A town frozen in time

There are places where history never really fades.
Óbidos is one of them.
Surrounded by ancient walls and crowned by a castle, this small town feels like a doorway to another era.

Every summer, for two weeks, it becomes the stage for the Óbidos Medieval Festival — a living, breathing celebration of the past.
Knights march, minstrels play, craftsmen work by hand, and taverns fill with laughter and the smell of roasted meat.

More than a festival, it’s a journey — a way to experience history not as something distant, but as something we can touch, taste and feel.

Back to the age of kings and knights

Created in the early 2000s, the festival has grown into one of Portugal’s most beloved cultural events.
Each edition follows a theme — a royal court, a historic battle, a medieval fair.
Banners line the streets, drums echo through the alleys, and hundreds of performers bring the era to life.

Costumes are handmade, food is prepared with medieval recipes, and everything is authentic down to the smallest detail.
Rustic bread, honey, spiced wine and grilled meat — all of it tastes like a story from another time.

A feast for the senses

At Óbidos, the Middle Ages come alive through every sound and scent.
Musicians play ancient melodies, jugglers and fire breathers perform in the squares, and craftsmen show their skills under the torches’ glow.

The tavern is the heart of the festival, a place of friendship and celebration where strangers share benches and toasts as if they had always known each other.
When night falls, and the city is bathed in golden light, the atmosphere becomes truly magical.

Spectacles that revive history

The highlight of the festival is the reenactments: knight tournaments, archery contests, blacksmiths forging armor and falconers presenting their birds.
Every performance is done with passion and precision, turning Óbidos into a living museum.

Children learn to write with feathers, to shoot arrows and to dream of becoming heroes.
Adults rediscover wonder.

A town made for legends

Óbidos could not be a more perfect setting.
Gifted centuries ago by King Denis to Queen Isabel, it has always been a place of romance and nobility.
Its narrow streets and towering castle make it feel like a fairytale brought to life.

During the festival, the city’s soul awakens — full of music, laughter and the scent of history.

An experience not to be missed

The Óbidos Medieval Festival is more than an event.
It’s a celebration of imagination, community and joy.
People come from all over the world, some dressed in medieval attire, others simply curious, but all leave with the same feeling — that they’ve lived something timeless.

Because in Óbidos, history doesn’t belong to the past.
It dances, it sings, and it reminds us that magic still exists — if only we know where to look.