Well of Hell

Even if Halloween is not a tradition in Portugal there are more and more people celebrating it every year.

Let’s face it: it’s a good excuse for kids to dress up as something scary and to gather friends and family for some fun. We do have something that very vaguely reminds me of going door to door saying “trick or treat”: in villages, towns (and sometimes even in cities, in more quiet neighborhoods) on the 1st of November kids go knocking on doors with a bag in hand asking for “pão por Deus”, which means “bread in the name of God” – no one expects to get bread, though: kids usually get candy, cakes and money (from their families). Apparently this began right after the major earthquake of 1755. However, knowing a thing or two about the way pre-Christian and Christian traditions have mingled in Portugal I have my doubts. But I’m not going to talk about that right now.

Although I don’t have a scary story to tell you I can show you a place with a spooky name. 😀

After a while in Portugal you’ll notice that a lot of places have strange/ curious/ bizarre names. Usually they’re some kind of geological formation or some place associated with a legend. Today I’m bringing you Poço do Inferno, aka, the Well of Hell or Inferno Well, depending on the translation you prefer.

Located in Serra da Estrela, this 10 meter long waterfall offers a spectacular view all year round. Nothing spooky about it – just beautiful. You can also hike there – there’s a specific route you can follow.

A lot of people go to Serra da Estrela only for the snow, but this spot is well worth looking for. It’s near the town of Manteigas and when it’s really reeeeeeally cold the waterfall freezes. I’d love to see that!