"the "presépio"(*) village" Piódão by miau2004

The unforgetable sight of "Serra do Açor" almost makes you forget about the precipes that follow the road comingo from Arganil; about 35 Kms of landscape deligh that end in one of the most ancient villages of Portugal, Piodão, with its highest peak (Picoto do Piodão) reaching about 1400m high.
The typical medieval houses were/are made from what the natures provides: schist, with a beautiful blueish tone. The doors and windows are painted in blue: the ancients tell that it was the only paint available several years ago due to the villages isolation. It resembles a village built with doll-houses :)

(*) the word presépio has no translation to english. it's related to the xmas habbit in some villages to "rebuild" the place were baby jesus was born

"Piódão is without doubt one of the most beautiful villages of Portugal. It is classified as a Public Interest Monument, set forth in 1978, therefore benefiting of some protection. But only after its integration in the project of Historical Villages of Portugal, did Piodão see its urbanization ensemble safeguarded.
Being in the scope of that program all the houses in cement and tile roofing, are being converted in schist walls and roofs of slate. This project is now almost finished, so one can appreciate the architectonic richness of Piodão, and its reference as a heritage to preserve."

There are two nature phenomenoms that can make you experience unforgetable: a thunderstorm and fog.
I was fortunate to experience both.
The fog give that touch of mistery that you feel after wandering about the woods. Thunderstorms at night can be really scary, you can even feel the rumbling when the lightning strikes the earth, but one of the most amazing light spectacles i've ever seen

Now that hopefully i got your attention to this beautiful village, let me give you some advices:

Beware, if you're used to a non-stop-stressful-"kinda"-life, spending more than 3 days can be a shocking, nevertheless worthy experience.
Be prepared for an "all nature" time, spending your day walking through the woods were you can find small waterfalls, wild cramberries and raspeberries, abrunho (careful, it will get you drunk :) ) and of course small animals ... i got to see a fox :)

Take a bottle of water with you. It's a long walk on a "ruff territory", so maybe it's best to think on iced watter, it will melt :)

Also be sure to take a camera with you... well protected of course... but i'm sure you'll find always something to take a picture at...

You can chose from two walks, one about 2.4 km and the other 3.5km. at the beggining and at the end of each, there's an artificial pool using the river's watter were you can bath or simply sit by the shadow and take some time to rest or read or simply splash your feet on the watter like kids!

If you plan to check the other small villages near Piodão, be sure to do it by day and at time to get back with some daylight... the road down to Piodão can be very creepy with just a few lightposts (porbably it's better now) but on the other hand you'll have one of the most beautiful sights i ever seen: the small village with the lamps on.