Óbidos Castle & Walls

Óbidos Castle & Walls

A whitewashed town behind walls

West of Lisbon, on a low hill above the green countryside, sits one of the prettiest towns in all of Portugal: Óbidos. A complete ring of medieval walls wraps around a cluster of dazzling whitewashed houses, their windows and doors edged in cheerful blue and yellow, with flowers spilling from every balcony. At the highest point of the town stands the castle, its keep and towers rising above the red rooftops. Stepping through the town's grand gateway feels like stepping into a storybook.

Won from the Moors

Like much of central Portugal, Óbidos was for a time ruled by the Moors, and its hilltop was already fortified when Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, captured the town in 1148, soon after taking Lisbon. The new Christian rulers strengthened the walls and the castle, and over the following centuries — especially under King Dinis around the year 1300 — the defences were rebuilt into the strong, handsome form we see today.

The walls run right around the town, and visitors can walk along the top of much of them, high above the streets, with sweeping views over the countryside and, in the distance, the sea.

The town of queens

Óbidos holds a romantic place in Portuguese history as the "town of queens". The story goes that in 1282, the young King Dinis brought his new bride, Queen Isabel, to visit Óbidos, and she loved the charming town so much that he gave it to her as a wedding present.

From then on, a lovely tradition was born: for hundreds of years, Óbidos and its lands were given to the queens of Portugal as part of their wedding gift. Generation after generation of queens held the town, taking a special interest in it and helping to keep it beautiful. This royal care is one reason Óbidos is so wonderfully preserved.

A castle fit for a king — and now for guests

The castle itself was made comfortable as well as strong, with fine touches added over the centuries, including elegant Manueline decoration from Portugal's great age of discovery. In modern times, the castle was turned into a pousada — a historic inn — so that today guests can actually stay the night within its medieval walls, sleeping where kings and queens once did.

A town of festivals

Óbidos loves to celebrate, and throughout the year its old streets fill with festivals. There is a famous medieval fair, when the town comes alive with knights, jesters and market stalls; a chocolate festival; and at Christmas the whole town becomes a magical winter village. The town is also famous for ginja, a sweet cherry liqueur often served in a little cup made of chocolate.

Visiting today

Visitors can walk the town walls, explore the castle, and wander the narrow cobbled lanes among the whitewashed, flower-decked houses and tiny shops. Bookshops, art galleries and cafés fill the old buildings, and the views from the ramparts are lovely in every direction. Beautiful, beloved and cherished for centuries by Portugal's queens, Óbidos is one of the most enchanting walled towns in all of Europe.