Aside from tasty, delicious chocolate, you'll also find a wealth of cool things to do in Óbidos and nearby to make this weekend trip to central Portugal worthwhile.
Read on for ideas of how to make the most of a short trip to Óbidos that just happens to coincide with the annual chocolate festival.
Getting to Óbidos
Óbidos is about an hour from Lisbon by car. You could choose to drive yourself there, but the town gets busy during festivals and the peak tourist season.
Many tour operators run day trips to Óbidos. If you don't want to drive yourself and you are short on time, this could be an ideal option for you.
We decided to take the autocarro (bus) from the bus terminal just outside Campo Grande metro station in Lisbon. You'll make just one stop in Bombarral on the way so the comfortable ride takes less than 90 minutes.
You can technically get from Lisbon to Óbidos by train, but it's complicated. You first need to take a train to Sintra and then catch a local train to Óbidos. Óbidos Station is about a 15 minute walk from town (no sidewalks) and there is no Bolt or Uber service here.
Since moving to Lisbon, we've also found the trains to be unreliable. There have been a number of train strikes during our time here. For these reasons, we think the bus is the best way to go.
The bus from Lisbon to Óbidos cost an economical 8.50 EUR each way at the time of writing. Most people buy tickets from the driver. We bought our tickets in advance on the Moov-U app. However, we still had to queue to board and the ticket did not guarantee us a seat. It just made it a little easier to board.
Click Usar Bilhete in the app as you board the bus. Scan the bar code near the driver and then show the driver the result before grabbing a seat.
I recommend arriving 30 minutes before the bus is scheduled to depart. Óbidos is popular with both locals and tourists. Our bus hit capacity just as we were waiting to depart. I can only imagine how busy it gets during peak tourist season.
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| Note: I received a complimentary DAKOTA 3 in 1 bag from Driibe so I could test their product on my travels. |
The overhead storage on the bus is a little tight, but I was delighted that my Driibe Dakota 3-in-1 bag was a perfect fit and served me well on this weekend trip from Lisbon.
The bus drops off passengers just outside the town walls. Óbidos cuts a dramatic figure as you approach with imposing walls topped by a Medieval Castle that dates back to the 15th century.
🔎 SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT Looking for other destinations to visit in Central Portugal? Why not spend one day in Coimbra, Portugal's university city. Coimbra is an ambitious day trip if you are staying in Vila Nova de Gaia or Porto for a few days. You could also explore things to do in Aveiro which is known as the Venice of Portugal. Want to stay closer to Lisbon? You could easily visit Tomar for a day.
Where to Stay in Óbidos
1. The Óbidos Chocolate Festival
Time for a cooking demonstration! We watched a Portuguese chef and his assistant prepare chicken risotto with chocolate barbecue sauce, pickled pears, cocoa nibs, and egg shavings. The demo was in Portuguese mas temos aulas três dias por semana há mais or menos três meses so we got the gist.
There were food trucks parked outside the Óbidos walls. We nabbed an Argentinian cheese and onion empanada that made me think of Ireland. For those not in the know "Cheese and Onion" is the top flavor of Tayto crisps in Ireland.
As an incentive to get stamps in our passport, Óbidos Chocolate Festival attendees were incentivized with the promise of a free treat. I'm pleased to say that we nabbed a "Magic Potion" as our reward for getting at least four stamps in our Óbidos Chocolate Festival passport.
The potion was hot chocolate and the magic was the spectacular views over town. We had to hike up to the Miradouro to get to the redemption point.
Other Things to Do in Óbidos (Any Time of Year)
2. Make a Grand Entrance Via Our Lady of Piety Oratory
We learned that this spot is a good example of military and religious architecture with gothic and baroque elements and a double elbow door. The town gate was probably built during the reign of King Fernando (~1376).
The Oratory was dedicated to the Patroness of Óbidos, Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Lady of Piety), and dates back to the 17th century. The baroque tiles feature biblical scenes and date back to the mid-18th century.
3. Visit Óbidos' Santiago Church (especially if you are a book worm)
We ducked out of the rain into Santiago Church. Built in 1186 by order of King Sancho I, it was hit by the earthquake of 1531 and destroyed by the earthquake of 1755. In 1765, work began on the new church, which was completed in 7 years.
