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As you enter town through the massive, arched gates, it seems as if you've been transported to Portugal in the Middle Ages, when the fortress was taken by Portugal from the Moors. The narrow Rua Direita, lined with boutiques and white, flower-bedecked houses, runs from the gates to the foot of the castle: you may want to shop for ceramics and clothing on this street. The rest of the town is crisscrossed by a labyrinth of stone footpaths, tiny squares, and decaying stairways. Each nook and cranny offers its own reward. Cars aren't permitted inside the walls except to unload luggage at hotels. Parking is provided outside town.
Away from the walled town, two pleasant marked walks enable you to see some rural history and Roman ruins or visit a bird observatory, respectively. It's a 1-km (½-mile) trek from the city gate through farmlands, a grove of poplar trees, and along the Arnoia River to the Eburobritium Roman ruins (established 1 BC to AD 5), where you can see ancient baths and a forum. Another walk is out to the free Lagoa de Óbidos observatories, from where you can spy aquatic birds and birds of prey. Maps of Óbidos are available at the tourist office in the parking lot at the gate into the city wall.
Like a real-life Willy Wonka chocolate factory but even bigger, the outdoor feast that is the annual Festival de Chocolate attracts more than 200,000 people to Óbidos in March and April. There are tons of things to do and see, like an annual chocolate sculpture contest done by locally renowned chefs. Along with the many stands selling all kinds of delicious chocolate goodies, many local restaurants offer chocolate-theme menus.
Every late July and/or early August, the Mercado Medieval enlivens the town over two long weekends. There's a parade of people in medieval costumes each day around the city walls. To buy some of the typical products of the region—ceramics, cheeses, hams, and flowers—exchange your euros for replica torreões (the first coins struck in Portugal). Battles and court scenes are dramatized daily, and music animates the market until midnight. As for a meal, consider a hunk of the wild boar roasted on a spit.
All through December, the Óbidos Christmas Village is the perfect miniature winter wonderland for children. There's usually ice-skating, an ice slide, a carousel, puppet shows, and, of course, Santa Claus. There are also several shows, organized games for all ages, and a market selling handicrafts and traditional sweets, as well as plenty of other food and drink.
