A gift from the sea ...

The history of Foz do Arelho is closely linked to its proximity to the sea and the Lagoon of Óbidos.

Over the centuries, the location of Óbidos Lagoon has changed. According to old documents, in the past the lagoon would have reached the hills of the medieval village of Óbidos, hence the name.

Records from 1580 show that there was a large farm here that leased land for agriculture, which could be the origin of the primitive village of Fozdo Arelho. The fertile land around this area was used for agriculture, but even here the sea played an important role, with farmers fertilising their land with silt collected from the lagoon.

The origins of Foz do Arelho are closely linked to this agricultural past and to the fishing activity that served as a livelihood for local communities for millennia.

Which grew from a small fishing village into a pearl on Portugal's silver coast.

Only from the second half of the 19th century did Foz do Arelho begin to gain popularity as a seaside resort, attracting tourists mainly from Lisbon.  Its proximity to the spa town of Caldas da Rainha and its thermal hospital was one of the factors contributing to this popularity, with famous members of the Portuguese bourgeoisie and nobility visiting the region.  Among them Portuguese King D. Carlos I, known for his love of Foz do Arelho's traditional cuisine, prepared with ingredients fished directly from the lagoon.

For hundreds of years, the inhabitants of Foz do Arelho have lived off Óbidos Lagoon by fishing and harvesting shellfish.  Although this activity still contributes to the local economy, Foz do Arelho has much more to offer!