When you feel like escaping the city on the weekend, the village of Óbidos is an excellent option. 👌

 

Situated just 85 kilometres from Lisbon, this medieval village is as beautiful as it is captivating and there are many reasons to visit it.  Let's find out six good arguments:

 

1 - The Ginjinha

Go to Óbidos and not taste a ginjinha in a glass of chocolate is like passing there in Belém and not eating a pastel de nata. Unforgivable, therefore! The mixture of dark red liquor with the black chocolate handle is delicious – it is no accident that this is one of the most popular liqueurs in the country.

 

2 - Santiago Bookstore

 

The bookstore in Santiago is one of the bookstores with the most personalities we have visited – it is also one of the largest. Situated within the Church of St. James, a building that has existed since the 12th century, it is situated in one of the main streets of the village, next to the entrance of the castle. The variety of books is immense and there is also regular programming with films, debates, book releases and exhibitions.

 

3 - Óbidos Castle

It is one of the best preserved castles in Portugal and it is always a beautiful plan to walk through its walls and go up and down the various steps. It is also the best place to get a panoramic view of the beautiful village of Óbidos and its medieval laivos . Inside there is an Inn, the first in the state built inside a historic building. Afonso Henriques took this castle around 1148 and was originally built by the Arabs. 

 

4 - Right Street

 

Rua Direita is óbidos' main street and is full of craft shops, places to buy and drink a good ginjinha and restaurants. A walk on this street involves admiring the flowers and picturesque houses that make up the village, whitewashed with corners painted blue and yellow.

 

5 - Village Gate

 

Porta da Vila is the main entrance of Óbidos and is also one of its most famous monuments. Covered with tiles from the 18th century , it guides us to the busy Rua Direita. The door was commissioned by King John IV, in gratitude for the protection of the Patroness Our Lady of Piety.

 

6 - Óbidos Lagoon

The Óbidos Lagoon is the longest lagoon on the Portuguese coast and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on the West Coast. Due to its calm waters, it is the paradise of water sports: here you can practice sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, rowing, kiteboarding, nautical skiing and stand up paddle. For the demure, there are "seagulls" to ride as a family! Besides being the habitat of numerous aquatic and migratory birds, it is also home to several "bateiras" – the typical boats used by fishermen and marqueiros in this lagoon. You can also enjoy a large sand and several snack parks on the shores of the Lagoon.