Óbidos

Charming ÓBIDOS is known as the “The Wedding City” and was the traditional bridal gift of the kings of Portugal to their queens, a custom started in 1282 by Dom Dinis and Dona Isabel. It is a very small town, completely enclosed by lofty walls, and although much was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, Óbidos retains a medieval feel: cobbled alleys, whitewashed houses framed with bright blue and yellow borders, and steep staircases winding up to the exposed ramparts. Five hundred years ago, the sea reached the foot of the ridge on which Óbidos stands and boats were moored below its walls. As the sea later retreated, it left a fertile green plain and the distant Lagoa de Óbidos. The town attracts visitors by the coach-load, while the land below the walls shows ever-increasing development. However, it’s really only the main street that gets overly congested: climb the side alleys or the perimeter walls and Óbidos seems to retain secrets of its own.