A Couple’s Guide to Óbidos, Portugal

This Medieval fortress was part of the wedding present from King Denis to his queen when they married in the late 13th century. Soak up its historical surroundings by booking the stone-walled special suite, decked out with a four-poster bed, vaulted wooden ceiling and wall tapestries, softly illuminated by iron candelabras. Couples-oriented amenities include in-room massages and flower delivery services, along with an upscale restaurant, as recommended above.

Designed by 23 internationally acclaimed architects, this environmentally conscious resort offers stylish villas that ensure maximum privacy for you and your other half. Each one has countryside views, an open-plan living space with designer furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto a private terrace, along with access to a shared pool. After a couple’s treatment in the spa or a round of golf on the 18-hole course, retire to the Clubhouse for a sirloin steak. Óbidos is a 20-minute drive away.

For a five-star stay on the Atlantic coast, book the Evolutee, a series of apartments within the Royal Óbidos Spa and Golf Resort. Golf fans will appreciate the views over the Severiano Ballesteros-designed greens. However, the star of the show is the long, slender swimming pool that looks towards the coastline; there’s also an indoor pool if the weather turns inclement. Reserve a table for dinner at the ocean-facing restaurant, which serves Portuguese specialities such as octopus salad and stir-fried padrón peppers with sea salt.

Kick back in this four-star boutique hotel within Óbidos’s Medieval walls. Treat yourself and book the top-floor tower suite, complete with plush bedding and gilded mirrors. On-site Comendador Silva restaurant makes a breakfast of home-baked bread, cereals, fruit and egg dishes as well as mains centred on local produce, including shredded duck with Portuguese sausages and codfish with a cornbread crust and roasted peppers. Ask staff for details of excursions to the Atlantic coast or nearby towns and cities.

This literature-loving boutique hotel is also a bookstore, featuring a restaurant lined with thousands of titles and a bar serving cocktails inspired by major writers, such as the William Faulkner (a mint julep) and the Jack Kerouac (a margarita). Yet more volumes are scattered throughout the bedrooms, characterised by striking walls of reused wood and smooth concrete. There’s also the library-esque Book & Cook restaurant, serving rare wines, inventive vegetarian dishes, Portuguese classics and grilled cuts from an egg-shaped, Japanese-style kamado grill.

Housed in a traditional 18th-century residence, this B&B provides cosy, carpeted doubles with views of the town, an internal courtyard or the Medieval walls, and bathrooms with tiled mosaic floors. Start the day in the breakfast room, opening onto the patio, with a thick slice of bolo real (royal cake); it’s one of the most iconic Portuguese sweets. Activities include horse riding and guided cultural tours.

This ecofriendly retreat, just west of Óbidos, offers six airy doubles with kitchenettes and verandas overlooking a vegetable garden, vineyards and an outdoor pool – a perfect spot for watching the sun go down with a glass of locally produced wine. What was once the farm workers’ accommodation has been turned into a cavernous lounge with a vaulted wooden ceiling. Enjoy home-made bread, cakes and marmalades for breakfast, followed by a stroll among the century-old vines. Óbidos is a 15-minute drive away.