"Óbidos, Portugal" a Óbidos Travel Page by acemj

The quiet, hilltop village of Óbidos is often referred to as the "wedding town." The origins of this title date back to the 13th century when Dom Dinis' wife, Dona Isabel, fell in love with the picturesque village on a visit in 1228. As a result, her husband gave it to her as a wedding gift! Nice, huh? This royal custom continued for hundreds of years until the 19th century and today, Óbidos is still a popular location for couples to celebrate that special day.

I visited mainly because I enjoy quiet towns. Having a rental car made exploring Portugal's Estremadura region easy and Óbidos can easily be reached from Lisbon on a daytrip (it takes about an hour and a half by car; two and a half hours by train). After a few hectic days and wild nights in Lisbon, Óbidos is certainly a refreshing change of pace.

The weather was not ideal for photography, but I can imagine that visiting on a clear day in the evening would be a magical experience for the serious photographer or for any true romantic.