Story Studio PIÓDÃO is the brand's second accommodation unit, located in the centre of the Historic Village of Piódão, set within the Serra do Açor, a picturesque schist village nestled into the hillside as if in an amphitheatre, earning it the title of 'Nativity Village'.
The Historic Village of Piódão is one of those places that transport us to another era; the well-known Huffington Post goes further, describing the Historic Village of Piódão... 'it looks like it stepped straight out of The Flintstones', given its resemblance to those Stone-Age heroes. Indeed, the village's architectural layout, its remote location away from urban centres and its surrounding landscape define the unique character of this icon of Portugal's national tourist offer.
The Historic Village of Piódão also benefits from the proximity of places of enormous tourist appeal, offering visitors an 'active refuge' for several days, among which the Margaraça Forest (Partial Nature Reserve), Fraga da Pena (Recreation Reserve) and so many other places of vernacular architecture hidden in the deep valleys of the Serra do Açor stand out.
So, get ready for your stay in Piódão – a Historic Village of Portugal unlike any other – and we will prepare an authentic and unforgettable experience for you.
Rua Eugénio Correia (Arqtº)nº4
3305-242 Piódão, Arganil
Piódão is a village where the communion between Man and nature still reigns over human greed. The simplicity of its schist houses, dotted with the blue of their doors, almost makes it seem like a village taken from a children's tale, with some even nicknaming it a 'doll village' or the 'Asterix village'. This secret, protected by the Serra do Açor, was built in an inhospitable place that later became harmonious with its surroundings. The houses are spread across the terraces of the mountain, divided by winding, narrow lanes, hiding within them stories worthy of their time.
One of the most beautiful love stories Portugal has ever witnessed was the forbidden passion between D. Pedro I of Portugal and D. Inês de Castro. In a twist of fate, D. Constança died giving birth to the future king of Portugal, D. Fernando I, and it was not long before rumours spread that D. Pedro had secretly married D. Inês. The furious King D. Afonso IV went with Pero Coelho, Álvaro Gonçalves and Diogo Lopes Pacheco to the Paço de Santa Clara in Coimbra, where the couple had settled, and had Inês de Castro executed. D. Pedro I, enraged, decided to hunt down and kill her executioners.
And this is where Piódão plays a part in this tragic love story. One of the executioners, Diogo Lopes Pacheco, decided to flee to the highlands and found in the 'nativity village' the perfect refuge to escape D. Pedro's wrath. His plan worked, and he later managed to escape across the border to France. Later, on his deathbed, he was ultimately forgiven by the Portuguese king.
Piódão is thus a village that, even while protected by nature from human greed, remains present in the history of the country and its people. Visit this village and feel transported to a new dimension, to a unique relationship between history, Man and nature, and be enchanted by the majestic beauty of the landscape.
