Halloween is fast approaching, and what better way to celebrate Spooky Season than with some spooky tales from around the world?
Personally, I’m not sure if I believe in ghosts and evil spirits, but I do have a healthy respect for the fact that they *could* exist. Which basically just means I can absolutely freak myself out when going on a ghost tour or staying somewhere rumored to be haunted.
I’ve done ghost tours in Savannah (including one in the back of a converted hearse!) and vampire tours in New Orleans, walked through catacombs and churches decorated with bones, have visited more battlefields and cemeteries than I can count, and have stayed in purportedly haunted prisons, castles, and hotels around the world.
And while I certainly got goosebumps during some of those experiences, my most bone-chilling encounter took place at the site of a former concentration camp in Poland.
My creepiest travel story
This past summer, I spent a couple weeks traveling around Poland with my friend Ashley, who is a fellow travel blogger and also a WWII historian. We visited all six of the former Nazi death camps across Poland – which of course is not pleasant tourism, but important nonetheless.
We visited the remains of Bełżec on a dreary, rainy day, thunder rumbling in the distance and the threat of rain imminent. We parked and walked into the small museum, which spells out the site’s history of terror as part of the Nazis’ Operation Reinhard.
Between March and December 1942, between 400,000 and 500,000 people – mostly Polish Jews – were murdered here. The atrocities were covered up (literally – the camp was completely dismantled, plowed over, and disguised as a farm by June 1943), and the current museum and memorial were not established until 2004.
After visiting the museum and the exceedingly chilling Contemplation Room (which is a massive, dark, empty room the size of one of Bełżec’s former gas chambers), we headed outside to visit the memorial, which is built atop some of the site’s mass graves. The large memorial consists of a path cutting through a man-made hill, piled high with concrete rubble, twisted cast iron, and blocks of stone. The path goes deeper and deeper into the hill, with the sides eventually towering over you.
Ashley was walking at least 100 feet ahead of me, and it had started raining. We were the only humans out in the memorial space. And all of a sudden I heard a clear, female voice humming. Just a few notes of a soft melody.
I stopped in my tracks at the same moment Ashley did, all the hair on my body standing on end. Ashley turned around, wide-eyed, to look at me from further up the path.
“Yeah, I heard it too,” I said quietly.
I can still hear that haunting humming in my mind, and it still gives me goosebumps every time I think about it. I’m convinced we met a ghost at Bełżec that day. A sad spirit who was simply there to say… “Don’t forget about me.”
Other spooky travel tales
And now that I’ve creeped myself out all over again, I’m turning the figurative mic over to some fellow travel bloggers, to share some of their spooky travel tales about creepy encounters, haunted houses, chilling tours, and more.
Tales of ghostly encounters
1. The spirits of Old Fort Erie
One of the most haunted places in Niagara to visit is Old Fort Erie. It’s where the bloodiest battle was fought during the War of 1812. Now it’s a historic site you can tour, and during the fall months you can join ghost tours which are led by costumed interpreters at night.
I didn’t think I would be freaked out, but when we visited,there was a haze across the battlefield, and most of the lighting came from lit candles, which made us see shadows that may or may not have been there.
Part of the tour leads you to Captain Kingsley’s bedroom. He was an officer during the war who died of mercury poisoning after months of fever and hallucinations. Staff have said they’ve gone to the room to find the bedsheets strewn about, as well as hearing footsteps and seeing the doors move. Shadows and movement have been seen in the windows when no one else has been on the property.
It may have been the chill of the night, but while we were standing in his bedroom, I had an icy sensation come over my body and it felt as though there was someone right beside me. We were in a small group and I turned around and there was no one there.
The dark corners of the building make you think you see things, and you get the sense you’re not alone. There’s a distinct, heavy feeling at Old Fort Erie, which makes sense. Over 2500 soldiers were killed or wounded and it is said their souls still roam the battlegrounds.
