Europe is full of fascinating history, much of which dates back hundreds, even thousands, of years! It’s no wonder that on a continent with so many stories to tell, many of these tales are often quite spooky and sinister. When in Europe, you will certainly notice plenty of beauty and glorious architecture. However, the morbid history behind many of these top attractions might just send a chill down your spine! These creepy spots will also be sure to get you into the Halloween spirit.
If you’d love to discover more of Europe’s dark side, look no further! With Halloween coming up, Expat Explore has put together a list of our favourite spots for a spooky getaway. If you ain’t afraid of no ghost, scroll down to find out why these amazing yet slightly creepy destinations bring out our inner ghostbuster…
Here are the top spooky spots to visit in Europe this Halloween:
1. Prague, Czech Republic
The first entry on our spooky list is the hauntingly beautiful city of Prague, capital of the Czech Republic. Thanks to its otherworldly Gothic architecture, Prague is the perfect place for ghost stories to come alive. The city’s history is full of legends and folklore. Staré Město, Prague’s Old Town, is the ideal spot for ghost hunting. There’s the noblewoman who killed her servant, only to repent and become a nun, who rings the bells Church of Our Lady before Týn. While St. Nicolas Church is haunted by the mistress of a monk. On Charles Bridge, you may find the headless ghosts of men who were executed in the Old Town square before their heads were hung from the Old Town Bridge Tower.
Nearby, in Josefov (the Old Jewish Quarter), you may spot the dancing ghost who lures men to their death on Good Friday. However, the best known spirit of Josefov is the Golem. It is said that, in the 16th Century, Rabbi Loew built the Golem out of clay and brought him to life Jews of Prague from Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor. The Golem is said to live in the attic of the Old-New Synogogue.
Take a day trip to Kutná Hora for more spooky sightings:
Just under an hour outside of Prague lies the small town of Kutná Hora. This charming town is a popular tourist destination due to its UNESCO-protected churches, historic Old Town and, the reason its on this list, the Sedlec Ossuary. What’s an ossuary you ask? Technically, its a room where the bones of dead people are placed. What makes the Sedlec Ossuary so unique is that it is an entire church adorned with over 40, 000 human skeletons. The church was first built in the 14th Century for a cemetery. When the cemetery reduced in size, the bones were placed in the church and the rest is history!
2. London, England
London is a vibrant city with a 2,000-year-old history that ranges from the intriguing to the bizarre. London’s iconic architecture is steeped in history and has many stories to tell; some of which are downright terrifying! The Tower of London is definitely the most well-known scary spot with plenty of claims of ghost sightings. Notable historical figures such as Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Henry VI and Guy Fawkes all met their end in the tower. Anne Boleyn’s ghost is the most famous and most gruesome of all. Many visitors have claimed to spot her, occasionally even holding her own head!
Related: Discover more of London’s royal sights!
Explore more of London’s eerie history:
If the ghost realm excites you, you will never be bored in London! Hop on the Ghost Bus for a fun, interactive tour of London’s top spooky attractions, or join a Jack the Ripper Ghost Walk and retrace the steps of the infamous killer. You can also grab a pint at The Ten Bells, Jack the Ripper’s local bar, which despite its rumoured hauntings is actually quite lovely and a true piece of Victorian history. London is also home to stunning Victorian cemeteries through which you can do a guided tour, or even attend an event. If you’re not too squeamish, visit one of London’s macabre museums such as the Grant Museum of Zoology, The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities or the Old Operating Theatre Museum, all of which are full of fascinating yet repulsive pieces!
3. Romania
It should come as no surprise that the homeland of literature’s most beloved vampire has some eerie sights to see! In fact, Count Dracula’s castle (or rather, the castle that was often claimed to inspire Bram Stoker’s novel) is one of Romania’s most breathtaking sights. Bran Castle is a national monument in Transylvania and boasts exceptional medieval architecture and gorgeous countryside views. The castle has held some pretty epic Halloween parties in its time, allowing visitors to dance among vampires and Strigoi (troubled spirits in Roman mythology).
