Óbidos and its ramparts are a must-see on any trip to Portugal
Perched on a hill in Portugal’s Oeste region, Óbidos is encircled by an ancient fortified wall.
The name Óbidos probably derives from the Latin word oppidum, meaning « citadel » or « fortified town ». The Romans lived here until the 5th century, before abandoning the city following the fall of Rome.
In the 8th century, the Moors established a fortification on the hilltop. This was taken over by Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques (Alfonso I of Portugal), in 1148 and modified in the 14th century.
Flickr – Eva Sofia
In addition to the wall, Obidos’ magnificent medieval castle and historic center are the town’s main attraction and can be easily visited on foot. The labyrinth of narrow, cobbled streets will lead you to lively squares, pleasant cafés, quaint boutiques, local craft markets, and everywhere you’ll see whitewashed houses decorated with flowers and beautiful colorful paintings. A street not to be missed: Rua Direita.
Fotopedia – Mirari Erdoiza
Elegant old churches such as Santa Maria and São Pedro are adorned with hand-painted tiles(azulejos), ceilings and walls to delight the eye.
Interior of Santa Maria church – Flickr – Francisco Antunes
The imposing castle features huge gates, and its towers and ramparts are adorned with Manueline-style architecture. Now home to a luxury hotel (pousada), it’s still a marvel to behold.
In an alley in Óbidos – Flickr – Melissa Toledo
Every July, Óbidos takes a step back in time with its annual medieval festival (the Medieval Market), featuring a costume parade, jugglers, troubadours, jousting knights and other performances (fire-eaters…), as well as a crafts market featuring medieval products and food such as spit-roasted meat, tasty sausages, soup and beer served in pewter mugs.
Mercado Medieval Festival – Fotopedia – Pedro Araújo Pina
If unfortunately you don’t have time to wait until July, you’ll still find plenty of restaurants serving all types of cuisine, including medieval style.
In addition, other festivals take place all year round here in Óbidos. To find out more, visit the town’s official website.
How do I get to Óbidos from Lisbon?
If you rent a car in Lisbon, you can get to Óbidos in less than an hour. Take the A8 freeway and exit 15. You’ll easily find one of the signposted parking lots on the spot.
Here’s how to get from Lisbon to Óbidos by car.
If you’re driving from Porto, take the A1 freeway to Leiria, then the A8.
You can also come by bus from Lisbon. Buses leave regularly from the capital. A single journey costs around €8. For more information, visit www.rodotejo.pt and www.rede-expressos.pt.
Finally, you can travel to Óbidos by train from Lisbon. Departure is from the Lisboa – Entrecampos station. The journey takes 2 hours or 2 hours 20 minutes, depending on the route. Train fares vary between €7 and €8.50 (indirect and direct). On arrival in Óbidos, it’s a 20-minute walk to the city center. Take this into account, because if you had planned to go for a day, it could be tiring and, above all, too short. Think about the possibility of staying overnight.
View of the medieval city – Flickr – moshimoshiii
Sleeping in Óbidos
As I just mentioned, depending on your mode of transport to Óbidos, you may have spent some time on the road and be a little tired from the day’s sightseeing. As a result, it’s worth spending a night in Óbidos, especially as the town is well worth it. Check out the hotels in Óbidos on our hotel comparison site.
On the comparator, use the map to select hotels not only according to your budget, but also according to the location of the pousada (there is the first state pousada in a historic building, in the castle), boutique hotel or youth hostel in Óbidos.