Mountain biker riding singletrack through the forest of Serra de Sintra, Portugal

Sintra MTB trails

A local guide to the singletrack of the Serra de Sintra — from the iconic Donkey Trail to the gnar off Monge peak — written from years of riding and maintaining these lines.

One misty mountain, every flavour of trail.

The Sintra-Cascais hills rise straight from the Atlantic, and the fog they trap keeps the north-side dirt at hero level nearly year-round. The trails below are the named classics our guides ride week in, week out — each one links to the full ride report in our journal. A classic half-day mixtape: Donkey Trail into 16 Psyche and Lucky, then Monge to Trilho de Fonte, 17 Sticks and Old House straight into Colares village — see it ridden.

West side · PeninhaTop-to-coast classic

Donkey TrailTrilho dos Burros

Probably the most iconic MTB trail of Sintra. It starts at the Sanctuary of Peninha — the highest, most exposed point of the western mountain, where the local clouds are born — and runs all the way down to the rugged Atlantic coast. The 360° panorama at the top takes in Cascais, Lisbon, the Arrábida hills, Cabo da Roca and Ericeira; on your first run it is genuinely hard to choose between the view and the trail.

Getting there: Trailhead at the Sanctuary of Peninha.

Read the ride report

West side · PeninhaFlowy · big boulder roll

Lucky Trail

Starts just behind the Peninha sanctuary parking lot, very close to Home trail. Quite flowy with a few jumps, and its highlight is a big boulder roll. The middle section was rerouted around the protective fencing put up for the Garrano horses recently introduced on the moor.

Getting there: Behind the Peninha parking lot.

Read the ride report

West side · PeninhaFlow · rider-maintained

Home Trail

The trail we look after with our own hands. By the end of a long dry summer it rides tired and rattly — a leg massage on a hardtail — and once the rains come we put hands to the soil and bring the flowy magic back. A great one for picking different lines and working on precision.

Getting there: Close to the Lucky trail start at Peninha.

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North sideAlways green

Trilho de FonteFountain Trail

Around 15 minutes of pedalling from the Donkey trailhead and you are in a completely different playground: the north side of the hill. No panoramic views, no wind, no sun — only lush vegetation all year round. Even on the hottest morning you can hear water running down the tree trunks, feeding moist, well-packed dirt. Fill your bottle at the fountain at the end.

Getting there: ~15 min pedal from the Donkey trailhead.

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Monge peakAdvanced · the gnar

Kamikaze 1 & WubzzyTrilho de Kamikaze

From the misty Monge peak you can drop in many directions — Kamikaze, Monge trail, the Impossible trail, Dimas — and the trails connect into more than ten minutes of continuous descending, from easier lines up to World Cup enduro class. Kamikaze 1 into Wubzzy is one of the tastier combos, and it will pack your shammy with pure gnar marks.

Getting there: Drops from Monge peak.

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Monge → ColaresLong mixed descent

Monge → 17 Sticks → Old HouseTrilho de Monge · 17 Paus

The long way home off Monge peak, down the lush green north side to Colares village. A short, quick first section, then always-wet granite slabs with different lines across them, semi-natural jumps and wide corners; 17 Sticks adds polished roots, rock chutes and steep supported turns before the Old House trail drops you straight into the village.

Getting there: After the long climb to Monge peak; finishes in Colares village.

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Rock-roll openerModern favourite

16 Psyche

The hottest Sintra trail of 2022. The lower part had been around for a few years, then the trail was suddenly extended to the top of the mountain — and the rock-and-roll feature at the start became the most photographed move in Sintra. The beginning of a new era of cool on the Sintra trails.

Getting there: Runs from the top of the mountain into the older lower half.

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Fast & chunkyAlways grippy

Torgas – Rochoso

Every enduro rider’s favourite: fast and chunky yet somehow smooth as baby skin. High speed, chunky rock and small jumps — everything needed to have fun, on a busy summer day or a rainy winter afternoon. The kind of trail you try to finish in one breath.

Getting there: A staple of our shuttle-day rotations.

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East side · sandstoneRideable in the wet

Pedra Branca

On the east side of the hill, where extra-grippy sandstone covers the ground. Not fast and not ultimately technical — the hard task is keeping the flow, because the trail zigzags around every bigger rock, stays relatively flat and pedally, throws mid-size rocks at your pedals and squeezes through tree gaps too tight for an enduro bike, too sketchy for an XC rig. Better than coffee as a wake-up before the bigger stuff.

Getting there: East side of the hill; grippy even when wet.

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Colares villageBuilt doubles

Aguda Jumps & Colares Trails

Staying in Colares? There are interesting spots for short spins right around the village. Aguda jumps is one of them: nicely built doubles sheltered from the wind by natural bamboo bushes, with an enduro-ish rocky lower section that runs all the way back to the parking. The views are astonishing.

Getting there: Short spin from Colares village.

Read the ride report

Trail conditions in Sintra change with the seasons and with maintenance — lines get rerouted (ask the Garrano horses) and features evolve. Ride within your limits, and if it is your first time here, take a guide — the best combinations are the connections between trails, and those don’t show on any app.

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Sintra MTB trails

Donkey TrailTrilho dos Burros

Lucky Trail

Home Trail

Trilho de FonteFountain Trail

Kamikaze 1 & WubzzyTrilho de Kamikaze

Monge → 17 Sticks → Old HouseTrilho de Monge · 17 Paus

16 Psyche

Torgas – Rochoso

Pedra Branca

Aguda Jumps & Colares Trails

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