Discover this magnificent medieval village of Obidos, Portugal. A fantastic place to visit, where you can tour the fortifications for amazing views! Many things to do in Obidos Portugal, including the Obidos Castle, the wall, and exploring the village... Below is my guide to help you plan your visit.
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Why visit Obidos in Portugal? Video
Obidos is one of the most charming villages to visit in Portugal.
It offers:
- Fortification walls all around offering beautiful views of the village and the region
- a castle
- a maze of white houses inside the fortifications
Let's start with a short video showing what it is like to tour the village of Obidos Portugal:
This is one of the best places to visit in Portugal.
Many photos and details avec the planning tips.
Planning Tips - Obidos, Portugal
How to get to Obidos Portugal
- Obidos is located North of Lisbon, not far from the Atlantic coast
- Lisbon to Obidos - 1h drive via the Motorway
- Lisbon to Obidos by bus - the Rapida Verde Bus (Express Green) takes over an hour from Campo Grande Station in Lisbon (managed by Rodo Tejo)
- Day trips are organized from Lisbon if you want to just sit and relax and they are combined with other stops such as Fatima, Nazaré and the Monastery of Batalha
This location with its GPS coordinates and planning info is included in my eBook to help you easily plan your Portugal road trip:
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Visiting Obidos Portugal
- It is a great idea to stay in Obidos, so that you can enjoy the walls early morning before all the tourists on day trips from Lisbon arrive. See suggested Obidos accommodations in the next paragraph
- But if you are not staying, plan at least half a day to really explore
- Wear good shoes because the streets are paved and the walls uneven
- A medieval festival takes place for 2 weeks every July - would be busy but fun
Note: Obidos Lagoon
Obidos is not right by the sea but it is not far. I you want a little bit of fresh air you can head to the Obidos Lagoon for white sand and enjoyable waters.
Obidos Hotels - Where to stay in Obidos
Obidos is a touristic place, so you will find plenty of accommodations. You can stay inside or just outside the walls. There are many small guesthouses, which is great to have a chat with locals!
- I stayed at the Casa de Fontanerio de Obidos just outside the wall. The atmosphere was excellent and the family owning the guesthouse was adorable. See my full review on my article about Portugal Accommodations or check directly for availability and prices
- LUXURY AND HISTORY - a fantastic option is of course to stay in the Obidos Castle Hotel i.e. Pousada Castelo de Obidos. Some rooms even include stone walls!!! Check the amazing photos and latest prices
- INSIDE THE WALLS - if you want to stay inside you should consider Casal da Eira Branca. It has a beautiful terrasse to relax at the end of the day. Check photos and prices
- FAMILY - It is a bit further away from Obidos (but not that far...), but you can fit many people in Valentine's House which is decorated with a lot of taste. This is one of the best rated accommodations on Booking.com - Check Photos and Prices
- CHEAPER OPTION - Hostel - For those on a budget the Hostel Argonauta has really good reviews and is really well located - Check photos and prices
Arriving at Medieval village of Obidos
As you drive from the South, the arrival in the city looks promising
You can reach either by renting a car or by organized tour from Lisbon:
Main Entrance
The main entrance is from the Town Gate built in 1380 - Porta da Vila. Obidos has been a national monument since 1951. However, 2 other doors allow access to the village on the same side.
As you enter, you discover the oratory or Our Lady of Piety which was created during the 17th century. It is a covered with beautiful tiles (Azulejo) from the 18th century.
Things to do in Obidos - Map
Obidos Map
Close to the main gate, you can find a map of Obidos Portugal (left is South and right is North).
1 is the main gate and around 6 is access to the Obidos Castle.
History of Obidos
Before I take you on a visit via my photos, here are few interesting facts about Obidos Portugal:
- It is thought that the name comes from the Latin word Oppidum that means fortified city
- Archeological surveys indicate settlements on that hill back to the Celt and the Romans
- In the 8th or 9th century, fortifications were established by the Moors
Exploring the streets
Walking up Main Street - Rua Direita
From the gate you can climb to the fortifications right away. And I will show you that later. But first let's discover the main street that leads you from the gate to the Obidos Castle.
The main street is the busiest. This is where you can find all the souvenir shops and opportunities to drink the specialty Ginjinha de Obidos (see later in the post).
It is great to discover the side streets leaving from it with the colors and flowers.
On your way, you will walk by Santa Maria Church, all white and brown. They were setting up for a festival when I visited so, the view was obstructed...
This is where King Afonso V and Isabella of Coimbra were married in 1441 when they were just kids.
And at the end, just before the castle is Santiago Church between the 2 fort towers.
Pictures from other streets
Take the time to get off the main street to explore the small streets all around where you will find gems: colors, flowers, tiles...
Obidos Castle (Castelo do Obidos)
The main Obidos attraction, apart from walking on the walls (I will show you that soon), is the Obidos Castle a.k.a Castelo do Obidos in Portuguese
The best view is from the back. Go through the gate near the Santiago church and walk towards the North end of the hill.
Light would be better in the afternoon, with the sun rays hitting the façade, but it is still quite impressive. It is really massive with very few openings.
The entrance to the castle is actually on the city side of the wall. But the Castle cannot be visited because it is today a hotel: the Obidos Castle Hotel.
Walking on the WALLS - my favorite activity in the village
And here is the highlight of any visit: walking on the fortified walls of Obidos.
Several staircases allow you to climb up there. They have between 40 and 60 steps each. The steps are high and uneven, but it is worth the climb!
The Staircase near the main gate is actually one of the hardest. If you follow the fortification at the bottom on your right after entering, you will find a straight staircase that is larger and has only 40 steps.
It is possible to tour the whole fortifications. It is a 1.5km walk (so 1 to 2 hours depending on how many pictures your take). Some sections are large and with a border, but others are narrower and with the big drop just next to you (be aware if you suffer from vertigo)
Here is the view right after the climb at the main gate.
From the west side, you have beautiful views of the area and agricultural fields.
The mix of stone wall and white houses is really stunning. Don't you think?
The Obidos Tower
At the South end of the fortifications, you can continue climbing big steps to reach the top of the tower. It is quite impressive and definitively not for people with vertigo!!!
From up there you can see the whole village of Obidos in its length.
Ginja De Obidos (Ginjinha de Obidos)
Obidos is also famous for the quality of its cherry brandy liqueur: Ginjinha.
You can pay for a shot just on the stalls outside. However, the classic way is to drink it in a chocolate cup 🙂 Drink and eat!
And a few more Obidos Photos
It is so photogenic, there are no best spots to photograph Obidos... You just have to tour the fortifications and streets to find the best angles with the light you have... But you won't be disappointed!
Want to see more of PORTUGAL?
Would you walk on the walls?
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Looks amazing! I definitely want to add this village & castle for a future trip to our list.