Last night I attended the opening night of the annual Óbidos Medieval Festival and I was so impressed that I spent most of today researching and writing this article so that I could share this event with you!
I have only a passing interest in medieval history and historical reenactments, but I have to admit that the Óbidos Medieval Festival absolutely exceeded all of my expectations. I highly recommend that anyone traveling to Portugal in the summer try to incorporate a visit to this awesome annual event.
To me, the highlight of the Óbidos Medieval Festival is the meticulous organization of the event as a whole. It is extremely affordable, making it ideal for families and budget travelers, and once you’re inside the grounds the spectacles are scheduled so that there’s always something to see and do, the food and drink is so reasonably priced that you’ll want to have two of everything, and the event is so well-staffed that you feel like everyone in the entire Portuguese theatre industry must be there to put on the show all around you.
Where is the Óbidos Medieval Festival?
The Óbidos Medieval Festival is held in Óbidos, Porgual. This small town is about fifty kilometers north of Lisbon, and can be reached by car or bus in under two hours.
Most of the Óbidos Medieval Festival takes place inside the castle walls, within the ticketed area. However, there are other events around town, in various squares and public buildings, and occasionally performers wander the town’s streets in character.
When is the Óbidos Medieval Festival?
The Óbidos Medieval Festival is held every year in July for about two weeks. On weekdays, the festival grounds open in the early evening (around 17:00) and on weekends there is usually a full day of activities (from 11:00 to midnight).
⭐ The 2026 Obidos Medieval Festival will take place from July 16th to July 26th! ⭐
How much do tickets to the Óbidos Medieval Festival cost?
You need a ticket to enter the grounds of the Óbidos Medieval Festival. In 2025, regular tickets cost €10. However, they offered a range of advance discounts, with prices as low as €5 in mid-June. Children also receive discounted tickets, and kids under four get in for free.
When I was there, I also saw that there were discounts for visitors who arrived in medieval costume – something to consider! (You can rent costumes for the day from a vendor near the Tourist Information office; prices are very reasonable.)
You can buy your tickets to the when you arrive in Óbidos or online through the festival’s official website. In town, there is a ticket window at the town entrance beside the Tourist Information office, or there is one beside the entrance to the castle. usually, the line by the castle is usually much shorter.
Your ticket to the Óbidos Medieval Festival is valid for one day, so if you’re planning to come back the next day you’ll need a new ticket.
What can you see and do at the Óbidos Medieval Festival?
I visited the Óbidos Medieval Festival on opening night and stayed from 17:00 to 23:00, which should tell you that there was lots to see and do! I think I would have gone back the next day as well, if I hadn’t been stuck at my hotel waiting for my lost luggage. Here’s how much time I would plan on spending within the festival grounds:
- Families with kids – Four or five hours, preferably on a weekend during the late afternoon.
- Adults just checking things out – A full evening (like I did)
- Adults with a passion for all things medieval – A full day on a weekend (open to close)
Once you’re inside the grounds, the only things you need to pay for are food, drink and any shopping that you do. Cash was definitely preferred over credit cards, and you’ll want to bring lots of small change as the vendors may not be able to give you change for large bills.
As I mentioned above, you receive a small discount on the ticket price if you arrive in a medieval costume. I was surprised by how many people did wear medieval costumes, and I would definitely consider it for next time. Regardless of what you wear, note that it can get chilly in the evenings so you may want to have a shawl, sweater or jacket if you plan to stay past sundown.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, there are clean flush toilets inside the festival grounds!
Knights & Horses Spectacle
On opening night, the most popular event at the Óbidos Medieval Festival was the knight and horse show. I actually spoke to one of the security guards who said they reserve a section of this show just for VIPs, like local government officials, because it’s considered a major highlight. In order to secure seats at this show, make sure to arrive at least 20 minutes before it starts.
I believe that there are variations of the show held here. The one I saw included a bit of audience participation (if you’re seated near the boxes at either end you may be selected to sit up top as a foreign “ambassador”). Of course, there will be some basic knight moves like faux jousting and catching rings on a lance. As well, there was a short section where a very disagreeable hawk refused to follow its handlers directions and fly over the audience, much to our amusement.
