Unusual places to visit in Portugal. Foz d’Égua, a Hobbit-style village

Last Updated on July 28, 2023 by

“I want to see the wild country again before I die, and the Mountains; but he is still in love with the Shire, with woods and fields and little rivers.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

The green Serra do Açor still keeps its best secrets out of the tourists reach. Well hidden within its mountains there is a place that people don’t expect. One of those that will make Tolkiens fans’ hearts beat a little faster. Foz d’Égua it’s like this, an enchanted village in the middle of a beautiful green valley. In this blog you can find all the information for visiting Foz d’Égua in Portugal and make your trip a little more magical!

The Portoguese Shire

It is late afternoon in the beautiful green Arganil region. Me, Alessio and the babies have been the whole day around Coja and Piódão . We drove winding roads, witnessed a powerful storm over the mountains of the Serra do Açor, tasted the delicious Cajada de Piódão and even seen a rainbow. Our feet are tired and our hearts are full. However, there was a last place I’ve heard about that I wanted to visit. It is just at 4 km from Piódão and, if it wasn’t for the rain (and little Chris on my shoulders), I would probably walked till there.

Alessio is looking at me like “please don’t let me drive again”, but in the end we pack everything and in 10 minutes we are on the road again. Little countryside streets gifted our eyes with the most beautiful scenery. In the meantime, Google left us in the middle of a road between two high hills. From there, we have to walk. I like it. I feel like Bilbo going on an adventure.

I’m going on an adventure!

With a baby on my backpack carrier (the other one is with Alessio), a drone bag on my shoulder and a camera on my hand we go. It’s already 5.30 pm. The sun is going down and there is absolutely no one around. I don’t know what to expect, but we have the babies food, just in case. We walk less than we expected, but we have to step down a little hill before I started seeing the most beautiful little village I’ve seen so far in Portugal.

I admit I shed a tear of happiness when I firstly saw this beautiful enchanted scenery. Two little houses made entirely of dark schist and slate emerged from the hill like a magical landmark. They are framed by two little bridges of stones surrounded by the wildest nature. There was only the sound of a little river flowing and birds returning to their nest. As this wasn’t beautiful enough, there is also a suspension bridge up in the air, somewhere in the hill nearby. It really looks like I’ve found a Portuguese version of The Shire and I can’t believe this place is even real!

About Foz d’Égua

I haven’t found many historical information about Foz d’Égua. The village probably existed for a long time although and has probably a common origin with the more famous Piódão and Chãs d’Égua. Indeed, the streams coming from the two villages encounter in Foz d’Égua and the two little stone bridges represent the union of these two different streams.

Planning a long trip to Portugal? Find some more amazing destinations here!

Visiting Foz d’Égua in Portugal. All you need to know

What to see in Foz d’Égua.

Foz d’Égua is best seen as part of a longer itinerary in the Arganil region. This because if you are not staying in Arganil but coming from another place, (for example we were driving from Coimbra) there is a long way to go, so it’s better to plan more than a stop. We visited Coja and Piódão in the morning and early afternoon and popped to Foz d’Égua later in the day. However, if you are staying longer in the region and visiting during the summer season, you can spend a whole day here because most local people love to swim in the river under the bridges. This area is generally called as “praia fluvial”.

If you are visiting Foz d’Égua as part of a day trip to the Arganil region and not planning to swim, there some nice things you can see. The village is stretched entirely over the river, the gorge and surrounding hills. It’s not very big. Indeed, there is an initial part (that you can see from the street) that is made of houses similar to those seen in Piódão. The most interesting part is, of course, the one by the river. Here you can have a little hike over the hill and visit:

• the two little bridges over the river
• the few houses made of dark schist and slate
• the suspension bridge (the bridge looked precarious, there was a warning sign to not cross it, so I wouldn’t risk to fall in the gorge)
• a little religious altar at the top of the hill

There is also a house with an outdoor swimming pool, but not sure is visitable or if someone actually lives there. In effect, I’m not sure even also about the other houses because the place looked deserted.

How to get to Foz d’Égua

Foz d’Égua is very close to Piódão. In a good sunny day, the best thing to do is take with you your best trekking shoes and go for a walk. Indeed, the village is just at 4.3 Km from Piódão and it takes about one hour to reach it on foot (from Piódão) . Another popular trekking route is the one that coming from Chãs de Égua. This is about 3.3 km and takes around 40 minutes.

Otherwise, if you, like us, are travelling by car between places Foz d’Égua it is just at 8 minutes drive from both Piódão and Chãs de Égua.

Unfortunately, unless you find a specific organised tour, there is no way of reaching Foz d’Égua with public transport. In fact, the whole area is a bit secluded and you need a car (or walk from a place to another) to get around.

When is the best season to visit Foz d’Égua?

Foz d’Égua is located in a vast mountainous area, straight in the heart of the Serra do Açor. Here, the meteorological conditions are a little different from what you can expect on the coast during the same season. Indeed, thunderstorms are very frequent during the summer season and temperatures are chillier than other parts of Portugal. We visited in mid June and the weather was absolutely crazy there. We experienced a thunderstorm, heavy rain, fog and sunshine all in the space of a few hours. I was starting thinking I was in Iceland! Ergo, check the weather conditions before you go, especially if you are planning to hike between the villages.

I think that spring and summer are the best seasons to visit. The flowers are fully in bloom and the hiking route is nice and safe to do. Autumn might be nice as well for the warm colours. However, winter (unless you want to see the snow) might be a little difficult and you might experience dangerous road conditions.

Where to park in Foz d’Égua

Because Foz d’Égua is located in a natural area there is not an official parking. Indeed, you have to walk to reach the river area. the best thing to do is to park in the area where the Bar da Foz is located (see map below). From here, is a very short walk to the praia fluvial.

Can I fly a drone in Foz d’Égua?

Yes! But as for all the other places in Portugal, you need to have the authorisation of the Portoguese AAN (Autoridade Aeronáutica Nacional). You have to register through the dedicated portal and ask for this authorisation well in advance (at least 10 days before) by specifying the exact place and time you want to fly your drone. When you are approved, the AAN will release you a certificate that you have to carry with you on the location you are flying for possible inspection by the authorities.

Foz d’Égua is one of the most idyllic destinations you can visit in Portugal and is certainly worth a visit! While there, don’t forget to pay a visit to the lovely village of Piódão (I will write a guide on this soon, so stay tuned!)

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