– Submitted by Sarah Camp of Navigating Niagara
2. Sleeping (or not) with ghosts
With many of its buildings standing over former graveyards, Savannah is one of the most haunted cities in America. However, my solo weekend visit in February 2023 was meant to be more focused on the city’s charming aspects, like manicured squares and delicious Lowcountry cuisine.
That said, I was forced to confront Savannah’s haunted history during an evening ghost tour. Suddenly, the guide was standing outside the Eliza Thompson House, where I’d been staying. Apparently this 1847 structure on picturesque Jones Street offered more than a great location and affordable parking.
One of its rumored resident ghosts is James Thompson, the son of the original inhabitants and a Civil War veteran, who’d died inside the house after being kicked by a horse in 1861. Many individuals have claimed to glimpse a Confederate soldier gazing onto Jones Street from a front window of the home.
Back in my room and well past sunset, I was now hyper aware of every noise and defect around me. I jumped when the shower faucet acted faulty and every creak and moan of the historic walls suddenly seemed ten times louder.
I kept the lights on that evening and didn’t even doze until the first sign of daylight. Love Island played on my iPad in an effort to diffuse my own tension and keep any unsettled spirits at bay with its humorous drama. If anything, I was the unsettled one knowing the hours I was giving up watching fame-hungry hotties pretending to find love.
– Submitted by Theresa of Fueled By Wanderlust
3. Haunted Monastery in Ucles, Spain
The monastery in Uclés, Spain is old. The first parts were built in the 11th century, and the part I stayed in while teaching at an English summer camp was built in the 16th century. When something is that old, you know there’s gotta be some stories.
The monastery in and of itself is pretty creepy. It’s really big, and there are catacombs underneath where they used to keep the bodies of the priests. At night, there are no lights, so you have to carry a flashlight around. There’s also a huge painting of a battle in the entryway, and the rumor is that if you stare at it for too long, the souls of the people that died in battle will haunt you.
This year, the boy’s dorm was next to a bathroom where a priest was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the 1980s. People have claimed to see him hanging around the monastery from time to time.
One night, in the girl’s dorm, I woke up to one of my co-workers screaming bloody murder. The next morning, I asked her what she was screaming about. She said that she was startled because she saw a little girl standing next to another teacher’s bed, just staring at her. We found out later that day that the year before, one of the kitchen staff had quit her job because she saw the ghost of a little girl walk into that same dormitory.
We knew that Franco used the monastery as a base during the Spanish Civil War. A few years ago, they found a mass grave on the monastery property. One of the Spanish camp counselors told us a little boy had claimed to talk to a soldier one night while everyone else was sleeping, and the kid rattled off dates that corresponded with the dates of the Civil War.
With all these stories plus a lack of sleep, your imagination can certainly run wild!
– Submitted by Liz of Liz en Espana
4. The ghost of Charles Dickens
Despite being the only hotel located directly along Boston’s Freedom Trail, I wasn’t worried about encountering the ghosts of America’s founding fathers when I spent a night at the Omni Parker House Hotel.
Instead, I was on the lookout for the ghost of Charles Dickens. Dickens stayed at the Parker House a couple times during his American travels in the mid-1800s, and the mirror in his suite that he practiced reading The Christmas Carol in front of is still preserved on the hotel’s mezzanine level.
It’s said that Dickens himself lingers on at the Parker House, causing the elevators to come and go at random in the lobby. If you have the gall to stand in front of his mirror and saying “Charles Dickens” three times in a row, brace yourself for unexplained occurrences.
While we did indeed tempt the fates by repeating Dickens’ name in front of the mirror, I’m happy to report that our stay was very “unspooky.” Perhaps the ghost of Charles Dickens was off that night. If we’d headed up to the hotel’s 10th floor, though, we very likely would have encountered an apparition of Harvey Parker, the hotel’s founder.
