Portuguese Wonders: An Ode to Óbidos Sweetest Delight

Located an hour’s drive from Lisbon, this medieval town is one of Europe’s most beautiful and well-kept secrets.

Photo by Joalpe on Wikimedia Commons

Have you ever considered visiting Portugal? I’m sure you have. And I’m betting that when you think of travel destinations, you think of popular locations like Lisbon, Porto, or the Algarve.

But what if I told you about a quaint town on a hill about an hour’s drive from Lisbon that produces one of the country’s most treasured liqueurs?

We absolutely love port wine, but any Portuguese visiting the Portuguese southwest around Leiria will take a brief detour to enjoy ginjinha, a centuries-old delicacy.

Ginjinha is the name we give to a unique liqueur with a well-established tradition.

You can find ginjinha in Lisbon’s most traditional taverns, but the best ginja liqueurs come from the Alcobaça municipality, from towns like Óbidos.

Ginjinha bar at Rossio in Lisbon in Portugal | Photo by Gerd Eichmann on Wikimedia Commons

My first visit to Óbidos

I live in a small town near Porto, the northern part of Portugal; hence, even if we…