Today, Santiago Church is home to a delightful bookshop that is most definitely worth browsing. While the majority of the books are written in Portuguese there is a small section of books in English and other languages.
4. Visit Museu Abílio de Mattos e Silva
Museu Abílio de Mattos e Silva was one of the places to get a stamp in our Óbidos Chocolate Festival passport. We checked out the cartoon exhibit and then wandered downstairs to see art by the museum's namesake. This art museum is a cool spot to spend 30 minutes.
This extended quote by Abílio de Mattos e Silva was posted on the wall of the museum and really resonated with me. I feel that it describes Óbidos to a tee even today.
"Here it is the Óbidos where I lived, a little irregular, but that is the Óbidos I perceived.
There is no order in this display. There is, however, the urge to see everything at the same time, here, there, not having seen this, but wanting to see that: to walk, to turn right, to turn left, to leave one corner and enter where we have just left; to have no method, to just look and live; to slip on the small cobbled stones, suddenly finding picturesque corners, a portal here, a window there, the colourful vegetation that falls from each wall.
To climb the castle walls, to look from above at the streets that we had seen before, but that now offer us an unexpected view, the roofs that are uneven, the Moorish rooftiles, aged, with red patchwork, different chimneys; backyards pretending to be gardens, old trees pretending to be orchards, grapevines wishing to become vineyards, the churches, the chapels... all carefully adorned with valuable silvers, preciously brocaded garments, beautiful blue tiles and some paintings by Josefa d'Obidos, mixed with other equally beautiful ones.
Surrounding this Óbidos, hugging it, and embracing it like a mother who defends a dear daughter, we find the old black castle walls, which contrast with the white-washed houses and marry with the fierce and sinister castle, an old guardian, but also a caring father, always alert with everything that is around him.
I leave you with my beautiful Óbidos. Here, you will find some of the things that no longer exist, but that I still Found, and wish to show you."
5. Go Door Hunting in Óbidos
My regular readers know that I absolutely adore doors. You could even say I adoor them 🙃. You'll find a number of beautiful doors popping against white-washed facades in Óbidos.
Some doors had vines surrounding them. I can just imagine how these doors will pop in a few weeks when the wisteria and other Spring flowers bloom.
I even found the perfect door-themed souvenir in Óbidos. A craft shop in Óbidos was selling ceramic doors. There were different sizes and colors each one unique. The doors were either magnets or fixed with string so they could hung on a wall or a window. Fabulous!
🔎 SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT Looking for inspiration for destinations to visit within day trip distance of Lisbon? Did you know that you can visit Almada by ferry for an economical day out? You could also consider taking a Setúbal wine tour or paying a visit to Queluz Palace near Sintra.
6. Visit St. Mary's Church (Igreja de Santa Maria)
St. Mary's church is a key point on the Óbidos skyline. Take time to go inside and admire the fabulous interior! You'll find blue and white azulejos, stunning oil paintings, and colorful painted ceilings.
When we walk a lot (as we did in Óbidos), I love visiting churches because you can plausibly sit in a pew for a few minutes to rest your legs while admiring the architecture.
7. Visit the Óbidos Miradouro During Golden Hour
Climb up to the Miradouro along the western wall of Óbidos in the late afternoon for some gorgeous golden hour photo opportunities. The afternoon light on Óbidos in March is spectacular.
We had the perfect excuse to come up here: we wanted our "Magic Potion" that we'd earned from getting stamps in our Óbidos Chocolate Festival pass.
Óbidos is such a magical place, especially in March when it isn't too crowded with tourists.
8. Shop for Lembranças
Spend some time shopping for souvenirs (lembranças). We picked up some cherry beer brewed locally, boozy artisan chocolates, and a tile made to resemble Portuguese crochet.
If you visit Óbidos during the Christmas season for the annual Óbidos Christmas Festival, I imagine you'll be able to find something for everyone on your gift list. There are tons of lovely little shops to explore on Rua Direita.
9. Sample Sweet Treats
10. Take a Pre-Dinner Photo Walk
Óbidos can get crowded during the day, especially on weekends. Day-trippers and tour groups clear out around dinnertime and you can get some nice photos without having to worry about cropping people out.