– Submitted by Ada of Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: A Travel Blog
5. Housekeeping Ghost on Stradbroke Island, Australia
Towards the end of 2010, I was away on a corporate retreat on Stradbroke Island (Queensland, Australia). We were staying in 3 bedroom apartments at a popular resort, with one staff member per room. There was a master bedroom with ensuite that looked onto the lounge room and main balcony, a middle bedroom (that I was in), and a back bedroom with a small balcony.
During one of the nights there, my colleague in the master bedroom had a vivid ‘dream’. There was a woman, dressed like a cleaner, walking around the apartment. This woman was spraying the apartment and generally cleaning up. She spent a little while in the main living area, then walked towards the back bedroom and disappeared. The creepy part is that when we all went to bed, the blinds on the master bedroom were closed for privacy, and when the person in that room woke up in the morning, they were open, and there was a sweet scent around…
This event was retold over a meal later that day, and someone else had a similar story from their apartment – one person woke up with a feeling that someone was in their apartment, but they were unable to move. They felt very unsafe.
Nothing else happened in the days we were there. But these two events happened on the same night, and had a similar pattern – a presence in the main area, moving into a bedroom. I was lucky that there were no bad feelings about who or whatever was in my apartment, but there was definitely a negative feeling about the other apartment. I don’t necessarily believe in ghosts, but I’m not closed minded enough to rule them out.
– Submitted by Vanessa of Suitcase Scribbles
Ghostly tours and tales
6. The ghosts of Shrewsbury Prison
One of the spookiest places I’ve ever explored in the UK has to be Shrewsbury Prison. This Georgian structure is known for its haunting tales, particularly in C Wing. My partner decided to venture into one of the cells without even glancing at the information plaque outside. Little did we know that Cell C203 was infamous for being the most haunted cell in the entire prison.
Over the years, countless visitors have reported seeing a ghostly figure of a woman gliding toward the execution room. There’s also the tale of a young boy who has been spotted sitting at the bottom of the steps, his cries echoing through the cold, stone hallways.
I must admit, I wasn’t quite ready to face the most haunted cell, C203. Just standing there, knowing its haunted reputation, was enough to send shivers down my spine. Those who are courageous enough can immerse themselves in the Ghost Tours at Shrewsbury Prison. You will learn about the prison’s rich history and the spirits that may still roam its halls.
– Submitted by Paulina of the UK Every Day
7. The Eerie Tales of Greyfriars Kirkyard
Known as the city of culture, comedy, and art festivals, lively Edinburgh also has a spooky side to it. Its creepiest place is the Greyfriars Kirkyard – a cemetery nestled in the historic center of the city.
The minute I stepped foot into the cemetery, I immediately felt sucked into its eerie atmosphere. Greeting me from the moss-covered tombstones were skulls and skeletons; a friendly reminder from those who passed that we are all mortal.
Painting an even more vivid picture were the mortsafes – metal crates protecting some tombs from the body snatchers. One of Edinburgh’s most haunting stories is the one about the tomb raiders who dug out freshly buried bodies and sold them to Dr. Knox, a surgeon who needed corpses for his anatomy classes.
While the Greyfriars Kirkyard is a spooky place, it is also a valuable portal to understanding the city’s past and its residents, some of whom, by the way, still show up and haunt the curious visitors.
One such legendary poltergeist is George Mackenzie. Dubbed “Bloody Mackenzie” for being a heartless prosecutor in the witch trials back in the day, it’s said he now roams the alleys of the cemetery as a ghost, and he makes sure no one disrespects the tombs.
And there is one tomb in particular that is regularly swarmed by visitors – the one belonging to Tom Riddell. He passed away back in the 1800s and had no idea his name would later inspire J.K. Rowling to create an iconic villain, Tom Riddle, AKA Lord Voldemort of the Harry Potter series.
As I stood there, I almost felt a palpable tension seeping from Tom’s grave. Maybe it’s the talent of J.K. Rowling that contributed to such a perception of Riddell’s burial site. Or maybe it’s the massive tombstone covered in cryptic writing… but it definitely felt spooky.
