After living in Lisbon, I am spending the next year in different towns in Portugal. I want to get to know this country and its people better. I am eager to see what the next chapter of my life here might look like…and where it will happen.
My latest adventure found me driving on a golf-cart sized mountain road to reach the 17th century's idea of a vertical village.
To me, both were equally terrifying.
Piódão…A Must-See Village!
After settling into my farmhouse apartment in Paços da Serra, I decided it was time to do a little exploring. At the top of many must-see lists including the suggestions left by my host, was Piódão, described as a "fairytale village with narrow, winding streets and breathtaking views".
From a few pictures I saw online, it looked like a cute town to spend an hour or two wandering around, looking in shop windows and stopping at a cafe. A quick check showed it was just over a one hour drive away.
I jumped into my rental car, typed "Piódão" into Waze and fired up my road trip playlist.
Where Have All the Guardrails Gone?
A bit dizzy after spinning through many back-to-back roundabouts, I found myself driving into the mountains. While I wasn't opposed to the mountains, I had imagined an easy drive to a nearby village for a bit of window shopping and a nice coffee. Instead, I was navigating mountain roads that back home are typically accompanied by guardrails. There must be a massive guardrail shortage in Portugal as there were very few protecting lives on these perilous roads. Some were simply wooden fences that were not going to be effective if called into duty.
As I drove, I became increasingly panicked at how little real estate there was between me and a one-way path to disaster. My grip on the steering wheel tightened, turning the casual afternoon drive into a white-knuckler situation. As I struggled to contain my fear, my singing abruptly ended as I cursed, "If I ever get off this $%&$ mountain, I will never leave flat ground again."
After what seemed like a death-defying eternity, I drove into a valley that was home to the tiny village of Vide. My grip on the steering wheel eased as my breath returned. Not seeing anything marked as a parking space, I pulled over and left my car in one lane of the road behind another car. Maybe this is local parking? At that point, I did not see it as a negative if someone came along and towed it away.
Where Are All the Women of Vide?
Vide is a quaint village on a river with houses climbing up the hill. I walked into a cafe and ordered an espresso as I stood at the bar. The room was filled with sports memorabilia and photos of customers.
And men.
I always wonder what these places do with the women. Do they just spend their days at home? Perhaps they have a secret meeting place somewhere. As I pondered this, I smiled at the roomful of men and wished them a “boa tarde” which some completely ignored, some mumbled a reply, and one returned the greeting along with a sly wink and a smile.
As I was drinking my espresso, one by one the men left. As I watched them file out, I had a flashback to a time in Moscow when I was trying to make a dinner reservation. I was told by the hotel staff that I could not go out at night alone as people would think I was a hooker and would not want to be seen with me in a public place.
That night, after a lovely meal in a nice restaurant near Red Square, I popped into a busy bar for an after dinner drink and settled into a barstool with a good book. A few chapters later, I looked around to find all the seats around me empty. I rolled my eyes and returned to my book.
Back in Vide, a woman remained at a table in the back of the empty bar. I nodded toward her and held up my espresso in a toast, receiving a warm smile in return.
In Need of a Golf Cart on the Road to Piódão
After shaking up the men in Vide, I resumed my journey to Piódão with newfound courage. As I was driving along, suddenly, the roads were only big enough for an oversized golf cart and I was white-knuckling it once again.
How could someone possibly recommend I drive this road? I don't care if every one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites was on tour and located at the end, I would still not willingly drive this road.
Not having any room to turn around, I was forced to continue. As I slowly approached each sharp turn, I blew the horn to alert any oncoming cars of my presence in hopes of avoiding a head-on collision.
Up ahead I saw a car coming down from the mountain. This was my opportunity! I slowed even more, if that was possible, and gave the car time to pull in front of me. Let them take the head-on collision risk. This meant I had to pick up the pace but the tradeoff was worth it. Finally, I arrived at the parking area for Piódão and abandoned my car there, thinking that if the town has internet access and a way to get supplies delivered, I may end up living out my days there.
The Vertical Village of Piódão
I followed a path toward the village that passed the river beach. It was so hot I was tempted to jump in fully clothed. I might as well get to know my new town, and as hot as it was, my clothes would dry quickly. Resisting the urge, I continued on until I reached the village.
As I wandered around, I found the village almost as terrifying as the drive. The houses were stacked vertically up the mountain with steep steps leading to their entrances. Given my extreme fear of heights, If I lived here, I'd have to be heavily sedated. Everything was a steep climb. There was no "walk around town"; it was more of a jungle gym experience.
As I climbed around, I noticed the village had very few conveniences. I never saw a market but I did pass a restaurant. As I was deciding how high I was willing to go to get the full Piódão experience, I ran into a couple of tourists descending the stairs. "Keep climbing!" they said excitedly. "The church is just up there!"
I assumed this church was something I should see and kept going. I remained a bit concerned as to how I might get back down, given the lack of handrails and the steep height of each step against my 4' 11" frame. Finally, I arrived at a tiny church. It was quite cute! Maybe this was the payoff for all my efforts to reach this point. After snapping a few photos, I tried to open the door and have a look inside.
Denied.
The cute little church was locked up tight. I tried peeking in the windows but they were shuttered, blocking prying eyes. I wondered what secrets this little house of God held but I was not to discover them today.
Reflecting On Life in the Village
I carefully climbed back down the steep steps to return to my car and start the journey on the golf cart path home. As I was making my way out of the village, I spotted the main square, which was the scene I had seen in pictures that drew me here. This was where I thought I was going to arrive and park after a flat afternoon drive.
I headed to the edge of the square for a look out over the mountains and the village. Piódão is one of the "schist villages" of Portugal, which are currently part of a conservation effort I had read about. Farmers built these homes out of schist rock to withstand the harsh mountain climate. Now, the Portuguese government is trying to save them along with the culture and traditions of each village.
As I stood there thinking what life must have been like here, I thought of how serene it all appeared. After all the day trippers leave it is probably quite a magical atmosphere. I wondered how I might feel if I took on the challenge of spending a night here. Just the idea of hanging off the side of a mountain in my schist home might be enough to keep me awake all night. At least I'd get the full experience.
A Dangerous Recommendation
Before leaving the square, I bought a fridge magnet, wanting evidence of my bravery. Or stupidity depending on your perspective.
After a very cautious drive, I arrived back at the farmhouse and told my host about my day. Her eyes grew big as she asked, "You drove to Piódão??? Those roads are very dangerous!"
I smiled sweetly and fought the urge to reply, "You don't say? Maybe include that little tidbit in your list of recommendations that includes Piódão."
As always, I adore your curiosity, bravery, and intrepid sense of adventure.
You rock, Lisa Tisdale❤️