11. Grab Dinner at Real Casa do Petisco
We had dinner at Real Casa do Petisco, a wine bar with a focus on tapas and smaller bites. The restaurant is located near Igreja de São Pedro.
We started with bread and olive oil, sampled bacalhau and a cheese croquette to follow and finished with pork cheeks with sweet potato crisps and pickled carrots and grilled steak with sea salt washed down with sparkling water and a glass of red wine.
12. Enjoy a Nightcap at Bar Ibn Errik Rex
Bar Ibn Errik Rex is an atmospheric place to grab a nightcap. Order a ginjinha or port and steep in the eclectic atmosphere including a glass mosaic wall and display of guns and swords.
13. Walk to the Óbidos Train Station in the Morning
You'll find spectacular light for photography if you walk toward the Óbidos Train Station in the morning. We actually had a bit of a misfire.
We plotted a course on foot to Óbidos Train Station. It turns out that Google Maps is very wrong and took us 10 min out of the way (I have filed a bug to try and get this fixed!)
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! I got some fantastic pictures that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise had we not taken this detour. The detour also took us past the impressive Sanctuary of the Lord of the Stone.
The kind proprietors of Casa de Óbidos called us a taxi to take us to Caldas da Rainha. I have to say that Casa de Obidos looks like a lovely spot to stay next time we visit Óbidos.
Pro-tip: Look for the point on the map labeled "Estação ferróviaria de Óbidos-Obidos Train station". This is where the train station actually is.
14. Take a Day Trip to Caldas Da Rainha
We paid 15 EUR for taxi ride to Caldas da Rainha. We were delighted to have a nice chat with the driver and he even gave us a bit of a tour of town. We arrived at the train station just as the train we should have been on arrived. This experience actually ended up being a cool detour.
Visit the Praça da Fruta
The main attraction of Caldas da Rainha is the thriving fruit market which is fun to browse when the sun is shining.
Stop at the tourism office and small square at the top of Praça de Fruta. Here you'll find sculptures by 19th century cartoonist, ceramic artist and local favorite Raphael Bordallo Pinheiro. The street signs in Caldas da Rainha feature his ceramics as well.
Stop for Specialty Coffee at Local
We even discovered a specialty coffee shop called Local in Caldas da Rainha. We refueled with a Chemex for two made with Peruvian beans. Local is situated close to the fruit market but on a small quiet square with some abandoned buildings and some undergoing renovation.
Shop Caldas Da Rainha
Wander the streets of Caldas da Rainha and browse the local shops.
We had a browse at historic Mercearia Pena. We picked up some beijinhos (little cookie "kisses") and Roca Pera jam that Caldas da Rainha is known for.
Caldas da Rainha is also apparently known for erotic pottery. This picture is fairly tame since I don't want to run afoul of Google Blogger's community guidelines. "Louça das Caldas" is actually the main attraction. This Portuguese term is a way to refer obliquely to pottery shaped like male genitalia.
We stumbled upon a quaint bottleshop that was selling Portugal's first whisky. Called Woodwork, there were a variety of cask strength whiskies ranging from 62 (sold out) - 115 EUR.
We opted for "the Bitter King", a gin made from ginja that cost 28 EUR. We had a nice chat with the friendly owners who told us about how they are expecting their first grandchild. Parabens!
Admire Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Pópulo
I've heard good things about the interior of Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Pópulo in Caldas da Rainha. However, we couldn't figure out how to get inside.
You can walk down a flight of stairs into what looks like a moat, but all the doors were closed up. Bad timing I suppose. On the bright side, the facade itself is worth stopping by to check out.
Seek Out Street Art Installations
Just behind Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Pópulo is a path leading to Jardim da água and a modern art installation and street art canvas. We even discovered a wall of queens to celebrate our time in Caldas da Rainha.
Also make time to seek out the street art installation by Bordallo II in Caldas da Rainha. We discovered a bat made from found objects hanging in a parking lot.
Eat Salad for Lunch at Central Cafe
We were pleased to discover a rare find in Caldas da Rainha. Central Cafe had a salad menu. We managed to avoid temptation (they also serve cakes). Located right on Praça da fruta, Central Cafe is an ideal spot for a light lunch.
Stroll Parque Dom Carlos I
Onward to Parque Dom Carlos I for some fresh air, black swans, quiet reflections, and even a one-time weekend spring craft market.