– Submitted by Inessa of Through a Travel Lens Blog
8. Spooked in Vancouver
I don’t find myself scared easily, so I rarely take a ghost tour when I visit another city. I enjoy learning the darker parts of history, but sometimes it can be a hit-or-miss experience. However, when I was in Vancouver, British Columbia, I decided to give it another try.
I found this one particularly interesting because we weren’t in the middle of a modern city trying to imagine it as it used to be. Our guide wasn’t just a guide, but an 1800s-dressed socialite dishing out the gory gossip of murder, fire, and plague.
I think what started to give me a chill on the back of my neck that wasn’t the Vancouver weather was that our group was completely alone. The streets were empty and abandoned at this time of night. And we were in a more deserted and dilapidated part of Gastown, right by the old train tracks. It’s a safe enough city, but you never know what might happen.
So your mind starts to play tricks on you and you are less worried about ghosts and more worried about the more physical presence of something or someone around every corner. Throw the spooky history of a city on top of that, and you are just waiting to be terrified.
The moral of the story is that even Canada can be a scary place.
– Submitted By The World Overload
9. Melbourne Gaol Night Tour
I didn’t know what to expect for the Old Melbourne Gaol, but it ended up a spooky and thrilling experience during my visit to Melbourne.
The night tour begins after sunset, and as soon as we stepped inside this historic prison, the atmosphere felt heavy with the unsettling energy of its dark past. The guide, fully immersed in character, led us through the pitch-black corridors, sharing haunting stories of former inmates and unexplained occurrences within the gaol’s stone walls. Walking in total darkness, without a sound as we walked through the long, narrow hallways – chilling in itself.
We stopped at different parts of the Gaol when the guide told us anecdotes that happened in the prison. One of the most memorable moments was when the guide revealed a photo he’d taken from previous visitors – a grainy image showing what appeared to be a ghostly figure in the shadows. Paranormal or not, it sent shivers down my spine!
The whole experience felt otherworldly, especially as we passed the cells where some of Australia’s most notorious criminals, including Ned Kelly, were once held. The tour wrapped up with a reminder that Melbourne Gaol’s eerie history is far from forgotten, and the stories live on.
– Submitted by Kenny of Knycx Journeying
10. Searching for ghosts in Chicago
Taking a ghost tour in Chicago was one of the most spine-tingling experiences of my life. As we walked through the city’s dark alleys and historic streets, our guide shared chilling tales of tragedy and the restless spirits left behind.
One story that still haunts me is the Eastland Ship disaster. On a sunny day in 1915, the ship, overloaded with passengers, tipped over while still docked in the Chicago River. Hundreds of people drowned, their screams and splashing echoing in the water. They say you can still hear their cries on quiet nights along the riverbank. I swear, while we stood there, a cold breeze swept by, and I could hear faint whispers.
The tour also took us to the site of the Iroquois Theatre fire, where nearly 600 people perished in a horrific blaze in 1903. The fire spread so quickly that many never had a chance to escape. As we stood near the spot, our guide explained that some theatergoers’ ghosts are said to still haunt the area, replaying their final moments. The alley behind the theatre was very cold even though it was warm that day.
These two stories alone were powerful and the tour had even more! I think it’s one of the best walking tours in Chicago and a must-do for any traveler looking to learn about the darker side of Chicago history.
– Submitted by Pam of Directionally Challenged Traveler
11. Beneath the streets of Edinburgh
During our time in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city, we headed on an exciting (but very spooky) tour of the underground vaults.
If you weren’t aware, beneath the Old Town, you’ll find historic vaults. These vaults date back to the early 18th century, and visiting them is a must while in the city! Not only will you get an insight into what life was like in Edinburgh back then, but you’ll hear some creepy stories along the way.
