Every time someone comes to visit us here in Portugal, we take them to Óbidos. We cannot help but to share the charm of the place.
The town of Óbidos is located just outside of Caldas da Rainha about an hours drive from Lisbon and is one of Portugal’s most beautiful destinations. The medieval walls, the labyrinth of cobblestone streets, and all of the blooming bougainvillaea add to its never-ending charm. As soon as I stepped foot inside the city walls for the first time, I fell in love.
As one of the seven wonders of Portugal, Óbidos has a rich history as a medieval town. What I loved most about the village was the feel of it. With its cobblestone roads and buildings, it really seems you have gone back in time. The shops are geared toward tourism since that’s where most of the money is made but there are many treasures to be found if you know where to look.
Getting to Óbidos
From Caldas da Rainha
There are no train stations in Óbidos, but there is a bus stop. It took about 20 minutes from Caldas da Rainha on a bus and cost €4. It would take about 15 minutes by car. There is a large parking lot across from the castle that is free to the public. You can take a taxi for about €10 from Caldas da Rainha.
From Lisboa
A bus goes to and from Lisbon everyday (every hour I think) for about €8. It drops you off right in from of the city walls. There are also plenty of tours that will take you up there for the day if you are coming from Lisbon or further away. Get your guide has a great tour of Medieval Tales and Secrets.
Walking Around
Once you enter the city walls, the road splits. You can take the left fork and walk up the cobblestone streets toward the church and the castle. There are plenty of shops to stop in and buy souvenirs and gifts. I had a hard time not buying a toy sword or shield. They take their medieval heritage seriously. There are also a few restaurants to have lunch, a cafe, or a drink.
At the end of the road at the top of the hill (which only takes a few minutes), you run into the church of Saint James which has been converted into a lovely bookstore. Take a moment just to walk around and browse the selections and note the beauty of the church.
If you would love a self guided tour, check out the sight seeing and self guided scavenger hunt.
Feeling Peckish?
You have your pick of restaurants and snack bars to choose from. As you climb the stairs to the main entrance from the bus stop, there is the O Portão de Vila snack bar owned by a lovely couple from England. They have great flat bread pizzas and cold beer. On occasion, they can do a milkshake for you. We enjoy sitting outside and having a drink after walking around the castle.
If you go up the main stairs and go to the left and through the gate where the bathrooms are located, there is a lovely vegetarian restaurant called Avocado Coffee and Healthy Food company. The food is fantastic and the sangria even better. The pizza place next door, Á Janela is also very good and has daily specials.
Inside the wall, down the rua direita or right fork is a mixture of places to eat, all very good.
Castelo de Óbidos
On the top of the hill sits the Óbidos castle given to Queen Isabel from King Dinis in 1282. It is now a hotel and restaurant. We ate lunch at the restaurant which had an incredible atmosphere, and great wine, but the food was a little expensive (as we expected). We can highly recommend the tomato salad as it has chocolate chips in it!
Special Events in Óbidos
The area inside the castle is also used for special events. This past year, the Christmas light show was held there as well as the Chocolate Festival. There is also the Literature Festival and was deemed a UNESCO Creative City of Literature in 2015. These special events usually have an entrance fee and you can buy tickets in advance online for a discount. For more information about these events, visit Turismo.obidos.pt.
Óbidos Museums
If you are into museums and religious art, there are two interesting ones.
The first is at The Óbidos Parish Museum at St. John the Baptist church up the stairs and to the left, just outside the city walls. You can see it as you go up the main stairs to the wall or if you are coming in from the parking lot, it will be up the hill on the left. The church was built in 1309 on top of a Visigothic Temple and once was a place for worship for those suffering from leprosy. It has several notable artefacts from churches across the parish. It is a small museum and will only take about 30 min to visit.
The other is the Municipal Museum on the Main Street (left fork) inside the city walls. It is 2 floors of religious artefacts from churches in the community as well as Roman artefacts and French and English weapons from the Napoleonic Wars. I found some of the religious art quite fascinating.
Ingreja de Santa Maria
Once you come out of the castle and you’ve taken some great pics from the view, stay left and walk the other side of the streets. This section is more residential at first but then opens in the main square where Igreja de Santa Maria, the main church is located. You can go in a visit and light a candle for your loved ones.
Don’t forget the famous Ginjinha de Óbidos!!
Once you leave the Igreja de Santa Maria, walk down the stairs to the left and follow the road to the row of restaurants that are close by the entrance. They have something for everyone here, even the witch or wizard that drops in.
But what you want most is to stop in and taste the ginja or ginjinha. Ginja is a sour cherry brandy and you can get it in chocolate cups if you prefer, but we like it straight. Bar Ibn Erik Rex is a great place to have one. It is one of the coolest places in this small town. It is really hard to have just one.
During the summer months, most of these restaurants stay open all day. But about mid October, they close between 3 and 7pm so make sure you hit the lunch hours and dinner hours at the right times.
Portugal is full of wonderful villages and towns that are abundant in charm just like Óbidos. Nazaré, Alcobaça, and Tomar are just to name a few!
To hear more about our adventures and great places like Óbidos, check out our podcast!
Shelley is a full time traveler, blogger and podcaster currently living in Portugal with her wife, 2 dogs and a cat. She is a former history teacher originally from Winston-Salem, NC but wanted to see what life was like abroad. Now she travels all over Portugal and Europe writing about what she sees and does and tells you all kinds of fun stories on the podcast at Wandering Works for Us.