Have a seat in the park and admire the reflections of the old thermal hospital from which Caldas da Rainha derives its name.
Visit Museu da Cerâmica
Exit out the back side of Parque Dom Carlos I and head uphill to the Museu da Cerâmica. For just 3 EUR per adult, you can explore a historic and atmospheric mansion filled with ceramic treasures produced locally. Learn about Raphael Bordallo Pinheiro and see his work.
The museum is homed in a beautiful mansion whose architecture and gardens are as compelling as the ceramic displays themselves.
Check Out Loja da Fábrica Bordallo Pinheiro
Make one final stop at Loja da Fábrica - Bordallo Pinheiro. Here you can see some of his original works or pick up modern ceramics inspired by his designs. We picked up some small dessert plates in a variety of colors.
Return by Train to Óbidos
I'm happy to say we made it back to Estação da Caldas da Rainha w/out a hitch. Buy a ticket for 1.90 EUR back to Óbidos in the station before boarding.
We walked back to our hotel from the Óbidos train station. Unfortunately, the walking route did not feel very safe since it runs along a big road for a stretch.
The train ride between Óbidos and Caldas da Rainha takes less than 10 minutes. We spent more time walking than on train itself.
15. Drinks Under the 16th Century Aqueduct
We sat down for a pre-dinner beer outside the Óbidos town walls and then realized we were sitting under the historic aqueduct. Very cool! It's always a good idea to pay attention to your surroundings.
16. Dinner at Pontinho
Make a reservation at Pontinho and you'll be in for a treat. Located just outside the town wall through a fabulous gate, they have a lovely tasting menu with wine (and more) pairings for 75 EUR per person.
The menu changes weekly. We were served:
- Creme de Ervilha e Coentros | Pea Soup & Coriander
- Cogumelos, Espargos e Ovo | Mushrooms, Asparagus & Egg
- Ostras ao Natural | Oysters
- Queijo de Cabra, Cebola e Frutos Vermelhos | Goat Cheese, Onion & Red Fruits
- Novilho, Aipo e Bimy | Veal, Celery & Broccolini
- Pastel de Nata em Mil Folhas e Canela | Custard Tart & Cinammon
The oysters came with vodka and lime and dessert with pastel de nata liqueur (described as akin to Baileys Irish Cream).
Pontinho only had about 5 tables. The restaurant was small, elegant, and featured a friendly staff (who spoke English of course).
17. Walk the Óbidos Town Walls (in the Morning Light)
We spent our last morning in Óbidos walking the town walls. Go early to avoid crowds and catch the golden morning light on the castle.
Getting on and off the town walls in Óbidos can be a bit dicey. The stairs closest to the castle (left as you look toward the castle) involve a scramble up or down some slick rocks to reach them. This is one of those attractions that would never fly in the U.S. It's way too easy to take a tumble.
We found that the best place to mount the wall is the staircase visible from Casa das Senhoras Rainhas. Walk away from the castle to the far tower and then circle around by the castle. You'll have to climb down from the walls in front of the castle and then back up the other side to finish the loop.
Óbidos is a small town and it only takes about 30-45 min to do a lap around the Óbidos walls; more if you stop to take lots of pictures.
18. Lunch at Lounge
We concluded our time in Óbidos with a fab lunch at Lounge. Tomato and mozzarella salad plus pork with carrots and potatoes hit the spot. We also enjoyed a bottle of local white wine for about 10 EUR. We found Lounge to be good value in a nice atmosphere.
An Eventful Return from Óbidos to Lisbon
What's that they say about best laid plans? We took a walk along the Óbidos aqueduct and then we were going to photograph some doors in the last few hours before we needed to catch the bus home to Lisbon.
I must have gotten overly excited about it because the next thing I know, I'm lying on the ground holding my ankle. I tripped and fell on the uneven mosaic sidewalk and twisted my ankle.
Instead of photographing doors, I spent the rest of the afternoon icing it at the hotel before hobbling to the bus.
I had the ankle checked out once I got home to Lisbon and I'm happy to report that it's not broken. I just won't be doing my usual amount of walking for a while...
If there is one piece of advice I can give visitors to Portugal, it's this: Watch your step, people, the sidewalks can be treacherous!
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