Óbidos Castle: History, Hotel and What You Can Visit

Óbidos Castle is the medieval castle at the northwest corner of the walled town of Óbidos, about 80 km north of Lisbon. Since 1951 its palace has been a hotel, the Pousada Castelo Óbidos, so the rooms are for guests and diners. The terrace, the old parade ground behind it and the town walls are free, with no ticket.

Portugal’s first king took the castle from the Moors in 1148, and in 2007 it was voted one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. This guide covers what you can and cannot visit, its history in dates, six details to spot from the free areas, and how to stay or eat inside. For the rest of the town, see our guide to Óbidos, Portugal.

Can you visit Óbidos Castle?

Yes, but only from the outside and its open spaces. The palace inside the walls of the castle is a working hotel, so you cannot tour the rooms the way you would a museum. What you can do is walk up to the castle, sit on its terrace, cross the old parade ground behind it and climb onto the walls, all for free.

A short history of Óbidos Castle

The castle grew over 800 years, from a Moorish hilltop fort to a royal residence and then a hotel. Each reign left something you can still see, which is why the walls and towers do not match.

From Moorish fort to Portuguese stronghold

The Moors fortified the hilltop above the Arnóia river valley, and Afonso Henriques, Portugal’s first king, took it in 1148. In 1195 King Sancho I reinforced the walls and gave Óbidos its first charter, and the old Albarrã tower became a prison.

The queens’ castle and its keep

In 1210 King Afonso II gave Óbidos to Queen Urraca, and in 1282 King Dinis gave it to his bride, Queen Isabel, starting the custom that earned Óbidos the name “town of the queens”. Dinis restored and enlarged the citadel. In the 14th century King Fernando added the keep, the Torre de D. Fernando, which still dominates the castle today.

Earthquakes, decline and rescue

In the 16th century the governor, or alcaide, rebuilt the palace inside the castle with Manueline windows. The 1755 earthquake damaged the castle, and in 1842 the Albarrã tower was turned into a clock tower. Óbidos Castle was classified a National Monument in 1910, and Portugal’s monuments service restored its walls, battlements and towers between 1932 and 1935.

1951: the first historic pousada

In 1948 the architect João Filipe Vaz Martins drew up plans to turn the palace into a pousada, a state-run historic hotel. The conversion was finished in 1950 and the Pousada Castelo Óbidos opened in 1951, the first pousada set inside a classified monument. The same year a decree protected the castle and the whole walled town.

Dates follow the castle’s record in Portugal’s national heritage inventory, summarised on Wikipedia’s Castle of Óbidos page.

How to read the castle: 6 details to spot

You do not need to go inside to read the castle’s history. From the terrace, the Cerca and the walls you can pick out work from four different centuries.

1. The keep: the tall Torre de D. Fernando, finished with pointed, five-sided merlons along the top.
2. The D. Dinis tower: look for merlons shaped like small pyramids, a different finish from the keep.
3. The clock tower: the old Albarrã tower, a prison in the 12th century and a clock tower since 1842.
4. The Manueline windows: twin arched windows on the palace front, from the 16th-century rebuild.
5. The coat of arms: carved over the palace door, set between two armillary spheres.
6. The Santiago passage: a passageway links the palace to the Church of Santiago, built in 1186, rebuilt after 1755 and now a bookshop, the Livraria de Santiago.

Why is Óbidos Castle one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal?

Because the Portuguese public voted for it. In a national competition backed by the Ministry of Culture, 793 listed monuments were narrowed by experts to 77 and then 21 finalists, and a public vote by internet, phone and text message picked seven. The results were announced on 7 July 2007.

One correction worth making, because several travel sites get it wrong: Óbidos is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2015 it was named a UNESCO Creative City of Literature, which is a different programme.

Staying at the Pousada Castelo Óbidos

Yes, you can sleep in Óbidos Castle. The Pousada Castelo Óbidos takes guests in rooms inside the castle, including rooms in its towers, and in the Casa do Castelo next door. Book through the official Pousadas de Portugal site; rates depend on the date.

What is a pousada?

Pousadas de Portugal is a network of hotels in historic buildings such as castles, convents and palaces. Óbidos Castle was where the idea of putting pousadas in classified monuments began, in 1951. Our Palmela Castle guide covers another castle near Lisbon with a pousada inside.

Eating at the castle without staying

The Pousada restaurant takes table bookings from visitors, which is the easiest way to see the castle interior on a day trip. Book ahead on the official site, and expect a hotel restaurant rather than a quick lunch.

Not the same as Pousada Vila Óbidos

A second pousada sits inside the walls: Pousada Vila Óbidos, opened in 2018 as a bed and breakfast in the former Misericórdia hospital. It is not in the castle and has no restaurant, so check which one you are booking.

Walking the walls from the castle

The castle is the best place to start or finish a walk on the town walls. The circuit is free and gives you the rooftops of Óbidos on one side and open farmland on the other.

• Length: about 1,565 m around the town
• Height: up to 13 m in places
• Gates: four gates and two smaller posterns
• Where to climb: most people go up by the Porta da Vila or by the castle
• Safety: the walkway is narrow and uneven, with no guardrail on the town side, where the drop is highest
• Cost: free

Not for small children or anyone with vertigo. Our Óbidos town guide covers the full walk and the rest of the town.

Visiting Óbidos Castle from Lisbon

Óbidos is a day trip from Lisbon: about an hour by the Rápida Verde express bus from Campo Grande or by car on the A8. A two-hour castle route inside the walls looks like this.

1. Porta da Vila: enter through the tiled main gate.
2. Rua Direita: walk the main street up toward the castle.
3. Livraria de Santiago: look inside the church that is now a bookshop.
4. Castle terrace and Cerca: spot the six details above.
5. The walls: walk a stretch back toward the gate.
6. Ginjinha: finish with the cherry liqueur in a chocolate cup; see our ginjinha guide.

For other day trips that pair well, see our roundup of the best day trips from Lisbon.

Is Óbidos Castle worth it?

Yes, for the setting, the walls and the views over the town. It will disappoint you if you expect furnished rooms and a ticketed museum route. For a castle you enter with a ticket near Lisbon, the Castle of the Moors in Sintra is the closest match, and if you want Óbidos as a quieter alternative to Sintra, read our guide to Sintra alternatives.

Our private Óbidos and Nazaré day takes in the castle area, with Francisco Gomes telling its story and a ginjinha tasting in town, before the drive to Nazaré. It does not include the hotel interior or lunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

A castle that still has guests

Óbidos Castle is free to walk around and not open to tour: sit on the terrace, cross the Cerca, climb the walls, and book the restaurant if you want to see inside. To hear the story of the queens and the keep on the spot, and add Nazaré the same day, join Francisco on our private Óbidos and Nazaré tour.