Looking for the best things to do in Óbidos? In this post, I’ll share what to do in Óbidos, when to visit, how many days you need to visit this medieval town, and much more.

Óbidos is one of the most charming places in Portugal. Visiting Óbidos is a real journey back in time, taking you back to the days of kings, queens, princes and princesses.

The medieval town of Óbidos is one of the most incredible in Portugal and it’s no coincidence that Óbidos Castle is one of the 7 Wonders of Portugal.

Due to its location, Óbidos was of strategic importance in the defence of Portuguese territory. The fortified walls of Óbidos are some of the best preserved in Portugal and you’ll hardly regret visiting this town. The main points of interest are located inside the walls, making this visit even more magical.

What’s more, this town is a relatively short drive from Lisbon (and also from Porto), making it the ideal weekend getaway in Portugal.

So, I invite you to continue reading this post 😍. As well as an Óbidos itinerary, you’ll also find information on:

• Best time to visit Óbidos
• How many days to visit Óbidos
• How to get to Óbidos
• Accommodation in Óbidos

Óbidos is a small town in the west of Portugal, close to cities like Leiria, Nazaré and Peniche, for example. It belongs to the district of Leiria and is just a short drive from Lisbon (about 1 hour, 85 km). In fact, Óbidos is an excellent day trip from Lisbon.

Visiting Óbidos is always a good idea 🥰! However, this medieval town is known for some events that are very popular in Portugal. So you could try organising your visit to Óbidos around one of these events. They are:

• International Chocolate Festival – March/April
• Medieval Market of Óbidos – July/August: a real journey through time
• FOLIO – Óbidos International Literary Festival – September/October: the city has made a name for itself in this area and has been a UNESCO Creative City of Literature since 2015
• Óbidos Christmas Village – November to January: the whole town is decorated with Christmas motifs
• SIPO – Óbidos International Piano Week – July
• Festival LATITUDES – Literature and Travellers – April

💡 EXTRA TIP: Since Óbidos is a relatively small town, it’s normal to find it a bit more crowded when these events are taking place, especially the Chocolate Festival, the Medieval Market and the Christmas Village, and also during weekends. Therefore, if you don’t like crowds, it’s preferable to visit Óbidos at another time of year, for example.

Óbidos is small and its main points of interest are located inside the walls. So, if you only visit the inside of the walled town, you can visit Óbidos in half a day!

However, I recommend spending a whole day in Óbidos, otherwise, you won’t get much out of the visit. Óbidos isn’t just about seeing the main sights. It’s also about experiences (tasting ‘ginja de Óbidos’, for example) and wandering its streets without much of a destination in mind. I promise you’ll find a few cute corners without having to look very hard.

In any case, Óbidos is an excellent location for an overnight stay if you want to see more of the surrounding region. I would even suggest spending more than one day in Óbidos. That way, you’ll have the opportunity to visit other places relatively close by, such as Caldas da Rainha (17 min by car), Nazaré (35 min) or Peniche (30 min), for example.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Staying in Óbidos has an additional advantage over visiting the town on a day trip, as it will allow you to see the town earlier/later in the day when most people and tours have already left the town.

Óbidos is probably one of the most beautiful and charismatic places in Portugal. The town looks like something out of a fairy tale. It’s a place full of surprises and photogenic corners.

What’s more, visiting Óbidos is a journey back in time and the perfect place to learn a little more about Portugal’s history. So the answer is YES! Óbidos is well worth a visit!

It’s very easy to get to Óbidos by car from the main cities in Portugal. For example, driving from Porto takes 2h20 and the journey from Lisbon to Óbidos is around 1h10. The town of Óbidos is therefore an excellent day trip option, especially if you’re in Lisbon.

However, even if you don’t have a car, you can travel to Óbidos another way. There are several transport options available (although the one that serves Porto isn’t very convenient):

• From Porto: bus to Caldas da Rainha with Rede Expressos. From Caldas da Rainha, you can take a taxi or use the local buses
• From Lisboa: bus from Rodoviária do Oeste. The service runs frequently from Campo Grande (Lisbon). The journey takes about an hour. The stop in Óbidos is very close to the historic centre.

From Lisbon, it is also possible to travel to Óbidos by train, from Sete Rios, Entrecampos or Santa Apolónia stations. However, given the longer journey time and the distance from the train station to the historic centre, it’s hardly worth it.

Although the main attractions are located inside the walls, parking in Óbidos should be done outside, as traffic inside the town is very restricted.

There are some car parks (mostly paid) relatively close to the entrance to the walled town. These are some of the car parks I recommend:

• Next to the Tourist Office
• Next to the Óbidos Aqueduct
• Next to the Creativity Square

Keeping in mind that Óbidos is quite popular, there are several options for accommodation in Óbidos. Although staying inside the medieval town is a bit more special, it is harder if you’re travelling by car because of limited traffic or carrying trolley suitcases.

So, I suggest you consider the pros and cons of staying inside the walls of Óbidos when choosing your accommodation.

Since I visited Óbidos when I was staying in Caldas da Rainha, I ended up not trying any accommodation there. I can, however, tell you the place where I stayed in Caldas da Rainha, because I really liked it.

I stayed in one of Bordallo’s Prime Apartments. These flats are located in a recently refurbished building in an excellent location 😊.

Although I booked the flat for 2 people, it also had 2 additional bunk beds. Bordallo’s Prime Apartments also have a living room and a small, fully equipped kitchen.

