Immigrating to Portugal and integrating into Portuguese life begins with travel. With immigration status, Portugal becomes your home, and traveling becomes second nature. Wander through the old town of Lisbon on a tram, indulge in sweets at a traditional egg tart shop, stroll through beautiful bookstores in Porto, explore ancient Portuguese wine cellars, and wander tipsily through historic ancient cities; there is endless beautiful scenery to see in Portugal. With the continuous recovery of the Portuguese economy, the tourism industry has warmed up, and the number of tourists reached a new high in the second quarter of this year. Whether you are planning a trip or choosing to immigrate and settle down, Portugal is one of your best choices.
Portugal has countless tourist attractions. Today, we would like to introduce a unique zoo, which is said to be built from rich, fragrant chocolate.
Every year in March and April, the grand Óbidos International Chocolate Festival is held here. This year marks the 12th anniversary of the festival, with the theme "Zoo in Childhood," open to the public from Fridays to Sundays between March 14 and April 6. Lifelike chocolate sculptures and delicious, sweet chocolate have attracted over 100,000 chocolate fans from all over the world to visit.
Walking through the ancient, narrow streets of the small town, you can see various chocolate products and snacks displayed in shop windows everywhere, and the air is filled with the unique, rich aroma of chocolate. At this year's Óbidos Chocolate Festival, the most eye-catching attraction is the large chocolate zoo meticulously crafted by chocolate technicians.
Skilled technicians used chocolate to meticulously carve 7 sets of large animal sculptures, including elephants swinging their long trunks, bloated penguins, and clever dolphins, among others. In this "zoo" filled with the scent of chocolate, every sculpture is lifelike and realistic, causing tourists to stop in surprise from time to time and take photos in front of their favorite animals.
According to the organizers, the inspiration for this year's chocolate sculptures came from the Lisbon Zoo. With a 130-year history, the Lisbon Zoo carries the memories of almost all Portuguese people and records their growth. The designers hope to evoke their memories of a beautiful childhood through these sculptures.
In addition to admiring the vivid chocolate sculptures, the organizers also held multiple chocolate-themed lectures, music evenings, and cultural performances. In the specially designated children's entertainment area, children played with staff dressed as cartoon characters while tasting delicious chocolate.
When night fell, the centuries-old town added a touch of tranquility and mystery. At 10 p.m. on the 5th, a cultural performance themed "Charm of the Orient" was being staged in the square under the ancient castle of Óbidos. Models walked to music with oriental characteristics, showing the audience exquisite headwear and cute dolls made of chocolate. Martial arts performers from a martial arts school in Porto, the second-largest city in northern Portugal, also brought a wonderful Chinese dragon dance performance. A golden giant dragon over ten meters long tumbled up and down with the sometimes rapid and sometimes slow gongs and drums, making various shapes and winning warm applause and cheers from the audience.
Founded by the Moors in the 12th century, Óbidos is a famous tourist destination in Portugal. King Denis of Portugal once gave Óbidos to Queen Isabella as a wedding gift, and it later became a wedding destination for many couples, earning the reputation of the "Wedding City."
Since 2003, the Óbidos International Chocolate Festival has arrived on schedule every year, and the chocolate, which symbolizes the sweetness of love, has added a touch of romance to the small town. If you have the opportunity to come to the ancient and beautiful Óbidos, be sure to taste a glass of local cherry liqueur, eat a piece of rich chocolate, and fully enjoy this sweet and romantic journey.