Today we left the car parked and went on an explore of our current home town.

Once the wedding present of a queen, the preserved medieval town of Óbidos, 62 miles north of Lisbon, is without doubt one of Portugal's most classic walled settlements. Walking the ramparts, visitors can enjoy views of windmills, vineyards and surrounding farmlands. In the residential area below, narrow cobblestone streets are lined with whitewashed houses sporting terracotta roofs. The shops are piled high with local handicrafts and the town is ablaze with geraniums, morning glories and bougainvillea.


We can totally see our house from here!







Steve is hugging the Pillory, a granite column built at the end of the 15th century. It represented power, as well as being a symbol of municipal independence. It was also used to punish criminals.
We dined at the Restaurante Lounge, along a picturesque street. It was the perfect spot for local cuisine and incredible people watching.
A walk outside the city walls allowed us to explore this cemetery. It wasn't overly unique, until we began to look closer.
There were clusters of different tombs. The doors of which had window fronts and we could see inside. We were taken aback when we discovered that instead of the coffins being hidden, encased in stone, they were visible, stacked on shelves for everyone to see. Some contained many coffins (of adults and children), photos, shrines and even cleaning supplies. This was a cemetery first for us. We had never seen coffins exposed like this before. Interesting.

Back in town, we continued our history lesson in a very cool church. There is a big link between Óbidos and books. This link was most evident on our visit to the St James Church (1186) the site of one of the most unique and awesome bookstores, ever. Not just a great repurposing idea, the church/bookstore represents a commitment by the town to harness literature and creativity as useful cultural and social drivers. This dedication earned Óbidos recognition by UNESCO as a Creative City of Literature in 2015, in coordination with the town’s first International Literary Festival. It’s an admirable initiative and adds to the character of the town greatly.
This was another cool bookshop/organic market. So very different and memorable. The books are actually stored in produce crates!
The natural sights were spectacular as well.


If there’s one local custom we haven't tried but will before we leave... it's having a shot of the local Ginja, Portuguese cherry liquor served in an edible chocolate cup. Cherry trees surround this area and ginja shops line the shopping streets. Fun stuff.

We were saddened to see the graffiti on the otherwise pristine white walls of  Óbidos. The blue paint is chalk-like, rub it on your finger and you instantly have a tool to deface any wall. They have signs asking for it to stop. I hope the town can get a handle on it. It made us sad.

Built by Queen Catherine of Austria, wife of King John III (1521–1557), we are standing by the 1.9 mile aqueduct which was constructed to carry water from the mountains of Usseira to Óbidos, supplying the fountains of the town. The history lessons continue!
And when the sun sets, the town becomes even more magical. Is it any wonder we are here for six nights? We are enchanted.