In any case, I’d like to share with you some accommodation options in Óbidos:

Before I share with you the things to see in Óbidos, here is a map of Óbidos to help you plan your trip to this magical town.

Even before entering the walled town of Óbidos, I suggest you stop to appreciate the imposing Óbidos Aqueduct. It is also known as the Usseira Aqueduct and it is about 3 kilometres long. It was built at the end of the 16th century.

Óbidos’ main point of interest is undoubtedly its castle and everything inside its walls. In fact, most of the sites I’ll mention below are located inside the castle.

Today, Óbidos Castle houses a hotel and restaurant – Pousada Castelo de Óbidos. However, you can still visit the castle’s inner courtyard.

So, it’s time to enter the medieval town/castle of Óbidos. I suggest you do so through Porta da Vila. This is the most emblematic gate into the walls.

Look at the blue and white tiles that decorate the chapel-oratory of Nossa Senhora da Piedade – Óbidos’ patron saint. It’s one of the most beautiful places in town and, what’s more, it’s usually quite lively, as there’s usually a musician there to entertain anyone who enters.

Also, make sure to visit St. Peter’s Church – a small church built in the 12th-14th century. Not much remains of the original construction (the church suffered greatly from the Lisbon earthquake in 1755), but it’s worth a look inside.

From the previous church, you can head to one of the best things to do in Óbidos – wandering its streets. The town’s most famous and main street is Rua Direita. It’s hard not to feel like stopping in the many small shops and cafés that exist there.

Many of the houses have funny decorations, most of which are extremely welcoming. This is a great place to try the famous Ginja de Óbidos (a kind of sweet liqueur made from sour cherry that is traditional in Portugal) served in a chocolate cup, buy some local handicrafts or have a bite to eat.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Take the opportunity to explore the neighbouring streets. These are often less touristy and have equally photogenic corners.

If you love sacred art, then you can add the Óbidos Municipal Museum to your list of things to do in Óbidos. The best-known work in the museum is a painting by the painter Josefa d’Óbidos, dating from the 17th century.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Óbidos Municipal Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 5.30 pm. Check the most up-to-date opening times on the Óbidos Town Council website.

Several churches deserve our attention in the town of Óbidos and the Church of Mercy (Igreja da Misericórdia) is one of them. The church’s stripped-down exterior is a far cry from its beautiful interior which is covered in blue and white tiles. Entry is free.

Also not to be missed is the town’s main church. Founded at the beginning of the 12th century, some believe that this church has its origins in the Visigothic period and later became a mosque during the Muslim occupation of Portugal.

If the tile panels on the side of the church are surprising in Church of Mercy, wait until you enter this one. Entry is free.

Óbidos has also joined the swing trend and has one located high up inside the wall. The swing is quite simple but has panoramic views over the town. I’m sure you’ll snap a few great photos to remember later 🥰.

I suggest finishing your visit to the castle of Óbidos by climbing to the top of the town walls. You’ll get an unbeatable view of the medieval town and its fantastic streets and alleys.

It is possible to walk on the walls of Óbidos, and the round trip is about 1.5 kilometres. What’s more, this is a completely free activity. There are a few staircases that allow you to climb up to the ramparts. However, most of these stairs have no guardrails, so it’s best to go up/down with caution.

A few minutes drive from the historic centre of Óbidos, on the road that connects Óbidos to Caldas da Rainha, I also suggest a short visit to the Lord of Stone Sanctuary.

It dates back to the 18th century and there are various legends associated with its construction. However, they all have one thing in common: the Lord of the Stone helped against bad agricultural years and diseases.

Óbidos Lagoon is one of the region’s best-kept secrets and, in fact, many of the tourists who visit the medieval town end up not even visiting it.

It’s an excellent option for getting away from the crowds and enjoying nature in all its splendour. The lagoon communicates with the ocean and is an extremely pleasant place for a stroll.

Another great thing about visiting Óbidos is its proximity to other incredible places in the region. So here are some suggestions of things to do near Óbidos:

• Peniche (30 min drive)
• Caldas da Rainha (20 min drive)
• Beaches (e.g., Foz do Arelho or Rei Cortiço)
• São Martinho do Porto (25 min drive)
• Nazaré (35 min drive)

• Alcobaça (35 min drive)

Alcobaça has little to visit other than its incredible Monastery, which is one of the 7 Wonders of Portugal. The ticket to visit costs 10€, but is free on Sundays and holidays for all residents in Portugal. You can check the most up-to-date timetable here.

• Batalha (50 min drive)

Similar to Alcobaça, Batalha is mostly known for its Monastery, also one of the 7 Wonders of Portugal. The price of the tickets is the same and it is also free on Sundays and public holidays. Information about the opening hours can be found here.

• [Óbidos] O Caldeirão (€€): located outside the city walls, here you’ll find tasty traditional Portuguese food.
• [Caldas da Rainha] Solar dos Amigos (€€): a well-known restaurant in the area where the speciality is grilled meats. I recommend booking in advance as the restaurant is very popular. The service was amazing, and the place is absolutely lovely.

• [Nazaré] Rosa dos Ventos (€€€): despite its small size, you can eat very good fish here, which is no surprise to Nazaré 😊
• [Alcobaça] António Padeiro (€€€): a more intimate restaurant with delicious food. The starter plate is divine, and so is the octopus with sweet potatoes!

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