Óbidos, Portugal, is less than an hour north of Lisbon, making it a perfect day trip from the country’s capital. A visit to Óbidos is always on our list of recommendations for friends who travel through the area, and they are always happy they visited this charming village.

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The History of Óbidos, Portugal

Built between the 12th and 14th centuries, Óbidos has a long and complicated history. In 1148, the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, took control over the area from the Moors. Later, In 1228, King Dinis I gifted his wife, Elizabeth of Aragon, the castle as a wedding gift.

The village survived the earthquake of 1755, although it did experience damage to the castle walls, which were repaired in the early 1900s.

When you first go through the entrance, you will pass an archway and a balcony decorated with blue and white tiles dating back from 1740. These tiles hold an inscription in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows.

As you progress through the village, you can choose to climb the steps (there is no railing so proceed with a lot of caution) and walk around the castle walls from above.

Stroll through the cobblestone roads of Óbidos

You can also choose to forego climbing the walls and casually stroll through the roads. Óbidos is rich in history, beautiful, and peaceful and is currently home to less than 3,000 inhabitants. It also has many restaurants, pastry shops, and coffee shops. There are also many vendors selling Ginja, the famous cherry liquor in Óbidos, in dark chocolate cups. Every time we return to North America, we’re sure to bring bottles back for our friends.

The City of Literature

Óbidos is currently known as the City of Literature for all its bookstores and book events. In fact, each October, Óbidos is home to the Folio Festival, a literary festival with author talks and craft workshops.

Let us know in the comments if you’d like a more information on the village of Óbidos.

-Isabel & Marilyn

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