We opted for the ‘Double Dead Tour’ which is run by City of the Dead Tours. On this tour, we visited two of the most haunted destinations in Scotland: the South Bridge Vaults and the Covenanter’s Prison in Greyfriars Graveyard (the latter is home to the infamous Mackenzie Poltergeist).
As we explored the South Bridge Vaults by torch, our guide told us spooky stories about the dark side of Edinburgh’s history. He spoke to us about the South Bridge Entity which calls these vaults home, and the stories certainly gave us chills – especially when he turned the torch off and everything went dark!
Luckily, the tour finishes next to a bar, as you may need a drink or two to recover.
– Submitted by Abbie & Jack of A Couples Calling
Haunting sites
12. Exploring an abandoned village
Al Jazeera Al Hamra is one of those places where you feel like you’ve stepped into a ghost story. An hour from Dubai in Ras Al Khaimah, it’s an abandoned village, and honestly, it looks like something straight out of a movie.
When I was walking through the narrow, crumbling streets, I could feel the weight of history all around me. This place was once a thriving pearling village before oil was discovered, but then everything changed. There is still a fort, watchtowers, souq and mosque, and even old houses with their eerie courtyards.
It feels like the people just vanished overnight. The architecture is incredible though, made from coral blocks and mangrove beams; it shows just how resourceful people were back then.
But what really gets to you is the silence. This village has been abandoned since the 1960s, and it feels like time just froze when the pearl industry collapsed.
The whole place is like an open-air museum, but there’s something a bit unsettling about it too. The wind whistles through the empty buildings, and in the back of your mind, you can’t help but wonder what stories these walls could tell.
Although it may be hot, I’d definitely recommend exploring during the day, as some parts are in disrepair. Also, as soon as the sun starts setting, it becomes one of those places that gives you the chills.
– Submitted by Olivia of Seven Wonders
13. Chilling Corvin’s Castle
When I began my travels in October of 2023 through Transylvania, I was sure I would encounter at least a couple of vampires along the way. What I didn’t expect was all of the other ghoulish or ghastly surprises that awaited me inside Corvin’s Castle – a massive 15th-century castle complex in the hills of Hunedoara, Romania.
Corvin’s Castle, or Hunyadi Castle, was built as a fortress by Hungarian military leader John Hunyadi and has been the site of many spooky tales, including the (alleged) imprisonment of Vlad the Impaler.
Upon arriving at the foreboding red-roofed structure, I immediately felt a chill creep over me. As I descended the winding staircase to the darkened dungeon room, my heart nearly leaped out of my body when I saw a disheveled, handcuffed mannequin suspended from the ceiling. Over hidden loudspeakers, ambient screaming noises played on an endless loop, adding to the horrific vibe of the place.
The experience didn’t end there. Right at the exit of Corvin’s Castle lies the Medieval Torture Museum, which showcases – in all its gruesome glory – the countless ways that criminals, outlaws, and heretics were punished back in the day. Iron Maidens, spiked chairs, and racks designed for slow, agonizing stretches lined the walls like props from a horror movie. The museum was also filled to the brim with eerily human-like mannequins screaming endlessly into the void.
It was safe to say that Corvin’s Castle gave me the spooky experience I’d been anticipating. Unfortunately no vampires, but plenty of other horrors awaiting in the dark!
– Submitted by Emma of All Over the Place
14. Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan
The memorial sites for the nuclear explosions at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, are not your typical “haunted destinations,” but they are most certainly spooky and unsettling. While the sites have been transformed into beautiful parks dedicated to peace, the history of the sites remain.
In Hiroshima, there is nothing more unsettling than walking through the beautiful park only to come across the desolate A-Bomb Dome, one of the few structures that withstood the blast in 1945. Nagasaki has a simpler memorial situated at ground zero to mark the somber location.
The entire experience turns even more unsettling when exploring the two museums that show the horrors of war and just what kind of disasters mankind is capable of.
