A former TV reporter has shared her experience of staying in a remote Portuguese village that is home to just one person. Panni Anikó Cser visited Talasnal, nestled in the Lousã mountains in central Portugal, and documented her trip on TikTok.
The sole resident, Jorge, runs the local bar, Bar o Curral, from his home. He told Panni that the village once had over 200 residents, but many left in the 1950s and 1960s, leaving it abandoned. Jorge moved there after his son, a Scout, camped in the area and told him about it. “I visited and fell in love with the village,” he said.
Panni’s video shows the bar, which is decorated with traditional Portuguese items and an old CRT television. Jorge often cooks chanfana, a regional dish, for visitors. The village was renovated in the early 2000s by a community effort, and now has guesthouses and small restaurants. “Many hikers stay there – which is good, since Jorge makes his living from it,” Panni said.
Jorge’s bar has a 3.9 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor from 10 reviews. One visitor described it as “a 100 per cent Portuguese experience that warmed the heart”. TikTok users responded enthusiastically, with one calling for a “24 hour documentary about Jorge and his village”.
The Lousã region promotes itself as a destination for nature and adventure tourism, with walking routes, river beaches, and historical sites including Lousã Castle and the schist villages.
