"acilina's new Óbidos Page" a Coimbra Travel Page by acilina

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Well, I want to show you something about Óbidos, but in Virtual Tourist, the nearest town is Coimbra..., so here it is.

This Castle, was rebuilt by D. Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, after the reconquest to the moorish in 1148.

This massively towered castle has been converted into a beautiful Pousada. You must make reservations well in advance to get a room here as it is one of Portugal's most popular Pousadas.

The village is so small it can be easily explored on foot. So if you arrive by car, park your car in the ample parking lot outside the gates and explore the town by foot. It is an experience that is well worth taking the time to savor.

Óbidos is a picture-postcard town, flower-covered balconies, whitewashed houses, roofs of orange tiles and narrow cobblestone streets -- all surrounded by Moorish walls and dominated by an old castle. This tiny walled town has hardly changed at all since the middle ages. It started its existence as a fortress on the sea but the bay silted up leaving the town without a purpose. In 1282 King Dinis paused at Óbidos. His wife so admired the charm of the town, he gave it to her as a wedding present.

See the travelogues for more pictures.