Monday, September 30, 2024
After a delicious breakfast at Hotel Quinta das Lagrimas, we packed our suitcases and drove to Obidos. It was about 08:30, and some rush-hour traffic slowed us down on our way.
We arrived in Obidos' vicinity around 10:00 and parked in the unpaved but Free Parking lot. From there, we walked across the street and entered the medieval city of Obidos (protected by city walls).
According to Wikipedia, the history of (Obidos) is quite interesting:
The name "Óbidos" is a Latinised (oppidum, citadel) derivation of the older Celtic "Eburobricio." The municipality grew from a Roman settlement near the foothills of an elevated escarpment. The region of Óbidos, extending from the Atlantic to the interior of Estremadura Province along the rivers and lakes has been inhabited since the late Paleolithic.[3] A settlement constructed by early Celt tribes later became a trade center for the Phoenicians.[3] Archeological evidence from the base of the medieval tower (south of Facho) at Óbidos Castle indicates Roman construction linked to an outpost of the Roman civitas of Eburobrittium, a large urban area under excavation.[3] Archeological surveys determined the remains of a forum, baths, and other Roman structures near the settlement.
After the fall of Rome, the region came under the influence of the Visigoths, although specific records are missing. The Roman town of Eburobrittium was abandoned in the 5th century for the more secure hilltop where the principal settlement is today. Sometime after 713, the Moors established a fortification on this mountain, while a Christian community of Mozarabs lived in the Moncharro neighborhood.
The city was taken from the Moors during the reign of the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, in 1148. Tradition states that one knight, Gonçalo Mendes da Maia, was responsible for successfully storming the Moorish castle.[3] The retaking of Óbidos was the final stage in the conquest of the Estremadura Province region after the settlements of Santarém, Lisbon, and Torres Vedras. Following the control of the region, the settlement received its first foral (charter) in 1195, during the reign of King Sancho I. In 1210, King Afonso II gave the title of this village to Queen Urraca. Since then, Óbidos has often been patronized by the Queens of Portugal, giving rise to its informal title as Vila das Rainhas (English: town of the Queens); several royal consorts enriched the village with donations from the Middle Ages until the 16th century.[3]
The castle and walls of Óbidos were remodeled during the reign of King Dinis I.[3] The limestone and marble structure was strengthened and elaborated when King Fernando created the keep in the 14th century. By the time of the first remodeling project, the settlement had also grown beyond the castle gates.
The Church of Santa Maria in Óbidos was the setting for the wedding of King Afonso V to his cousin, Princess Isabella of Coimbra, on 15 August 1441, when they were both still children aged 9 and 10, respectively.[3] Administrative reforms conducted by King Manuel I at Óbidos in 1513, included the institution of a formal charter and major requalification of the urban area.[3]
The 1755 earthquake caused damage to the village walls, a few churches, and many buildings and resulted in the loss of architecture of Arab and Medieval inspiration.[3] Similarly, the Peninsular Wars were fought near Óbidos, including the Battle of Roliça.[3] More recently, the village was a center of government and a meeting place for those involved in the 1974 Carnation Revolution, linking it to the armed forces movement revolt.
We initially tried climbing the Obidos' City Walls for a breathtaking view of the surroundings. The walls were high, without any rails or protection, so I had to be careful how and where I stepped.
After walking around for some time, we returned and continued our tour of Obidos from the inside. There were many restaurants, gift shops, bakeries, fashion stores, and jewelry stores. Inna stopped by a few shops.
We stopped by the Obidos Chocolate House to taste chocolates and drink coffee. We purchased a sampler of chocolates but were not impressed. However, the coffee was excellent.
Eventually, we strolled to the highly-rated bakery Capinha d'Óbidos. We sampled a few parties and were delighted!
From there, we stopped by a Livraria de São Tiago - a bookstore inside a church. It had many books in English and Portuguese, and we spent some time reading.
We continued our walk to the Castelo de Óbidos. We climbed the city walls to take additional photos.
From here, we decided to find a suitable restaurant for lunch. We considered the following:
- Ja!mon Ja!mon
- Book and Cook (this looked fabulous but was only open for dinner)
- Visiting Castelo de Óbidos for a beautiful overlook of the countryside
- Visiting Livraria de São Tiago to look at popular books (inside an old Church)
- Eating pastries at Capinha d'Óbidos (for a taste of authentic Portuguese baking)
- Hot, muggy weather
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