lots of information.
The colorful walls of Obidos.
Things to See and Do in Obidos
The Village of Obidos
Óbidos is pretty easy to navigate as there is only one real street in town, Rua Direita. Along this charming cobblestone street are local shops, bars, coffee stands, pastry shops (yay!), and restaurants.
The street leads directly to the Castelo de Óbidos, the medieval castle around which the town was built. There are narrow side streets (more like alleys) branching off this main road that you can also explore.
The homes are brightly whitewashed and feature gold or blue trim. Pointed arches, characteristic of the gothic style, enhance the doorways and passages throughout the village. Colorful flowers in pots and draping bougainvillea are plentiful in the warm months and add a touch of charm and elegance. It really is like stepping back in time.
Walking the walls of Obidos.
The Fortified Walls
Surrounding the entire village is a 39-foot wall that once protected the fortress of Óbidos. Today, climbing up the walls and taking in the view is one of the most fun things to do here. It’s a pretty steep climb up - for me anyway! - but the views are worth it.
The wall is marvellously intact and stretches for over a mile. Like many of such sites in Europe, there are no guardrails, so be careful!
The area outside Óbidos Castle .
Óbidos Castle
The Castle around which the town was built is now a beautiful luxury hotel.
You can explore some of the small courtyards of the castle, but you can’t visit inside without being a guest of the hotel. But you can make a reservation at the restaurant inside to experience some of it.
.Here’s a link to Pousada Obidos - luxury Hotel Castelo.
Though we did not stay there, I imagine it is something similar to the luxury experience we had staying in Eze, a medieval town in France, which was pretty epic.
Here are other places to stay in the Obidos area.
Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. If we recommend a product, activity, or hotel, we might receive a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
Church of Santa Maria
Church of Santa Maria
Branching off to the right off Rua Direita is a small square with a 15th-century fountain and the historical Church of Santa Maria. The interior is decorated with beautiful Azulejo tiles - a good example of this signature style of Portuguese tile-making, which are displayed with pride all over the country.
Waiting for a chocolate cup of Ginja.
Sao Tiago Church
(Livraria de Santiago) This traditional-looking church is actually no longer a place of worship but has been transformed into a bookstore! How cool is that?!! Built in 1186, the original church was destroyed by the earthquake of 1755 and rebuilt in 1772. Appropriate for a town that hosts a literary festival every year, this is a very unique attraction.
Enjoy a shot of Ginja
Honestly, the best Ginja we had in all of Portugal was here in Óbidos, and it’s no wonder - Ginja de Óbidos is the OG and considered a local delicacy. This is where the sweet & tart cherry liqueur comes from originally, or so they say. (A church in Lisbon claims the origin story too, but from my research, I really do think Óbidos was the first.)
No matter, it’s all delicious anyway, but we really enjoyed the ginja we got here from a literal “hole in the wall” - a window where a local barista was pouring shots of this delectable stuff concocted from Morello cherries into sweet shot-glasses made of chocolate. Perfeito!
For more about Ginja and lots of other Portuguese treats and deliciousness, check out our blog post What to eat when visiting Portugal.
Óbidos Vila Natal - Portugal’s “Christmas Town”
From the beginning of December through January 6th, Óbidos gets into the Christmas spirit with special events, shows, and lots of colorful lights and bedecking of the charming shops, buildings and arched doorways about the town. I was particularly enthralled with the giant stone Three Kings statues and their camels welcoming us into the village. Those dudes were big!
And that was only the beginning. Every inch of the village was dressed out in holiday style, with ubiquitous trees, lights and likenesses of Santa, of course. I usually try to avoid using the word “cute” when describing places, but oh heck, it sure was cute!
The actual festival takes place behind the castle and charges an admission fee, but you can get into the spirit just by walking Rua Direita, visiting shops and stopping for a glass of holiday cheer.
Besides lots of shopping, eating and drinking opportunities, there were activities and rides for kiddos. And big kids, too! (though I couldn’t convince either John or Justin to take a ride with me on a giant ornament on a spinning Christmas tree. Bah humbug!)
Interested in other day trips from Lisbon? Read out post Great day trips from Lisbon.
This post was researched and written by Debbie of the Empty Nest Explorers. You can learn more about the Empty Nest Explorers here
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Other Portugal travel blog posts
The small village of Óbidos is a popular stop for visitors to Portugal, due to its authentic medieval charm and easy access from Lisbon. It’s good for a solid couple hours visit, especially if combined with other stops in the area.
What we enjoyed most in Óbidos was walking along the fortified walls to take in the views, exploring the quaint cobblestoned Rua Direita, and indulging in some delicious Ginja de Obidos, the traditional cherry liquor of the region served in a little chocolate cup.