Óbidos, Portugal

 

Azulejo (blue tiles) in the gate to Óbidos

The town of Óbidos  was taken from the Moors in 1148 by Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques. By tradition, the town was given to the queen as part of her dowry by many subsequent kings. The town remains surrounded by its medieval walls, but the keep is now a hotel. We walked the streets where the shops cater to tourists. The church of Santa Maria is known for its paintings by Josefa de Óbidos, a female painter from the 17^th century. We wandered the town in the rain before sampling Ginja, a cherry liquor from chocolate cups. Then we had lunch in town. As we left it was pouring rain.

Santa Maria in Óbodos