Night walks in Sintra with Miguel Boim

Miguel Boim calls himself O Caminheiro de Sintra, “the Sintra walker”. He’s a writer and guide who has spent more than a decade researching the history and legends of Sintra and its mountain, the Serra de Sintra. His books include Fantasmas da História de Sintra (Ghosts of Sintra’s History), and he also records podcasts and audio pieces about the town’s past.

His walks are built on documents: manuscripts, old books, letters and travellers’ accounts. He is clear that these are not theatrical ghost tours. Nobody jumps out of the bushes. The atmosphere comes from the forest at night and from the fact that the strange stories were written down by real people centuries ago.

The standard route is a circular walk of about six kilometres. It starts in Sintra’s historic centre and climbs into the forest, with distant views of the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace. Allow between two hours 45 minutes and three and a half hours, depending on the group and the night, including several rest stops.

Along the way the stories cover Sintra’s medieval past and how society worked then, religious communities, what foreign travellers made of the place, where local names come from, why Sintra was called the “Mountain of the Moon”, and the customs, laws and power struggles of the 16th to 18th centuries. On the public walks, themes include ghosts and apparitions, the Inquisition, magic, dreams and witchcraft, and the wolves that once lived in these hills.

The terrain is mostly gentle, with some uneven stretches, and the route goes between about 200 and 470 metres above sea level. Miguel Boim compares the effort to a whole afternoon exploring the outskirts of the old town.

Each month Miguel Boim publishes a programme of public walks, which are in Portuguese and cost €20 per person. The programme for October 2026 to January 2027 includes:

• Dos Fantasmas do Castelo às Aparições da Serra (From the Castle Ghosts to the Mountain Apparitions): about 6 km and 3 hours in the forest, most Friday nights at 21:15 and Saturday nights at 20:15 in November, with full-moon editions in January. Minimum age 12, up to 15 people.
• Sintra, Magia, Sonhos e Feitiçaria (Sintra, Magic, Dreams and Witchcraft): mostly in the village with a short mountain section, in mid and late October.
• Serra de Sintra Entre Lobos (Sintra Mountain Among Wolves): about 5 km in the western hills near Cabo da Roca, starting around 16:30 to 17:00 on Sundays so it begins before sunset. It has two steep climbs at the start and a minimum age of 14.

There are daytime walks too, such as a visit to the Capuchos convent and a walk of medieval legends that includes entry to Sintra’s castle. To book a public walk, email caminheiro.de.sintra@gmail.com asking for the registration form, with the date and number of people, then pay by bank transfer or MB Way to confirm.

If you want your own group, or the walk in English, book a private night walk. These take one to twelve people and are available in English and Portuguese. When we checked, prices were:

• Monday to Thursday: €140 for 1 to 4 people, €200 for 5 to 8, €300 for 9 to 12
• Friday to Sunday: €200, €280 and €420

Walks start between 19:30 and 20:15, depending on the time of sunset. Email with your preferred date and group size in the subject line. Book a month ahead if you can; 15 days is the minimum, with no guarantee. You can pay by PayPal or Portuguese methods such as MB Way. Cancel at least 72 hours before for a full refund. Walks go ahead in light rain and are called off only when Civil Protection or the nature conservation agency (ICNF) issues an official weather warning.

The minimum age of 12 (14 on the wolf walk) is firm, so this is a teenager’s outing. It suits teens who can walk six kilometres on forest paths in the dark, stay quiet when asked and enjoy a long story. Walks aren’t advised for anyone pregnant or with heart problems, and smoking and loud noise aren’t allowed. A child who is frightened of the dark or of ghost stories will not enjoy it, however gently it’s told.

Wear sturdy, comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather; you’ll get season-specific advice when you book. Bring water. Reflective vests are part of the kit on these walks, and the organiser provides a vest on private walks; ask whether you need your own on a public one. A head torch is useful.

Walks meet in Sintra’s historic centre, which is reachable by train from Lisbon, with parking nearby. The exact meeting point and a map arrive when your booking is confirmed. The wolf walk meets in the western hills near Cabo da Roca instead.

Spend the afternoon at Quinta da Regaleira, with its initiation well and tunnels, which sets the mood. The Convento dos Capuchos, a tiny cork-lined monastery, ties in with several of the walks’ stories. Before an evening walk, a travesseiro pastry at Casa Piriquita is a Sintra tradition, and the Harry Potter-themed Plataforma is a fun dinner option.

How old do you have to be for the Sintra night walks?

At least 12 for the standard night walks and 14 for the wolf walk near Cabo da Roca.

Are the night walks scary?

They’re atmospheric but not theatrical. Miguel Boim tells documented stories and legends and doesn’t stage scares.

How long and how far is the walk?

About 6 km on a circular route, taking between 2 hours 45 minutes and 3 and a half hours with rest stops.

Are the walks in English?

Private walks are available in English. The public walks in the monthly programme are in Portuguese.

How much does a Sintra night walk cost?

Public walks are €20 per person. Private walks start at €140 for up to four people from Monday to Thursday.