Medieval Fair in Óbidos

“From July 12th to 22nd, one more edition of the Medieval Fair of Óbidos will take place. This year, the theme of the fair is the religious and the profane, God and the Devil… The World of Light and the World of Darkness.
It is time for God. It is time to pray and ask for divine forgiveness for the harvest, for the many children, in summary…for life. But it is also time for evil, superstition, magic, sorcery and idolatry. We stand before a religious and superstitious world.
Faith, miracles, blessings, superstition, magic, witchcraft, sorcery and omens were all part of the daily life during the middle Ages. We are encountering a world of Light as well as a world of Darkness.
They are: saints and people of virtue; martyrs and hermits (who are confronted with blasphemies); predictions, enchantments, auspicious sorcerers, soothsayers and blessers.
It is time for disorder, but also for “acts of faith”, penitence, indulgences, heresy and idolatry. Demonology and necromania are in repression and involve alchemists, astronomers, and witches. Amulets have the same value as sacred relics.
Men and women, of all social statuses, participate in mad fests such as Witch Sabbaths, Teo Deo, as well as other religious celebrations.
It is in this environment that another Medieval Fair in Óbidos is going to take place, from July 12 to 22 2007. Travel back in History!

Useful Information:

Opening Hours:
July 12th – 6:00 p.m.
July 14th, 15th, 21st and 22nd – mid-day
July 13th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th – 5:00 p.m.

Entertainment Theme:
Heaven and Earth – Man and God
Faith, Superstition and Sorcery

Entertainment Schedule (Beginning hours):
Weekends – 3 p.m.
Weekdays – 6 p.m.

Ticket price: €4
Free entrance for children under 12, and visitors dressed in Medieval costumes.

Torreões:Similar to earlier years, whoever wishes may exchange Euros for the local currency of the fair, the TORREÃO, may do so. The Torreão is a coin created specifically for this medieval fair and is equivalent to the Euro. There is no exchange rate and you can take these coins home as souvenir.

Óbidos Tourist Office - General Tourist Information;
- Medieval Fair program;
- Merchandising;
- Journalist identification;

Talhada Gate (entrance of the Fair)
- Main entrance to the Fair;
- Medieval Tournaments:
- Public will be able to sit in bleachers
- Medieval Suppers with entertainment (Mocharro)
- €50,00 per person (reservations required)
- Shrew Mouse Cave
- 26 commercial areas”

Source: Town Hall of Óbidos

Weekly market in Óbidos

Speaking in fair… Since May, 19th, every Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. there is a market at Óbidos’ “gate” in which agricultural products of the region are sold.
Most products are biological but the conventional ones are also available.
The main goal is to show off the biological agriculture, wishing to have others following this kind of agriculture which is environmental friendly

Portugal’s new seven wonders

The list of the Portuguese new seven wonders is (revealed on 07.07.2007):
- Alcobaça’s monastery
- Batalha’s monastery;
- Belém’s tower (Lisbon);
- Guimarães’ castle;
- Jerónimos’ monastery (Lisbon);
- Óbidos’ castle;
- Pena’s palace (Sintra).

The other candidates were: Almourol’s castle, Marvão’s castle, Christ’s convent, Mafra’s convent, Sagres’ fortress, Monsaraz’s walls, Saint Francisco’s church, Clérigos’ church, Vila Viçosa’s palace, Coimbra’s university, Mateus’ palace, Queluz’s palace, Conímbriga’s ruins and the roman temple in Évora.

All these monuments are waiting for you… and for sure deserve to be visited!

Bom Sucesso awarded

On the 9th Festival of the Portuguese Creative’s Club, that took place last month in Lisbon, Bom Sucesso’s advertisement was awarded for its creativity.

The Portuguese newspaper Expresso had an edition on 30th September 2006 that was accompanied by a box decorated with images of the Bom Sucesso’s resort. Inside the box, a brochure was included.

This box received the “Silver Prize”.

Ota airport – will it happen or not?

Since it was announced by the government, the new airport’s location was seriously criticized…

In the last days, the discussion gained a new proportion. An alternative location was suggested and the minister decided to put on hold (for a period of six months) the Ota project until a new study about Alcochete is prepared.

On a press conference, organized by ADRO (Agency for the Development of the “Oeste” Region), were gathered important community members, namely mayors of the districts, presidents of the tourism regions, and charmains of several companies.

Telmo Faria (ADRO’s president and mayor of Óbidos council town) said that «during many years a technical discussion took place and finally in 1999 a political decision was made.» This decision conducted to investments over 3 million euros in the Oeste’s tourism. Now he can not believe that the decision is being questioned.

On the day before (June, 12th), 10 mayors of the council towns surrounding Ota met the minister wishing to clarify why he backed on the decision previously announced. It seems that after a study on Alcochete’s location turned public, he had no other choice than order a comparison between the two locations.

Three days after, it was revealed the origin of Alcochete’s study: it was requested and paid by a group of investors.

In my opinion, this means that the new airport location will be decided by the big capitals of Portugal, independently of any other important reasons that should be considered, such as environmental issues, accesses, etc.

Money is talking louder and a huge combat is happening between two groups of investors (something like north versus south, but in a smaller scale).

At this point, unfortunately, we can not take Ota as granted.

Alcobaça’s apple is going to have an eco-tour

The Association of Alcobaça’s apple producers and the agriculture school present on 15th June the Alcobaça’s apple eco-tour.

This circuit was specially designed for students, customers and tourists, and its main goal is to promote the Alcobaça’s apples and the environmental system wherein it is produced.

This product is originated from the council towns of Alcobaça, Nazaré, Caldas da Rainha, Óbidos and Porto de Mós. And the usage of this brand implies a certain number of rules since the production until the moment it is packaged for sale.

Torres Vedras becoming a Spa destination

The spa of Vale dos Cucos in Torres Vedras is going to be remodelled. The new project includes a 5-star hotel, a spa, a research centre, a golf course and a museum, in an investment over 39 million euros.
The project was presented last month in Lisbon by the promoter company, Acqualibrium, who intends to internationalize the “Termas do Vale dos Cucos”.
The historic, patrimonial and cultural heritage on the existing spaces will be preserved.
The water and mud of this spa are used on the treatment of rashes, rheumatism, arthritis and gout.