Top 10 Most Haunted and Ghostly Places in Europe

The scariest places in Europe. Photo: KnowInsiders.com

In addition to having a rich history, many of the most well-known landmarks in the world also have a sinister past! As Halloween approaches, we looked up ghost stories from across the globe and discovered that ghosts and otherworldly occurrences have a long history in Europe.

What are the most haunted and ghost destinations in Europe?

1. Tower of London, London, England

Photo: Historienet

Over 900 years of torture and execution have taken place at the Tower of London. Anne Boleyn, the wife of King Henry VIII, is the most well-known of its numerous ghosts. Her headless body has been seen wandering the Tower's hallways since her beheading in 1536.

Other well-known apparitions are the ghosts of two young princes who were sent to the White Tower after Parliament declared them to be illegitimate, and the White Lady, who is frequently seen standing in the window of the Tower where she once stood to wave to her children. The princes are reported to have been seen holding hands and appearing terrified. It is thought that their uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, ordered their murders.

2. Poveglia, Venice, Italy

Photo: Conde Nast Traveler

Between Venice and Lido, in the Venice Lagoon, is the island of Poveglia. After being inhabited since 421, the island's population started to decline and by the 14th century, it had entirely vanished. During the 14th-century outbreak of the Bubonic Plaque and the subsequent outbreak of the Black Death in Venice in 1630, it was converted into a quarantine colony for Venetians.

According to history, the island's hospital served as a geriatric facility until 1975 and as a mental asylum until the 1800s. The entire island is deserted today, and Venetians won't go near it out of fear for the people who perished from the diseases that are supposed to haunt the island and its structures. For the same reasons, fishermen steer clear of the surrounding waters.

3. The Catacombs, Paris, France

Photo: Travel + Leisure

The largest known grave and one of the most haunted locations in the world are said to be in the Catacombs of Paris. About six million people's remains can be found inside the underground labyrinth, which was opened in the 18th century as part of the city's efforts to clear out its space. There have been cases of visitors becoming lost in the catacombs; one such case was Philibert Aspairt, who disappeared in 1793 and wasn't discovered until 1804.

His body was found a short distance from an exit. Turning around to find no one there, visitors to the Paris catacombs frequently report seeing apparitions, hearing disembodied voices coming from the walls, seeing strange orbs and spectral lights, and feeling touched.

4. Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Scotland

Photo: Culture Trip

The narrow alleyways known as closes, which are named after their residents, are a well-known feature of Edinburgh. One of those busy alleys was Mary King's Close, which is now hidden beneath the structures on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. Thousands of people died as a result of the plaque's 17th-century sweep through Edinburgh, many of whom were Mary King's Close residents. When the Royal Exchange was being built in the 18th century, a portion of the close was destroyed and buried.

While there have been many reports of hauntings and paranormal activity in the area, Annie, a little girl whose family abandoned her to die, is arguably the most well-known ghost. These days, Annie is frequently brought along by guests to Mary King's Close with little mementos like coins and dolls, which are given to a nearby children's hospital at the end of the year.

5. Bran Castle, Romania

Photo: Gray Line

The vampire from Bram Stocker's Dracula, Count Dracula, is well-known for having lived in Bran Castle. Even though it's unclear how much Stocker knew about the castle in real life when writing the book, thousands of people visit it each year because of its mystery. The villagers have reported hearing wailing late at night, and it is said that the ghosts of those who passed through the castle's walls roam the halls.

The town's vampire folklore is further supported by legend, which claims that at least some of the residents of Bran are strigoi—people whose souls depart from their bodies at night to terrorize the village.

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6. Akershus Festning, Norway

Photo: Wikipedia

Since its completion in 1300, this mediaeval stronghold has seen multiple sieges and a prison, which closed in 1950. At the castle, inmate punishment frequently consisted of strenuous physical labor, and the use of irons and chains for punishment was well-known.

There are still unfounded rumors of whispers and scratches heard in the corridors, and guards have reported experiencing strange feelings while on duty, such as feeling as though someone was pushing them.

7. Château de Brissac, France

Photo: Pinterest

With its lavish furnishings and ceilings covered in gold leaf, this eerily gorgeous castle conceals a terrible secret: Charlotte of France was murdered there when her husband discovered her having an extramarital affair with one of his friends (he also killed the friend). It is now said that the young Charlotte wanders the castle, stuck there forever after her tragic death. Wearing a green gown, she is most often spotted in the tower room of the castle chapel, according to both guests and staff.

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8. Kilkenny, Ireland

Photo: Contented Traveller

Should you be searching for spectral presences, you should consider visiting Kilkenny, Ireland. This Irish city has a legendary past, full of sad incidents that are said to have left ghosts that tourists can still see today.

About 80 miles from Dublin, in Kilkenny, was the scene of Ireland's first-ever witch trial. Another tragedy occurred in 1763 when a bridge collapsed during a flood, resulting in 16 people drowning in the river. People now claim to have seen eerie figures rising above the early morning mist in the River Nore.

9. Chapel of Bones, Portugal

Photo: Portugal Travel Guide

In the sixteenth century, monks in Evora, Portugal, built the chapel. By then, the area around the cemetery was being consumed by more than forty-three cemeteries. To create more room for burying the corpses, the remains had to be removed from the earth. Three concerned and caring monks made the decision to decorate the establishment with a chapel made of bones and other remains from the graves. This concept was intended to help people understand how fleeting life is.

The gravely important message "Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos," which translates to "We bones, are here, waiting for yours," was also posted by the considerate monks on the entrance gate.

10. Borgvattnet Vicarage, Sweden

Photo: Norwegian Reward Blog

Net Borgvatt Vicarage in northern Sweden experiences months without light. It seems to be among the most ill-fated places in Scandinavia as well. The 19th-century vicarage at Borgvattnet saw a number of unearthly occurrences. Individuals have claimed to have seen furniture take to the air, heard terrible cries, etc.

Even more eerie than traveling to Borgvattnet Vicarage at night, the darkness-shrouded Vicarage now accepts visitors who are prepared to spend a night or two with the devil.

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