From north to south, Portugal is full of enchanting landscapes, including Historic Villages, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and various natural treasures. However, another aspect common to the entire national territory is the existence of lands with funny and strange names.
Due to the richness of the Portuguese language, in some cases it is easy to imply other things. There are references to a pandemic, states of mind and soul, insults and, of course, slightly spicier allusions. Inspired by the national toponymy, we propose an unusual itinerary.
This time, forget about gastronomy and monuments for a moment and focus on the funniest and strangest names in Portugal. The truth is that there are so many that this list could be much longer. Even so, it’s worth taking a look and immersing yourself in this thematic journey.
Table Of Contents
Covide
Our first suggestion takes us to the municipality of Terras de Bouro, in one of the most beautiful areas of the country – the Peneda Gerês National Park.
As its name suggests, Covide easily takes us back to the sad days when the Covid-19 pandemic shook the world.
With around 300 inhabitants, the origins of this village go back a long way. Nearby, there are some points of interest, such as:
- The Calçada da Calcedónia Walking Trail
- And the Fraga da Cidade, a testimony to the Iron Age
Degolados
With a name like that, it’s normal to think of the times of the gallows and even horror movies, imagining headless people walking around. However, the origin of Degolados has nothing to do with these hypothetical scenarios.
In fact, it is said that the history of its name is due to a stream that used to be called Degolados, now known as Ribeiro das Horas. The town belongs to the municipality of Campo de Maior, in the Alentejo.
Colo de Pito
We’ll refrain from making vulgar jokes, as it’s not our style at all. However, there’s no denying it: this is one of the most hilarious land names in Portugal. There are so many possibilities for humor around this place name.
However, the origin of the name Colo de Pito dates back to Latin and Roman times. At that time, the town was called “Colum Pictum”, which means Painted Hill. In other words, it was a reference to the beauty of this place, located in the municipality of Castro Daire, in Viseu.
Colo de Pito is close to the mythical National Road 2, considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world, which runs through Portugal between Chaves and Faro, in the Algarve. So if you’re thinking of taking a road trip along the EN2, you can always take the opportunity to take a photo of the sign with this funny name.
Deixa-o-Resto
In this town in the municipality of Santiago do Cacém you can bring whatever you want, but leave the rest. After this deliberately unsuccessful joke, we’d like to introduce you to another town with a funny name: Deixa-o-Resto.
Perhaps you’ve passed this sign with such an unusual name on your way to the Algarve, but you didn’t notice it. However, next time, keep your eyes peeled. Deixa-o-Resto can be the starting point for a visit to the local beaches or the Santo André Lagoon.
Venda da Gaita
This is undoubtedly one of the funniest land names in Portugal and also one of the most prone to easy jokes.
The village of Venda da Gaita gained notoriety due to its place name and belongs to the municipality of Pedrógão Grande.
Rabo de Peixe
The village of Rabo de Peixe has recently been in the headlines due to the Netflix series of the same name. But the truth is that this town was already well known.
Located in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel, the town of Rabo de Peixe is so called because, allegedly, of the quantity of fish tails that were eaten there.
