We went in search of the scariest stories and discovered six “haunted” places in Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais.
Be impressed or laugh your ass off between executioners, ghosts and the Devil’s books. Buuuuuu!
Table Of Contents
The Worker’s Voice
A Voz do Operário’s ballroom is said to be one of Lisbon’s haunted places, where the ghost of Custódio Gomes, a tobacconist who once stood up against working conditions at the newspaper of the same name, still wanders.
Don’t be afraid if you go there during the day, as Custódio is only known to wander the corridors of this cultural space at night. So fear not!
Pátio do Carrasco in Lisbon
Hidden among the alleys of Alfama, this courtyard owes its name to the last executioner in Portugal, Luís Alves dos Santos (1806-1873), also known as “O Negro”.
Legend has it that the place is still haunted to this day by the screams of the victims he executed, although the old residents believed they were from Luís himself.
Beau Sejour Palace in Lisbon
Built in 1849 by the Viscountess of Regaleira in Quinta Campainha, this Benfica palace later passed into the hands of the Baron of Glória.
Those who worked there say that, after his death, he continued to haunt the house, moving books and other objects around.
All this, accompanied by strange noises that can still be heard today …
Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon
Shadows, elevators running on their own and marks on the floor appearing out of nowhere are some of the reports from former students and staff at this college, located in the former Convento de São Francisco, in Chiado.
Of course, the building’s austere and dark architecture also helps to create a mysterious aura, especially at night, but no one can get rid of its reputation for being haunted.
Valenças Palace in Sintra
Right in the heart of the town of Sintra, between Parque da Liberdade and the National Palace of Sintra, this beautiful building with its revivalist architecture is surrounded by spooky and macabre stories.
The most famous is related to the ghost Palmira, a former servant of the Count of Valenças, who committed suicide there because of an impossible love for her employer.
People who have worked there (the former Sintra Municipal Library) have reported hearing strange sounds, but others swear that it was all just a joke.
Biester Palace in Sintra
The Biester Palace, located on the Pena road in the heart of the Sintra mountains, is known to many as the Witches’ House, perhaps because of its neo-Gothic architecture reminiscent of witchcraft and spell movies.
It is true that it was once the setting for part of a thriller, “The Ninth Door”, shot by Roman Polansky.
Other stories and legends tell of a secret society that used to meet there, as well as the existence of a book written by the Devil, kept in the basement of the building.
Castelinho de São João do Estoril in Cascais
Situated right on the seafront, next to the coastal road in Cascais, this could be anyone’s dream house if it weren’t – supposedly – haunted.
All because of the story of a blind girl, the daughter of the first owners, who fell into the cliffs nearby and ended up drowning.
To add to the mystery, socialite José Castelo Branco says he wanted to buy the little castle, but gave up after seeing a little girl walking around the walls of the house and, at that moment, felt impelled to throw himself into the ocean.