Top 10 Most Haunted and Ghost Destinations in Europe

Photo: KnowInsiders

Many of the world’s most famous landmarks not only carry a lot of history, they also carry a haunted past! With Halloween upon us, we researched ghost stories from around the world and learned Europe has quite the history of ghosts and paranormal happenings.

List Of Top 10 haunted and ghost places in Europe

1. Tower of London, London, England

2. Poveglia, Venice, Italy

3. The Catacombs, Paris, France

4. Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Scotland

5. Bran Castle, Romania

6. Akershus Festning, Norway

7. Château de Brissac, France

8. Kilkenny, Ireland

9. Chapel of Bones, Portugal

10. Borgvattnet Vicarage, Sweden

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What are the most haunted and ghost destinations in Europe?

1. Tower of London, London, England

Photo: Historienet

The Tower of London’s long history of torture and execution spans more than 900 years. The most famous of its many ghosts is Anne Boleyn, the wife of King Henry VIII. She was beheaded in 1536, and her headless body has been seen walking the Tower’s corridors. Other famous apparitions include the White Lady who is often spotted standing in the window of the White Tower where she once stood to wave to her children and the ghosts of two young princes who were sent to the Tower after being deemed illegitimate by Parliament. It is believed the princes were murdered by order of their uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, and are said to be seen holding hands and looking afraid.

2. Poveglia, Venice, Italy

Photo: Conde Nast Traveler

The island of Poveglia sits in the Venice Lagoon between Venice and Lido. Inhabited since 421, the island’s population began to dwindle and was completely abandoned by the 14th century. It became a quarantine colony for Venetians during the Bubonic Plaque outbreak in the 14th century, and again in 1630 when the Black Death hit Venice. History says the island’s hospital was used as a mental asylum until the 1800s, and as a geriatric center up until 1975. Today, the entire island is abandoned and Venetians refuse to set foot on it, afraid of the victims of the diseases that are said to haunt the island and its buildings. Fishermen also avoid the waters around it for the same reasons.

3. The Catacombs, Paris, France

Photo: Travel + Leisure

The Catacombs of Paris is believed to be one of the most haunted places in the world as well as the largest grave on record. Opened in the 18th century as part of the city’s efforts to decongest its space, the underground labyrinth is home to the remains of about six million people. Visitors have been known to get lost in the catacombs, such as Philibert Aspairt who vanished in the catacombs in 1793 and wasn’t found until 1804. His remains were discovered a few feet from an exit. Visitors to the Paris catacombs regularly report seeing apparitions, hearing disembodied voices coming from the walls, witnessing strange orbs and spectral lights, and being touched, only to find no one when they turn around.

4. Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Scotland

Photo: Culture Trip

Edinburgh is famous for its many closes – narrow alleyways often named after their occupants. Mary King’s Close was one of those bustling alleyways, and today can be found under the buildings of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The plaque swept through Edinburgh in the 17th century, taking the lives of thousands, including many of the residents of Mary King’s close. The close was partially demolished and buried during the construction of the Royal Exchange in the 18th century. A number of hauntings and paranormal activities have been reported in the close, but the most famous is perhaps the ghost of Annie, a young girl who was left behind by her family to die. Today, visitors to Mary King’s Close often bring Annie small tokens, like dolls and coins, which are donated to a local children’s hospital at the end of each year.

5. Bran Castle, Romania

Photo: Gray Line

The world knows Bran Castle as the fictitious home of Count Dracula, the vampire from Bram Stocker’s Dracula. While it’s unclear as to how much Stocker actually knew about the castle when writing the novel, it is still shrouded in mystery that draws thousands of visitors every year. The ghosts of those who passed inside the castle’s walls are said to roam the halls, and villagers have reported hearing wailing late at night. Legend also says that at least some of the town of Bran’s citizens are strigoi, people whose souls leave their bodies at night to terrorize the village, further encouraging the town’s vampire folklore.

6. Akershus Festning, Norway

Photo: Wikipedia

This medieval castle was completed in 1300, and it has been the site of a prison (which closed in 1950) and several sieges since. Prison sentences at the castle often involved hard physical labor, and it was known for using irons and chains as a way to discipline prisoners. Rumors persist of whispers and scratching heard along the hallways, and guards have reported weird sensations, like being pushed by someone who wasn't there, while working.

7. Château de Brissac, France

Photo: Pinterest

This hauntingly beautiful castle with its gold leaf ceilings and opulent furniture hides a dark secret: Charlotte of France was murdered there after her husband found her cheating with one of his friends (he killed the friend too). Now, the young Charlotte is said to wander the castle, forever stuck thereafter her untimely death. Guests and staff report seeing her most frequently in the tower room of the castle's chapel, dressed in a green gown.

8. Kilkenny, Ireland

Photo: Contented Traveller

If you’re on the hunt for some ghostly figures, you'll want to explore Kilkenny, Ireland. This Irish city has a storied past, filled with tragic events that allegedly left behind spirits that visitors still witness today. Kilkenny, located about 80 miles from Dublin, was the site of Ireland’s first witch trial. Another tragedy struck in 1763, when 16 people drowned in the river after a bridge collapsed during a flood. Today, people report seeing creepy figures in the River Nore that rise above the mist in the early morning.

9. Chapel of Bones, Portugal

Photo: Portugal Travel Guide

The chapel was constructed by monks in Portugal’s Evora in the 16th century. By that time, there were more than 43 cemeteries in and around the place that were eating up the land. The remains had to be dug out of the ground to make more space for burying dead bodies. The concerned and compassionate monks, three in number, decided to make a chapel with bones and remains from the graves, serving as a decoration for the establishment. The purpose behind this idea was to make people realize the ephemeral nature of life.

The thoughtful monks also put up a message of grave import on the entrance gate - “Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos,” that translates to, “We bones, are here, waiting for yours.”

10. Borgvattnet Vicarage, Sweden

Photo: Norwegian Reward Blog

Borgvattnet Vicarage in northern Sweden remains under the cover of darkness for months. Apparently, it is also one of the most jinxed Scandinavian destinations. In Borgvattnet, the 19th-century vicarage witnessed several otherworldly events. People have reported watching flying furniture, hearing horrid cries, etc. As if making way to Borgvattnet Vicarage at night was not spooky enough, the darkness-cloaked Vicarage now welcomes guests who are willing to spend a night or two with the devil.

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