– Submitted by Jeremy of Living the Dream RTW
15. Abandoned skyscraper adventure
Bangkok in Thailand is one of the safest cities in Southeast Asia. However it is home to one building with a spooky history. Sathorn Unique Tower is a skyscraper which was abandoned in 1997 before being completed. It became popular with urban explorers over the years.
However in 2014, things took a dark turn when the body of a Swedish backpacker was found hanging on the 43rd floor. It is now illegal to enter the tower. Yet when I went in 2019, it was possible to bribe security guards to let you in.
The tower is pretty dangerous, with the unfinished lift shafts leaving a giant hole in the ground which you won’t get out of if you fall in. It has a very eerie vibe with few people willing to take the risks involved to explore. We even found a man-made weapon on one of the higher floors, a wooden stick that had been wrapped in barbed wire and repurposed as a club.
There are empty bathtubs, left abandoned on balconies for over 27 years. And many rooms with nothing but graffiti, rubble, and a lack of walls leaving a sheer drop to the pavement below.
Every sound you hear makes your heart skip a beat as you wonder what secrets are hiding in this giant maze.
With Bangkok being a city full of skyscrapers, you can easily be spotted. So you need to stay in the shadows, which adds to the thrill. The fact this building is also rumoured to be haunted makes for further adventure.
– Submitted by Alex of Adventure to Every Country
Amanda’s note: I don’t necessarily condone bribing guards or breaking laws to visit places. But you do you, fellow adventurers.
16. An eerie, empty resort in Thailand
When we visited Koh Lanta in the off-season with my husband, after a few days covering the typical things to do, we decided to explore the more remote areas of the island.
On a small scooter, we drove all the way to the very South. The road ended at what looked like an entrance to a resort. And resort it was, a spooky one! A completely empty hodgepodge of styles, once colorful, now shabby, with an eerie atmosphere hovering around. We marveled at rooms shaped like caves and boats, statues of deer, goddesses… and a few caged animals, including a sad monkey, peacocks, and quails.
While exploring a small pier, which looked like it would fall apart any time soon, we came across a local worker who didn’t speak any English. He was just hanging out and was not able to provide any info.
I still had a weird feeling about the place, so we decided to get going. As soon as we left, we got a flat tire! In a remote area, where there was nothing other than a spooky, empty resort, and otherwise just jungle!
We pushed the bike for an hour or so, as it wasn’t drivable. At that moment, a person suddenly appeared on the side of the road and waved us down. He quickly assessed what our problem was and took us to the repairman in his village – a village of sea gypsies! A place where they’re not too fond of tourists. We learned that only later but definitely were the only foreigners there, and people looked at us in a curious way. Our flat tire was solved within another hour, and off we went, with quite a story to tell!
– Submitted by Veronika of Travel Geekery
Spooky events
17. Halloween in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Looming city walls that have withstood hundreds of years of war, bats on stilts ‘flying’ above the crowd, and to top it off, five days of Halloween festivities. Welcome to Derry/Londonderry, which is said to be the home of Halloween.
Each year Derry, as the locals fondly know it, hosts the biggest Halloween festival in the world – the Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival. Derry was the site of many brutal battles throughout The Troubles, as it stands only 4 miles from the Northern Ireland/Ireland border. It is this backdrop that gives the city such a creepy feel that is even more present around Halloween.
The cobbled stone streets take you back to another time, bullet holes in the walls remind you of the battles of yesteryear, and the buildings – many still retaining their original features – leave you wondering if you are in the present day or back in the early 1900s. Walking through the Bogside, with murals covering whole sides of homes depicting the Battle of the Bogside, left me spooked – something definitely better suited to the daytime.
So enjoy the main festivities, held either along the banks of the river or in front of the Guild Hall (town hall). But when leaving the city walls, be prepared for a very spooky night!
– Submitted by Nicole of Bitten by the Travel Bug
What sorts of creepy, scary, and haunted places have YOU visited on your travels?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she’s actually traveled!