Theatre Shows & Historical Reenactments
There are several stages around the venue, and you may have the chance to see a theatre performance or a historical reenactment. On opening night, they were only performed in Portuguese, so I could follow the general theme and the mood of the audience, but struggled to understand the details.
Musical Performances
You don’t need to speak Portuguese to enjoy the music! At the Óbidos Medieval Festival there were many costumed musicians wandering the grounds and performing for the crowds. As well, there were scheduled musical shows (usually 30 – 60 minutes) on the various stages.
Comedy Shows
You also don’t have to speak Portuguese to enjoy a classic physical comedy show, and you can expect lots of silliness at the Óbidos Medieval Festival. From clowns to troubadors to court jesters to jugglers to fools, the comedy performances were widely enjoyed by the crowds on opening night.
Sitting near the front puts you at risk of being called up onto the stage, so choose your seat wisely!
Artisans & Handicrafts
The streets inside the festival grounds are lined with artisans and vendors selling handmade and local goods.
One of the most popular stalls is the one that sells floral crown – these were super-popular with girls and women (but males can wear them too!). The vendors selling child-sized wooden weapons like swords and maces were also very popular. And if you’re looking for an easy souvenir, some of the drink stalls were selling beverages in souvenir mugs shaped like the castle towers – these would be an awesome memory of your trip to the faire!
Medieval Food & Drink
Unexpectedly, my favorite part of the Óbidos Medieval Festival was the food and drink. I would never have imagined that a medieval festival would have so much fresh, healthy and even vegetarian and vegan food! I was also completely shocked to find that unlike at other festivals, the food and drink here was extremely affordable.
As a vegetarian, I sampled a few different dishes at the festival. I started with a fire-grilled vegan sandwich stuffed with soft braised vegetables, which I had with a glass (or two, or three…) of sangria. I couldn’t resist having a cup of warm vegetable soup as the night got colder. Finally, before I went home, I also had a crepe with doce de leite.
Of course, if you’re a meat-eater, a medieval faire is always a good place to be! There were all sorts of meats being grilled around the site, ranging from sausages to whole pigs to animals I couldn’t begin to identify (though I did notice that there seemed to be fewer pigeons around town this morning…). 😉
Other Medieval Events Around Obidos
You don’t necessarily have to buy a ticket to the Óbidos Medieval Festival to join in some of the festivities. During the festival the main road into town is lined with vendors selling similar items to those you can find in the fairgrounds.
As well, some of the squares around town have activities and events set up, like this archery activity (and tarot card reader, not shown) in the square in front of the Santa Maria church.
Where to Stay During the Óbidos Medieval Festival
If you’re planning to be in Óbidos during the medieval festival, it may impact where you choose to stay in the town. I have a complete guide to the best hotels in Obidos that showcases all of the best properties in (and around) town.
The two hotels closest to the festival are Pousada do Castelo de Óbidos and Casa S. Thiago do Castelo. These two hotels are pretty much right in the middle of the festival grounds, which means you’ll have awesome access to the festival but you may find them noisy, as festivities go until midnight.
If you’d prefer to retire to a quiet room after visiting the festival, you might want to stay where I did: Hotel Aquae Ductus Suites. It’s an eight-minute walk outside the historic center (literally alongside an ancient aqueduct!) in a quiet residential area.
Is the Óbidos Medieval Festival worth visiting?
If you happen to be Lisbon or Óbidos during the festival, I think it’s worth paying the admission fee to check out the festival. If you’re traveling in Portugal with kids, I think they’d really love it. However, personally I wouldn’t make a special trip to the region just to attend the Óbidos Medieval Festival unless I was truly passionate about historical reenactments.
I’ve collected my favorite Portugal tours, activities and excursions here.
There are lots of things to do in Óbidos besides just this medieval festival. Click through to see what you can see and do with one day in Óbidos!
Before you go, I recommend reading my top money-saving travel advice and the month-by-month story of how I took eight months off work to travel around the world.
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