If you're someone who loves the idea of drinking alcohol out of chocolate cups in a fairytale land, then the ultra-charming town of Obidos is worth a visit. If you're not, I don't want to see you here again.
Obidos was the second stop on our Portugal adventure, just a quick (less than an hour) drive from Lisbon. We booked an Airbnb for just one night, outside of the town walls. After about 15 minutes of inching our car back and forth to avoid hitting the medieval wall we parked in a driveway and entered a lovely courtyard. A wild cat lounged and a little frog chirped from the pond in the middle. Our host came out and welcomed us with a glass of Ginjinha (colloquially known as ginja). This super tasty cherry liqueur is one of the defining drinks of Portugal, and the region around Óbidos has a long history of cherry cultivation. With one cup, we were hooked for the rest of our trip.
While drinking ginja all day may not sound especially kid-friendly, there's plenty to do here that will keep your little ones entertained:
Visit the swing overlooking Obidos: One of the most popular attractions in Obidos is the bench swing, with views of the city and countryside beyond. Get some adorable photos while your kids enjoy scrambling about on the swing and the rocky hillside behind it.
Walk the wall: This one isn't for the faint of heart (or the toddler who doesn't listen well). The Obidos wall is quite high and doesn't have any guardrails. At some points it is level with the roofs of buildings and at others it's far about the cobblestones below. My husband carried both our baby and toddler, and we walked the entire circumference. I won't pretend I wasn't freaking out a little bit but it was a really unforgettable experience.
Visit the library in a church: The Livraria de Santiago is a bookstore in a converted church, and it's a unique and beautiful space. My daughter liked looking through the children's books and they have a fairly big English language section. If you don't get to this bookstore, don't worry, you'll find another. Obidos was recognized by UNESCO as a "City of Literature" and there are more than 20 bookstores in town, including a cozy bookstore in a wine celler, the Livraria da Adega.
Do a ginja crawl: The liqueur is served in stalls and shopfronts about every 20 ft in the main drags of Obidos, and you are given the option to have it in a white or chocolate cup. Each time we got a little tipple, we got our daughter an empty chocolate cup. Hey, we're not going for parents of the year here, OK? But it made for fun for all.
Get a medieval toy: Every year, the Medieval Market of Óbidos is an annual festival held in the town, with period costumes, street performers, musicians, and lots of locally made crafts. We weren't there during the festival, but stores lining the main street are chock-full of medieval toys like plastic swords and Knight's armor.
Get blue: One of the unique features of Obidos is the famous painted blue walls. We were curious and investigated why they used this paint, know as"azul de Óbidos." It's apparently a type of blue pigment that was historically made from local minerals and mixed with lime, used to ward off insects and pests. The thing about it is that it comes off really easily. When were sitting at restaurant, I leaned against the wall and came home with a very blue arm and shirt. But let's be honest, this is totally fun for kids and they'll love checking it out. Just watch your clothes for blue fingerprints later (If it's any consolation, it all came out in the wash quite easily.)
Bottom line: Obidos is a great spot to visit with kids. Despite staying for just one day, we have so many fun memories of walking the town walls and pretending to be dragons soaring above the medieval castle. You could easily stop in the town for just an afternoon as well, on your way to the ocean or other destinations – just don't leave without trying a little cup of ginja.