Is Obidos Worth Visiting? An Honest Answer

Is Óbidos worth visiting? It’s one of Portugal’s prettiest walled towns, with white houses, flowers and a castle, plus cherry liqueur in chocolate cups. It can be very touristy in the middle of the day, though. Here’s an honest look.

Quick answer: yes, especially early in the morning, in the evening or off-season. Walk the walls, drink ginjinha, and combine it with Nazaré, Alcobaça or the Silver Coast. The main street gets crowded with tour groups around midday, and the souvenir shops are touristy.

Why it’s worth it

• The walls: walk around the town on the ramparts.
• The streets: white houses, flowers and quiet side lanes.
• Ginjinha: cherry liqueur in chocolate cups. See the ginjinha guide.
• Bookshops: Óbidos is a UNESCO City of Literature, with bookshops in unusual places.

The downsides

• Crowds: busy with tour groups around midday.
• Small: you can see it in a couple of hours.
• The walls: no railings in places, so take care.

Plan your visit

See the Óbidos guide and where to stay in Óbidos, as staying overnight is magical.

More: the Silver Coast and the best day trips from Lisbon.

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