The spookiest date of the year is coming up, and this year your plans could be much more interesting than just cupcakes and cookies. Ready for a great Halloween?
Face your fears, pack your bags and go on spooky adventures in one of Portugal's 10 scariest destinations, from the north to the south of the country.
Quinta das Lágrimas, Coimbra
The luxurious and romantic Quinta das Lágrimas in Coimbra and its hotel have a macabre past. In this place of great natural beauty, D. Inês de Castro was murdered at the King's behest because of her romance with D. Pedro.
If you visit the Quinta, they say that in the Fountain of Loves next to the Gothic Gate, you can see a stone dyed red by the blood of D. Miguel. Inês, who was queen after her death. Stroll through the gardens of Quinta das Lágrimas and find out if the Queen is still haunting this place.
Lethes Theatre, Faro
Legend has it that a ballerina, driven to extremes by the demands of her job, committed suicide in this Faro theatre and still dances there today.
They say that if you sit in the audience and remain completely silent, you can even hear their footsteps on the wooden stage. Do you dare to check if this is true?
Mafra Convent, Mafra
The Convento de Mafra, celebrated by Saramago, is associated with many legends that try to explain the strange noises heard throughout the building. Many say it's due to strange, mutant beings living in its dungeons, while others claim that the ghosts of the many workers who died there during the convent's construction, due to the poor working conditions, still haunt this space, seeking revenge for their untimely deaths.
Monsanto Panoramic Restaurant, Lisbon
Also known as the Lisbon UFO, this impressive architectural space was built 50 years ago during the Estado Novo regime.
The space was intended to house a restaurant, support services, a café terrace, a viewpoint, a banqueting hall and various complementary facilities and was only open for just over two years, due to changes to the original project that meant the work was never completed.
Today it is abandoned and, despite having a mysterious and slightly spooky air, it offers one of the most beautiful views in Lisbon.
Chapel of Bones, Évora
"We bones are waiting for you here." This is the message that greets you at the entrance to the Chapel of Bones in Évora. This building is not particularly suitable for those who fear death, as it is decorated with more than 5,000 skulls and thousands of bones. Legend has it that the chapel was built in the 17th century by three monks and that several graves were robbed in the neighbouring cemeteries to find more decorative materials.
Hotel Monte Palace, São Miguel, Azores
The Hotel Monte Palace opened in 1989 with the promise of being one of the most luxurious, sumptuous, refined and attractive hotels in the country. Despite the luxury and expectations surrounding this building, several corrupt financial schemes led to the hotel's ruin and its closure. Today, the space is still standing, but it has fallen into disrepair due to abandonment and vandalism.
If you're brave enough, you could spend a night camping at the Monte Palace Hotel, listening for strange and haunting noises, or strolling through its tropical gardens where, who knows, you might even see a ghost.
Mont’Alto Sanatorium, Valongo
Psychiatric hospitals are one of the favourite settings for horror films, so if we're talking about a real, haunted psychiatric hospital, you can expect some good scares.
The Valongo Sanatorium was the treatment centre for hundreds of tuberculosis patients, who lived in cramped quarters and were victims of neglect and mistreatment. The legends of this place are many and they all speak of the ghosts of patients who still walk the corridors of the hospital.
Little Castle of São João do Estoril, São João do Estoril
A little girl wandering the walls of the Castelinho de São João do Estoril at night with a rag doll in her hand... That's enough to give you a chill in your stomach, right.
Legend has it that many years ago a blind girl who lived there fell off the cliff and died. The house, which was later handed over to Santa Casa da Misericórida, has functioned as a support centre for the visually impaired and has had several owners, but no one has ever been able to find someone to stay there for a long time. Does the spirit of the little girl with the rag doll scare away its inhabitants?
Valenças Palace, Sintra
Sintra is, par excellence, one of the most romantic destinations in the country, but it also hides some mysteries. There are several night tours of the Serra de Sintra that are based on the legends of the area, such as the story of Palmira, the maid of the Count of Valenças, who committed suicide after an unrequited love for the count. Now, if you visit the Palacio de Valenças, you can hear her weeping for her lack of love.
Ponta da Má Merenda, Praia da Vitória, Terceira Island
The story is simple: a very beautiful and very rich girl, a very handsome and very poor boy and a father who, being against this love, wants his daughter to marry a rich, old and ugly man. The girl refuses to marry and ends up imprisoned in the fort of Praia da Vitória until her death.
His true love discovers his death, after years of building a fortune, and loses his mind.
Now, on stormy nights, they say that with a little attention you can hear the laments of lovers and that, on sunny days, the sea brings their passionate voices.
Portugal airport strikes cancelled – summer flights to Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Madeira back to normal
If you’re planning a trip to Portugal this summer, there’s good news: the planned airport strikes have been cancelled, ensuring smoother travel for passengers flying to or from the country.
Discover the Algarve's most beautiful fishing villages
What is the most beautiful village in the Algarve? We're about to find out as we explore the Algarve's most beautiful fishing villages – authentic coastal gems where tradition meets natural beauty.
Living in Tomar: life in the Templar city
Tomar feels as if it’s been plucked from a medieval epic and set down gently on the banks of the Nabão River. Located in the Santarém district, about 140km northeast of Lisboa, the magnificent Convento de Cristo might dominate the skyline, but daily life unfolds at a much more human pace down below. With a population of around 43,000 in the municipality, it has the feel of a proper town without the anonymity of a major city. Getting to grips with living in Tomar means understanding this bala
Living in São Miguel: life on the Azores' Green Island
As the largest and most populated island in the Azores, this speck of Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic offers a life quite unlike any on the mainland. It’s not hard to see why it earned the nickname ‘Green Island’. The landscape is a brilliant patchwork of rolling pastures, volcanic crater lakes and lush forests. Living on São Miguel means a lifestyle tied to the rhythms of nature, where a relaxed pace and a deep connection to the outdoors are part of the daily routine.
Living in Ericeira: Portugal's World Surfing Reserve
Just a short drive up the coast from Lisbon lies Ericeira, a traditional fishing town that has earned its place on the global map. As Europe’s only World Surfing Reserve, it's a spot where cobbled streets and blue-and-white houses meet a deeply ingrained, laid-back surf culture. For anyone considering living in Ericeira, it’s a place that offers a lifestyle dictated by the Atlantic tides, blending old-world Portugal with a modern, international feel.
Traditional food in Lisbon: what to eat in Portugal's capital
Lisbon’s food scene is a fantastic mix of the old and the new. You have tiny, traditional restaurants tucked down side streets, right alongside busy food markets where you can try a bit of everything. A top tip for eating well and saving some money is to look out for the prato do dia, or dish of the day.
Things to do in Madeira: hikes, Funchal sights & local food
Floating in the Atlantic Ocean, closer to Africa than to mainland Portugal, Madeira is an island with a character all its own. It's often called the 'island of eternal spring', and for good reason, as the weather stays mild throughout the year. The landscape is dramatic, a mix of jagged volcanic peaks, incredibly lush valleys, and a rugged coastline where cliffs drop straight into the sea. This natural setting shapes the best things to do in Madeira; activities are less about sandy beaches and m