Óbidos is best out of peak season. June to early September brings heavy day-trip traffic from Lisbon and the cruise terminals — the town is rammed from late morning until about 5pm. Outside those hours, even in summer, it returns to itself.
April–May and October are ideal: warm weather, manageable crowds, and the surrounding pear orchards full of blossom or fruit. Winter is quiet and atmospheric — and timed right, you can catch the Mercado Medieval in July, the international Chocolate Festival at Easter, and the magical Christmas Village that takes over the inner town in December.