A journey through Portugal’s forgotten corners
There are places in Portugal where the wind speaks louder than people. Where bells still ring from an empty church, echoing through valleys where only the ghosts of the past remain. Time does not rush; it lingers, like the scent of wood smoke wafting through the cracks of old stone houses.
These are Portugal’s lost villages—abandoned, forgotten, or left behind by time. Yet they remain, carved into the mountains, hidden in valleys, clinging to the edges of cliffs, waiting for a traveller who still believes in stories.
I will take you there.
Drave: The Village That Sleeps in the Mountains
Deep in the heart of the Serra da Freita, beyond winding trails and hidden river crossings, lies Drave—a village untouched by time, where there are no roads, no electricity, and no permanent residents.
Getting here isn’t easy. The only way in is on foot, along a rugged three-kilometre trek through the wilderness, where the wind hums through the valleys and the sky feels bigger than anywhere else. But the moment you arrive, it all makes sense. Drave isn’t just a place—it’s an experience.
The slate houses, carved from the very mountains they stand on, sit in quiet defiance against the passing centuries. A natural spring still flows, feeding an old stone washbasin where, once upon a time, the village women would gather, scrubbing clothes under the open sky while swapping stories of love, life, and loss.
Drave may be abandoned, but it is far from forgotten. It waits—silent, patient—for those willing to leave the noise of the world behind. For the ones who still believe in the beauty of solitude, in the magic of places where time moves slower, where the only sound is the whisper of the wind and the rhythm of your own footsteps.
If you’re searching for a destination that feels like a dream, Drave is calling. Will you answer?
Aldeia da Pena: A mystery in the Serra de São Macário
Some places in Portugal are like whispers—so well hidden that you could pass by without ever knowing.
A Journey to Pena: Portugal’s Most Mythical Village
Getting to Aldeia da Pena is not for the faint of heart. The road leading to this hidden gem is as thrilling as the destination itself—a steep, narrow path, where only one car can pass at a time, despite it being a two-way route. But don’t let that first rush of adrenaline deter you—because once you descend into the valley, you’ll quickly realise: the journey is absolutely worth it.
Nestled deep in the Gralheira Massif, Pena is a place that feels frozen in time. The first glimpse of the village from the hilltop is enough to take your breath away—a cluster of perfectly preserved schist and slate houses, set against the dramatic backdrop of rugged mountains. It looks like a lost world, untouched by modern chaos.
This is true wilderness. Here, the mountains dictate life, and the village sits in the shadows for most of the day. In winter, the sun graces the village for just three short hours, creating an atmosphere that is both mystical and melancholic. But rather than taking away from its beauty, the lack of light only adds to its quiet charm.
Exploring Pena: A Village Built to Be Wandered
Lose yourself in the maze of narrow pathways, where every turn reveals a new story. The old stone houses, their wooden balconies adorned with flower pots, feel as though they have been there forever—witnesses to a way of life that refuses to fade.
Despite its isolation, Pena has a strong sense of community, and the warmth of its people is as comforting as a fire on a cold night. Hospitality here is not just tradition; it’s a way of life.
Where to Eat: A Taste of Pena’s Heart and Soul
After exploring, there’s no better way to immerse yourself in Pena’s spirit than through its food. At Adega Típica da Pena, you’ll find an authentic taste of the region—simple, hearty dishes made with centuries of tradition.
- Start with Serra cheese and cured ham, a classic combination best paired with a glass of vinho verde.
- Try local favourites like arroz de cabidela de galinha (chicken rice cooked in blood sauce), cozido à portuguesa à Pena (a traditional Portuguese stew), or veal roasted in a wood-fired oven.
- If you’re craving something truly special, roast lamb with potatoes is a must.
And then there’s dessert—doce de sopa seca (a sweet, rustic pudding) and filhós da Pena (crispy fried dough sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon). Each bite is a reminder that Pena is not just a place you visit—it’s a place you experience with all your senses.
Take a Piece of Pena Home
Before you leave, stop by one of the local craft shops. The miniature wooden and slate models of the village make the perfect keepsake, while the honeycomb wax candles offer a little piece of Pena’s glow, even after you’ve left.