More creepy places to discover on your next trip to Romania:
Bran Castle may be the most famous ghostly Romanian castle but it is certainly not the only one! Also located in the Transylvania region is Corvin Castle. This castle boasts a spectacular Gothic exterior and a few legends living in its walls. This is where Vlad the Impaler, known for his brutal acts of cruelty, was apparently held captive, along with many other prisoners. Corvin Castle was also used as a setting in the horror movie The Nun. Another creepy castle that gives off a chilly atmosphere from the outset is Banffy Castle. Much of Banffy Castle has not yet been restored leaving many of its walls eerily bare after a fire at the hands of retreating Nazi soldiers destroyed its previously ornate interiors. Local children have reported seeing shadows of soldiers and hearing strange sounds coming from the castle.
If you’ve had enough of spooky castles, head outside and visit one of Romania’s most notorious “haunted” places. Hoia-Baciu Forest is claimed to be a hotspot for paranormal activity. Plenty of local mythology surrounds the area which is covered in unusual trees that twist and turn. It’s sometimes referred to as the “Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania” due to strange occurrences such as UFO sightings, apparitions and feelings of anxiety, nausea and even physical harm suffered by those who venture deep into the forest. For others, it’s just a strikingly beautiful area within which to cycle, run or go for a lazy Sunday stroll!
4. Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh has a bit of a reputation for all things ghostly and is even said to be one of the most haunted cities in the world! There are certainly some dark and gruesome stories hidden in Edinburgh’s centuries-old past. If you’re spending Halloween in Scotland’s capital, you’ll have no trouble getting into the spirit with plenty of events happening around town and ghost tours to join. Some of the spots visited on Edinburgh’s famed ghost tours include the Edinburgh Vaults – a former underground city known for sinister occurrences, Mary King’s Close – an old alleyway which has had a reputation for hauntings since the 17th century, and Greyfriars Kirkyard, a cemetery supposedly haunted by a poltergeist named George MacKenzie.
Connected to the Greyfriars Kirkyard graveyard is the Covenanters’ prison. This was once a place of great brutality and tells countless tales of gruesome grave robbings. However, during the day Greyfriars is very peaceful and has some wholesome tales to tell too! An adorable stone dog stands guard at the cemetery’s entrance to commemorate Greyfriars Bobby – a loyal pup who slept on the grave of his owner for 14 years!
Don’t miss out on visiting the famous (and haunting!) Edinburgh Castle:
One simply cannot visit Edinburgh without visiting its most famous landmark, the Edinburgh Castle. The beautiful castle has seen plenty of death, war, executions and torture over the years, so it’s no wonder that it’s reportedly one of the most haunted places in the world! Edinburgh Castle has seen plenty of paranormal investigations in its time and there have been hundreds of reports of apparitions. In 2001, unbiased participants from all over the world volunteered for a large scientific study. These volunteers had no knowledge of the hauntings beforehand yet a significant number of them reported ghostly incidents!
Did you know? Some of Edinburgh’s ghost tours are completely free! Check out this list of the best free things to do in Edinburgh.
5. Paris, France
Paris may be known as the city of lights but it has its fair share of darkness too! If romance isn’t your thing but horror is, you’ll enjoy no shortage of scary sights in the French capital. Paris is home to the world’s only vampire museum and you can join in on fun ghost and vampire walking tours around the city. One of literature and theatre’s most famous ghosts – the Phantom of the Opera – lived underground at the Opera Garnier. You can still visit the opera house and its underground lake today. Author Gaston Leroux claimed on his deathbed that the phantom depicted in his work of fiction was, in fact, real!
Paris holds some of the world’s most beautiful and unique cemeteries. Père Lachaise is the most famous Parisian cemetery with the graves of many icons including Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf and Jim Morrisson being popular tourist attractions. The Cimetière de Montmartre is another resting place for greats like Dumas and Degas yet has a gruesome history as a mass grave site during the revolution.
Head into Paris’ underground realm for more spine-tingling adventures:
The creepiest yet most captivating resting place in all of Paris has got to be the catacombs. The Paris catacombs facilitated the city’s overflowing graveyards in the 18th century. These underground ossuaries contain the remains of over six million people and apparently hold the ghost of a man named Philibert Aspairt who awakens on 3 November every year. The story goes that poor Philibert accidentally fell into the catacombs and never found his way out. Despite being one of Paris’ creepiest spots, the catacombs remain a top attraction due to the important history and countless compelling features. That’s the thing about Paris, even the macabre is somehow celebrated as beautiful in its own way.
Tick off two top spooky destinations when you tour the UK and Ireland with us! You can see many spooky sights and much, much more when you join one of Expat Explore’s multi-country Europe tours. Start planning your dream Halloween getaway now.