History
When Dom Dinis first showed Óbidos to his wife Dona Isabel in 1228, it must have already been a pretty sight, because she fell instantly in love with the place. The king decided to make the town a wedding gift to his queen, initiating a royal tradition that lasted until the 19th century.
Any grace it had in 1228 must be credited to the Moors, who had laid out the streets and had only recently abandoned the strategic heights. The Moors had chased out the Visigoths, who in turn had evicted the Romans, who also had a fortress here.
Until the 15th century Óbidos overlooked the sea; the bay gradually silted up, leaving the town landlocked.
