Chilling crypts, haunted houses and ghost stories galore – here are seven of the spookiest places around the world for fearless explorers and lovers of all things macabre.
Edinburgh
Scottish folklore and mythology are imbedded in every brick and beam of Edinburgh. Take the centuries-old Edinburgh Castle, where paranormal activity is a regular occurrence. Countless visitors and staff members have spoken of a headless drummer boy, bagpiper and the weeping Grey Lady – to name but a few ghoulish characters – wandering the ancient halls.
Below the castle lived the Wizard of West Bow, who committed a series of shocking crimes that led to his execution in the 17th century. Sightings of shadows moving in the windows of his house, and even a ghostly horse drawn carriage parked outside, have all been reported.
And we can’t forget Greyfriars Kirkyard, where the Mackenzie poltergeist wreaks havoc. Having persecuted Presbyterians under the rule of Charles II, earning him the nickname Bloody Mackenzie, the character is known for pushing those passing by his eerie mausoleum.
Below the castle lived the Wizard of West Bow, who committed a series of shocking crimes that led to his execution in the 17th century. Sightings of shadows moving in the windows of his house, and even a ghostly horse drawn carriage parked outside, have all been reported.
And we can’t forget Greyfriars Kirkyard, where the Mackenzie poltergeist wreaks havoc. Having persecuted Presbyterians under the rule of Charles II, earning him the nickname Bloody Mackenzie, the character is known for pushing those passing by his eerie mausoleum.
Edinburgh Like a Local
View BookBhangarh Fort
There’s something deeply unsettling about a ghost town that stands abandoned. Take the ominous Bhangarh Fort, a sprawling 17th century complex just outside of Jaipur in India.
Legend has it that the fortress was abandoned overnight after it was cursed by a magician. Many think paranormal activity is rife here today, with visitors feeling anxious and paranoid as they walk around its walls. Whatever you believe, the government has made it illegal to visit the abandoned fort after sunset.
Legend has it that the fortress was abandoned overnight after it was cursed by a magician. Many think paranormal activity is rife here today, with visitors feeling anxious and paranoid as they walk around its walls. Whatever you believe, the government has made it illegal to visit the abandoned fort after sunset.
DK India
View BookRome
A city as ancient and storied as Rome is bound to have a few creepy spots. Take the underground Crypt of the Capuchins, where the skeletons of around 4,000 monks were used as decoratation. There’s even skeletons fully dressed in traditional monks’ robes, standing like ghoulish guards. A chilling message is inscribed in the bone chapel: “What you are now we used to be; what we are now you will be."
That’s not all that lies underground in the Eternal City. Along Via Appia you’ll find the world’s first catacombs, including those of San Sebastiano, San Callisto and San Domitilla. Thousands of Romans were buried in these tomb-lined tunnels, leading to countless stories of ghosts escaping and walking above ground.
That’s not all that lies underground in the Eternal City. Along Via Appia you’ll find the world’s first catacombs, including those of San Sebastiano, San Callisto and San Domitilla. Thousands of Romans were buried in these tomb-lined tunnels, leading to countless stories of ghosts escaping and walking above ground.
Rome Like a Local
View BookHoia Forest
The so-called “Bermuda-Triangle of Romania,” Hoia Forest has experienced all manner of paranormal goings on, including mysterious disappearances – at least according to local legend.
People have spoken of hearing unexplained footsteps crunching through fallen leaves, experiencing the feeling of being watched and, in the 1960s, a UFO was reported to have been sighted flying over the treetops of this Transylvanian forest.
Whether or not you believe in encounters of the third kind, the forest’s crooked trees, cawing crows and quiet paths certainly make for an atmospheric walk.
People have spoken of hearing unexplained footsteps crunching through fallen leaves, experiencing the feeling of being watched and, in the 1960s, a UFO was reported to have been sighted flying over the treetops of this Transylvanian forest.
Whether or not you believe in encounters of the third kind, the forest’s crooked trees, cawing crows and quiet paths certainly make for an atmospheric walk.
Savannah
Of course Salem is famous for its witch trials and its eerie atmosphere, but Savannah, Georgia, is just as spooky. Feeling brave? Book a room at the Hamilton-Turner Inn, said to be the inspiration for Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride. Built as a parkside mansion for businessman Samuel Pugh Hamilton in the 19th century, today the house is known for the sound of billiard balls rolling along its floors and a mysterious cigar-smoking apparition. Alternatively there’s Kehoe House, a former funeral parlour turned hotel where the sound of children playing and the smells of time gone by reportedly fill the air.
After settling into your new digs, head for a drink at the Moon River Brewing Company – where various ghosts are said to keep the brewers on their toes – or take a late-night walk through the truly eerie Bonaventure and Colonia cemeteries.
After settling into your new digs, head for a drink at the Moon River Brewing Company – where various ghosts are said to keep the brewers on their toes – or take a late-night walk through the truly eerie Bonaventure and Colonia cemeteries.
DK USA
View BookOaxaca
In Mexico, death is viewed as another stage of life that should be celebrated and honoured rather than feared or forgotten. Nowhere embodies this deep cultural respect more so than Oaxaca, a city famed for its Day of the Dead celebrations (31st October to 2nd November). During the festival, locals spend hours in the graveyard, communing with their deceased loved ones and decorating their graves with flowers and candles. It’s spooky, yes, but there’s also something very moving about the festivities.
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View BookWhitby
Sure, Irish author Bram Stoker was inspired by Transylvanian folklore (see Hoia Forest for why) and based his infamous character Dracula on Vlad the Impaler, but his setting for Dracula’s lair was found a little closer to home. Atop the town of Whitby, in North Yorkshire, stands the ruins of Whitby Abbey and the graveyard of St Mary’s Church where, on cold and misty days, you can imagine Dracula skulking in the shadows.
Leading back down from the abbey to the town is Grape Lane, which was once known as Grope Lane because, before the introduction of street lighting, locals had to feel their way down the lane late at night. Many managed to find their way to the refuge of the Black Horse Inn, a creaky, wood-panelled inn that is still pulling pints for the weary and worried today.
Leading back down from the abbey to the town is Grape Lane, which was once known as Grope Lane because, before the introduction of street lighting, locals had to feel their way down the lane late at night. Many managed to find their way to the refuge of the Black Horse Inn, a creaky, wood-panelled inn that is still pulling pints for the weary and worried today.
DK Great Britain
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