Óbidos, Portugal. A small hilltown with a population of barely above 3,000 people, Óbidos has been known since ancient times. Founded presumably by early Celtic tribes, the town enjoyed a favorable location close to the sea shore and was an important center of Phoenician trade. Under the Romans, the town thrived, as evidenced by the remains of a forum, baths and other Roman structures now excavated. After the fall of Rome, the town migrated to a more secure location on the top of a hill. The town was fortified at some point after 713 by the Moors who were in control of the area until 1148 when they were driven away by Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal. Óbidos became the last to be reconquered by the Christians in the Estremadura Province, after Santarem, Lisbon and Torres Vedras. By the end of the 12th century, Óbidos received its first charter. In 1210, King Afonso II gave the town to his wife, Queen Urraca. Since then, Óbidos has been patronized by the Queens of Portigal, hence its informal title of Vila das Rainhas (town of the Queens). King Afonso V and Princess Isabella of Coimbra had their wedding the church of Santa Maria in Óbidos. The town was damaged by the 1755 earthquake, with many precious buildings left in ruins. But, even so, the modern-day Óbidos is a wonderful example of a walled medieval town, a major tourist destination [May 23, 2018].
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