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Óbidos wasn’t on our original plan. A colleague who lives in Portugal told me we couldn’t travel between Nazaré and Lisbon without stopping there, and she was right. We arrived in July 2022, the fourth stop of our 10-day trip around Portugal by public transport, with our boys aged 9 and 6, and spent the night inside the medieval walls. This is our guide to Óbidos with kids: what to do, how high those walls really are, and how to get there without a car.
Quick answers
- Is Óbidos good for kids? Yes. It’s small, car-free inside the walls, and walking the ramparts feels like a real adventure. But hold small hands: most of the wall walk has no railings.
- How long do you need? Half a day to a full day. Stay the night if you can, because after the day-trippers leave, the town is yours.
- From Lisbon: take the bus, not the train. Rodoviária do Oeste buses from Campo Grande take about 1 hour and stop right outside the walls (about €8). The train takes over 2 hours, runs only a few times a day, and stops 20 minutes’ walk away.
- Where to stay: inside the walls. We stayed at Rainha Santa Isabel, on the main street.
Short on time? Our top 3 picks in Óbidos for families
Rainha Santa Isabel – Óbidos History Hotel – on Rua Direita, inside the walls, in a historic house with about 20 rooms.
Josefa d’Óbidos – a 4-star hotel steps outside the main town gate, with quadruple rooms and a restaurant.
Pousada Castelo Óbidos – rooms in the castle itself or next to it, including a family cottage for up to 4 adults and a child.
Things to do in Óbidos with kids
Walk the medieval walls
This is the reason to come. The walls wrap all the way around the town, and you can climb up at several points, including next to the main gate, the Porta da Vila, and walk along the top with the red roofs on one side and open fields on the other. The views are extraordinary.
The honest part: the walkway is narrow, uneven and, for long stretches, has no railing at all, with a drop of several metres on the town side. Our 9-year-old was fine holding my hand; the 6-year-old stayed between the two of us the whole time. With toddlers I’d do only the short section by the gate, or skip it. Wear shoes with grip, and avoid it when it’s windy or wet.
The castle
The castle at the top of town is the kind kids draw: towers, battlements, a keep. It’s now a pousada (hotel), so the interior is for guests, but you can walk around the outside and reach the walls from beside it. Ours spent a good while being knights.
Rua Direita and the side streets
The main street runs from the Porta da Vila up to the castle, lined with whitewashed houses trimmed in blue and yellow, and bougainvillea everywhere. It’s full of shops and gets busy by late morning. Step one street to either side and it’s quiet again.
Ginjinha in a chocolate cup
Óbidos’s famous drink is ginjinha, a sour-cherry liqueur served in a small edible chocolate cup. It’s for the adults, obviously. Kids are happy with the chocolate cups, which most shops also sell on their own.
The Porta da Vila azulejos
Look up as you walk in through the main gate: the inside of the gateway is lined with 18th-century blue-and-white azulejos. It’s also where the street musicians play.
How to get to Óbidos
From Lisbon by bus (recommended)
Rodoviária do Oeste runs buses from Campo Grande (metro: green or yellow line) to Óbidos in about 1 hour, roughly hourly on weekdays and less often at weekends. The stop is right outside the walls. You buy the ticket from the driver, about €8. This is the easiest option for families.
By train
We travelled by train on the Oeste line, which links the small towns of the Silver Coast. It’s cheap, and kids pay half price, but it’s slow and runs only a few times a day. The station is at the bottom of the hill, about 20 minutes’ walk from the walls. From Lisbon it takes over 2 hours, so the bus is better. Between Silver Coast towns, the train can make sense if the timetable suits you.
By car
The town inside the walls is pedestrian. Park in the car parks outside the gate.
Óbidos as a day trip from Lisbon, or from Cascais
From Lisbon, it’s an easy half day by bus. From Cascais there’s no direct public transport, so you’d go back through Lisbon, which makes it a long day with kids. Group tours from Lisbon often combine Óbidos with Nazaré, Batalha and Fátima in a single day. It’s a lot for kids, and I’d rather give Óbidos and Nazaré a day each.
See all our day trips from Lisbon with kids
How much time do you need in Óbidos?
You can see the town and walk part of the walls in 3–4 hours. We stayed overnight, and it was worth it. In the evening the tour groups leave, the shops close, and the lanes go quiet. It feels like a different place.
Where to stay in Óbidos with kids
Stay inside the walls if you’re staying at all. We stayed at Rainha Santa Isabel, a small hotel in a historic house on Rua Direita, and walked out of the door onto the main street. Read our full review.
- Josefa d’Óbidos: just outside the main gate, with quadruple rooms. Good if you’re arriving by car or bus with luggage.
- Pousada Castelo Óbidos: sleep in the castle. It’s a splurge, but try telling a 6-year-old that isn’t the best idea ever.
Festivals: the best and busiest times to visit
Óbidos runs big events through the year, including the International Chocolate Festival in spring, the medieval market in summer and Óbidos Vila Natal at Christmas. They’re great fun for kids, but they’re ticketed and very crowded. Check the dates on the town’s website before you go, whether you want to catch one or avoid it.
More of our Portugal trip
- Nazaré with kids (the stop before Óbidos)
- 4 days in Lisbon with kids (the stop after)
- Porto with kids and Aveiro with kids
Want to wake up inside the walls like we did? Check prices and availability for Rainha Santa Isabel →
Óbidos with kids: FAQ
Is Óbidos good for families with kids?
Yes. Óbidos is small, car-free inside the walls, and kids love the castle and the wall walk. The only real caution is the walls themselves, which have no railings for long stretches.
Can you walk the walls of Óbidos with children?
Yes, but hold their hands. Most of the wall walk is narrow and uneven, with no railing on the town side. Our 9- and 6-year-old managed with an adult each. With toddlers, stick to the short section near the main gate.
How do you get to Óbidos from Lisbon?
The easiest way is the Rodoviária do Oeste bus from Campo Grande. It takes about 1 hour, costs about €8, and stops right outside the walls. The train takes over 2 hours, runs only a few times a day, and stops about 20 minutes’ walk from town.
How much time do you need in Óbidos?
Three to four hours is enough to see the town and walk part of the walls. Staying overnight lets you enjoy it after the day-trippers leave.
Where should families stay in Óbidos?
Inside the walls, if you can. We stayed at Rainha Santa Isabel on Rua Direita. Josefa d’Óbidos, just outside the gate, has quadruple rooms, and Pousada Castelo Óbidos lets you sleep in the castle.
