Óbidos Vila Natal, Christmas inside the walls

What it is

Óbidos Vila Natal is the Christmas park the town sets up every winter inside its walls, in the Cerca do Castelo, the enclosure beside the castle. It is organised by Óbidos Criativa, the municipal company. It has an entry fee, runs in timed sessions and is designed for families with children: rides, shows, workshops and lighting, with a different theme each year.

The 2026 edition is called Pinocchio e o mundo das Marionetas and runs from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.

What is inside

The 2026 plan divides the enclosure into about twenty areas. The main ones:

• Mar Gelado, the ice rink.
• Casa do Pai Natal, Father Christmas's house.
• Parisian carousel and mini Ferris wheel.
• Mergulho do Pinocchio and O Grande Peixe, rides inspired by the story.
• Teatro das Marionetas, the Palco da Barca and the Atelier das Marionetas, with shows and a workshop.
• Terra das Diversões, with more rides, and entertainers around the grounds.
• Mercado de Natal, with Christmas stalls.

Outside the enclosure, the town can be strolled for free: Rua Direita, the walls and the Livraria de Santiago.

Hours and sessions

The park opens at 10:00 and closes at 19:00. Entry works by hourly sessions: when you buy you choose the day and time, and you can enter from the start of your session until the start of the next. Once inside, you stay as long as you like. Not every day of the season has the same calendar: check at the ticket sales which days have sessions.

2026 prices

• General, over 12s: €12.
• Children aged 3 to 11: €8.
• Students aged 12 to 25, with ID, and over-65s: €11.
• Family of 2 adults and 2 children: €36; with 3 children, €42; with 4 children, €48. Includes two 40 ml ginjas and a voucher for the Mariquinhas Experience Factory.
• Large family (5 to 7 people, with an APFN card): €42.
• Children with a disability of 60% or more: 50% discount for the child and their companion.
• Groups of 25 or more: from €10.50 to €9.50 per person.

Tickets are bought on the event website, through Bilheteira Online (BOL).

Getting there and parking

By car, take the A8 between Lisbon and Leiria, exit 15 (Óbidos). There are car parks outside the walls, beside the Porta da Vila; at weekends and during the Christmas holidays they fill up early. By public transport, check the Rodoviária do Oeste buses. From the Porta da Vila you walk up Rua Direita to the enclosure, beside the castle.

How long and when to go

Allow half a day with children: between the rides, the show and the ice rink, three or four hours go by. December weekends and the Christmas school holidays are the busiest days; if you can, go at the start of the season and choose one of the first morning sessions.

With children

It is for them, especially ages 3 to 10. Bring warm clothes and gloves for the ice rink: in December, Óbidos is cold and damp. The town's streets are cobbled and sloping; with a pushchair it can be done, but it is heavy going. The ginja in the family ticket is for the adults: it is a liqueur.