Why You Should Visit Pena
Pena is more than just a village—it’s a living piece of Portugal’s history, a place where time slows down, where nature and tradition exist in perfect harmony. It’s a destination that challenges you to step off the beaten path, to embrace the adventure of getting there, and to savour the magic of a village that has refused to be forgotten.
Would you dare take the road to Portugal’s most mythical village?
Rio de Onor: The village where borders disappear
Deep in the Trás-os-Montes region, far from Portugal’s bustling cities and well-worn tourist trails, lies a village where borders never existed. Here, Portugal and Spain blend, not as rivals or neighbours, but as a single way of life.
Welcome to Rio de Onor, a village where time passes differently and traditions are kept alive not out of nostalgia but because they are still part of everyday life. Half of the settlement is in Portugal, while the other half is in Spain. However, for the residents, there is no sense of separation—only the rhythm of the seasons, the flow of the river, and the closeness of their community.
A village without borders
For centuries, Rio de Onor has been a village of shared existence. Unlike most border towns, which carry the weight of division, this place has been built on unity. The locals have always worked the land together, shared their resources, and even developed a unique dialect—Rionorês—spoken only in this tiny corner of the Iberian Peninsula. The language, a mixture of Portuguese and Spanish with its twists and turns, is now endangered and only spoken by the older generations.
This communal way of life, known as the “regime comunitário,” means that things are done together. The land is still worked collectively, and village decisions are made as a group. It’s an old-fashioned concept that has stood the test of time, long after other villages have abandoned such traditions.
A walk through the past
Walking through Rio de Onor, you can feel the echoes of centuries past. The narrow streets are lined with stone houses, many with wooden balconies that lean against each other as if whispering stories of those who lived here before. Some houses are in Portugal, others in Spain—but to the locals, it’s all the same village, the same home.
The heart of Rio de Onor is in the old communal ovens, where bread is still baked traditionally. The smell of fresh bread baked in the wood-fired ovens fills the air, a reminder that some traditions don’t need to be revived—they have never disappeared.
Not far from the furnaces, there remains an old mill, whose wooden wheels creak and turn with the flow of the nearby river. The same river that has always been the silent witness of the village, carrying stories from one country to another.
On the old stone bridge, you could put one foot on Portugal and the other on Spain. But there is no checkpoint, no sign demanding passports—just the quiet sound of the water rushing below, reminding visitors that in Rio de Onor, the only borders that matter are the ones in the minds of outsiders.
A way of life that defies time
There are few places in the world like Rio de Onor. At a time when borders are hardening and small villages are fading into history, this place remains a symbol of unity, simplicity and resilience.
Life here is not easy. The winters are harsh, and the snow often cuts the village off from the rest of the world. Many of the younger generation have left, seeking opportunities in larger cities. But for those who remain, the village is more than just a home—it is a way of life worth preserving.
And so Rio de Onor waits—not for tourists in a hurry, but for travellers who seek something deeper, who want to step into a place where history is still alive, where people live as they always have, and where a village has never let itself be defined by borders.
If you ever find yourself in the far north of Portugal, take the road less travelled. Cross the bridge, walk the quiet streets, listen to the stories the river carries—and for a moment, experience what it means to live in a place where borders mean nothing and community means everything.
Montesinho: Where wolves still roam
In the farthest reaches of Trás-os-Montes, beyond the rolling hills and misty valleys, lies a land where wilderness still reigns.
This is Montesinho, a place so untouched that wolves still roam its forests and winters are so cold that the landscape is transformed into a frozen realm.
Unlike Drave or Pena, Montesinho is not abandoned – but it does feel like a world apart. Here, traditions have remained unchanged for centuries. Shepherds still lead their flocks through the mountains. Women still weave wool by hand. The village, with its granite houses and cobbled streets, looks as if it could have been built yesterday – or a hundred years ago.
The beauty of Montesinho lies not only in its landscapes, but also in its resistance to time. It is a place where the modern world has knocked on the door, but no one has answered.
Why do these villages matter?
Some might call these places forgotten. But I believe they are simply waiting.
Waiting for those who seek the old roads, listen for the echoes of past footsteps, who believe that silence can be as powerful as words.
These villages remind us of something we often forget – that life doesn’t have to move so fast. That beauty lies not only in what is new, but in what has endured.
So if you ever find yourself longing for something different, something deeper, follow the old paths, seek out the lost villages and step into Portugal’s stories of time standing still.
