My absolute favorite stop on our two week trip in Portugal with kids was the medieval city of Óbidos, just one hour outside of Lisbon. The city looked like something out of a movie, with huge stone walls and a castle perched at the top. We could see the fairy-tale scene from the highway as we made our way north from Lisbon. Our kids eagerly looked outside their windows, hoping they would be the first to spy the castle.
The history of Óbidos goes back to the Paleolithic period, then forward to the Romans, the Moors, and lastly the King of Portugal who gave the city as a wedding present to this wife. Stone walls surround the small city, which has cobblestone streets that are lined by buildings with bright white walls and chipping paint, beautifully hanging plants, and flowers on the balconies.
If you are planning on a vacation to Lisbon, Portugal with your little kids, here is what I would recommend you do in Óbidos:
Before you go
- The main parking lot is located outside the castle walls near the aqueduct.
- Óbidos is a popular place to visit for both tourists and locals alike, especially on weekends. Try to come during a weekday to avoid crowds.
- Óbidos hosts popular festivals throughout the year, such as the Chocolate Festival in the spring, the Medieval Festival in summer, the Literary Festival in autumn and the Christmas Village in December. Read the city’s website for current festival information.
- Óbidos is close enough to Lisbon to be done as a day trip. If you decide to stay nearby, we found an Airbnb in Caldas de Rainha.
- You’ll want to spend about two to three hours here at a minimum.
What we packed
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Comfortable shoes, clothes, sunscreen, and hats
- Baby carrier
- Camera
- Princess dresses
BASE COST
- Entrance is free
Add-ons
- Food and gifts
10 Tips for Visiting Óbidos with Your Family
1. Stop at the Óbidos Tourism Office
The tourism office is near the Porta da Villa gate at the south entrance.
The English-speaking staff will provide you with a map of the city and answer any questions you may have about how to spend your day in this beautiful town.
2. Shop at the stores outside of the city walls
Shop at the stores outside of the city walls. On your walk towards the entrance gate, you’ll pass a series of shops hawking their wares.
We were immediately drawn to the handmade flower crowns sold for €5. Although we resisted at first, I was grateful that we purchased flower crowns and other gifts from the stores outside of the city walls because the same gifts were twice as expensive at the shops inside.
3. Enjoy the Porta da Vila entrance at the southern part of town
The gate is lined with beautiful 18th century blue and white tiles, and has an echo-like effect that amplifies the sounds from inside the town walls.
Once we walked through the gate, we heard a couple of musicians playing acoustic guitar. The musicians stopped immediately, gave a few “ooohs and awes” to our princess dressed little kids, and began singing a song with the word “princess” in it, in Portuguese of course.
Much to everyone’s enjoyment, my two princesses began dancing and twirling. It was the cutest.
4. Climb the castle walls first
The staff at the tourism office recommended we climb the stairs just passed the Porta da Vila to experience the views of the city and surrounding area from the castle walls first.
We followed those recommendations and headed up the steep stone steps to find our way high above the city. The views from the city walls were incredible; we could see the entire city with the mighty stone wall wrapped around it, and the rolling hills of green pastures going for miles just outside. It is possible to walk along the city walls all the way from the gate to the castle, however, the walkway is not safe to let kids do on their own.
The path along the top of the castle was about three feet wide, with the tall stone wall on one side, and a sheer drop into the city on the other. We walked with one kid on the castle wall side and the other either holding a grown-up’s hand tightly or in our arms while we made our way to one of the lookout towers for a better view.
5. Stroll down the main street
The Rua Direita is the main street of Óbidos running south to north from the Porta da Vila to the castle.
Walk along the Rua Direita, stop in the local pottery and ceramics spots, and pass by the wine vendors and bookshops too. Find tiny streets that offer a glimpse into local life, with winding picturesque cobblestone passageways lined with beautiful white buildings with ornate balconies covered in flowers.
The view never got old.
6. Visit a bookstore
Óbidos is known as a UNESCO City of Literature, meaning the city has turned many spaces into bookstores and libraries.
Find a book to read in one the church-turned-libraries; our favorite being the bookstore at the very end of Rua Direita.
7. Try cherry liquor
While walking through Óbidos, you can’t help but stop at one of many shops selling “Ginja de Óbidos” in deliciously edible chocolate shot glasses. This sour cherry liquor or ‘ginjinha’ is a locally made alcoholic drink and was one of my favorite impulse buys on the trip.
For only €1, you can sip on ginja de Óbidos served in a chocolate glass. Many cafes serve ginja from stands on the street.
My kids were so excited about the chocolate cups, they kept asking why they couldn’t eat it, even after I finished my grown-up drink. Although I could have shared it with them, I wanted to eat it myself! Finally, a sweet treat I did not have to share.
Looking back, however, I wish I bought them their own chocolate cups to enjoy with some water. Next time!
8. Trek up to the castle
At the end of Rua Direita you’ll find a massive castle with prominent towers overlooking the city.
Visitors can walk to the castle and see the courtyard but cannot enter the castle. The castle has converted into a hotel (€200/night).
Only hotel guests are allowed in the castle. Our kids were a little disappointed that we walked all the way to the castle and they were not able to actually go inside. Still, the view was beautiful and worth the trek! Just remember to temper expectations.
9. Enjoy a meal outdoors
There are plenty of options for lunch and dinner within the Óbidos stone walls.
Madok Restaurant had an outdoor patio, served delicious fried octopus and fries, and offered fancy cocktails and wine. We ordered four meals and a bottle of wine for about €45 and were completely stuffed.
10. Grab a sweet treet
Just down the road from Madok Restaurant was a giant sign that said “Óbidos Chocolate House.”
My two kids and I were drawn to this shop like bugs to a light.
I grabbed my partner’s hand and entered to find a strange chocolate shop, designed to look like chocolate was dripping from the ceiling. The fancy chocolates behind the counter were decadent and delicious, and each one of us got to pick something we liked for dessert.
Óbidos is magical, romantic, and exactly what I pictured all of Portugal to be like – tiny villages surrounded by tall stone castle walls, with cobble stone streets lined with tiny shops. I had to resist taking a picture of every street corner we walked by because each one was just perfect.
The bottom half of many homes are painted in bright yellow, red, or blue, which I read was used to distinguish the occupant’s occupation. Whatever this paint is made from comes off when you touch the brightly painted walls. Since the top half of the house walls are painted white, and the bottom painted blue, red, or yellow, many other visitors were able to write their names on the white walls using the color of the paint below.
Although I really wanted to write our names on the walls, I had to resist after we saw a sign asking tourists not to tag or graffiti on the historic buildings. Okay, okay, I’ll set a good example for my kids…
I hope one day we can make our way back there to be serenaded by the Óbidos troubadours with chocolate glasses of Ginja in our hands while we stroll back to the castle for the night.
One day!
This post is part of a series of posts about visiting Portugal with kids. Continue the adventure with us here:
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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