Whether you believe in ghost stories or not, there are plenty of places around the world that have a haunted history. In the spirit of Halloween, we’ve rounded up seven of the best haunted destinations around the world that are sure to give you a fright. From ghost-filled hotels to homes with sinister pasts, these spots are downright scary!
1. LaLaurie Mansion, New Orleans, LA
The Lalaurie Mansion is one of the most haunted places in New Orleans. Marie Delphine Macarty, later Madame LaLaurie, was the owner of the home. Terrifying tales of the mansion date back to the 20th century, where it is said that Madame LaLaurie tortured many of her slaves in truly disturbing ways. For hundreds of years, there have been reports of paranormal activity, such as footsteps and moaning coming from the areas where the slaves were kept.
2. Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA
Sarah Winchester, widow of the gun mogul William Winchester, built the house with her large inheritance after her husband’s death. Carpenters worked day and night for 38 years (until her death in 1922) on the house that turned into a seven-story mansion with 200 rooms, 10,000 windows, and doors and stairs leading nowhere. The home is rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of those killed by Winchester rifles, and it’s also said she built the home to elude the ghostly spirits she thought were haunting her.
3. Poveglia Island, Venice, Italy
Only a short boat ride away from Venice, Poveglia Island was once a quarantine zone for people who had the plague. The island basically became a place where diseased people would get shipped to live out their final days. It was also used as an insane asylum in the early 20th century, with a supposedly crazed doctor who claimed to be driven mad by the ghosts! The island is allegedly full of ghosts of those who were sent there to die, and is one of the most haunted places in the world. Technically, you are not even allowed to visit the island, but you can see it by boat.
4. The Catacombs, Paris
The Catacombs are a gigantic underground cemetery that hold the remains of over 6 million people. The Catacombs were built as a solution to the city’s cemeteries overflowing in the late 1700s. The Catacombs include over 200 miles of tunnels filled with skulls and bones, some perfectly stacked, others in haphazard piles. While they are not known to be haunted, the experience is definitely eerie!
5. Lizzie Borden House, Fall River, MA
In the late 1800s, Lizzie Borden was charged with the murder of her father and stepmother in their home. Despite her contradictory story, she ended up being acquitted, and the trial turned into a landmark public trial with speculation about the crimes continuing until present day. The home is now a bed and breakfast, where guests have reported many types of strange activity and ghost sightings in the house.
6. Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, CA
In 1892, Kate Morgan, a beautiful young woman, checked into her hotel room at the Hotel Del Coronado, and was supposedly waiting for a gentleman to join her. She was found dead in her hotel room 5 days later due to a gunshot wound that is speculated to be self-inflicted.. Her spirit remains at the Del, and guests who stay in her room have reported everything from random breezes, lights turning on and off, items moving on their own, and more.
7. The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO
The Stanley Hotel was opened in the early 1900s by the Stanley family, and legend has it that they never left. Almost every room in the hotel has experienced something paranormal, from the sounds of children laughing in the hallway to Mrs. Stanley playing piano upstairs. Author Stephen King stayed there once, and was apparently the only guest in the hotel at the time, so it’s said that the hotel is where he got his inspiration for The Shining.
Fall is the perfect time to experience one of these spooky destinations—you’ll be in the Halloween spirit in no time. These haunted places are filled with legends and mystery that will thrill even the bravest of people. If you dare to visit, be prepared for some frightening fun!
Wherever you’re headed, there’s an incredible tour that will get you there. Here are some of the top tours for these destinations…
