This post is about Halloween in Europe and Halloween destinations in Europe. It contains affiliate links which means we may earn a small commission should you choose to book through them at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting this blog!
Did you have a childhood phase obsessed with vampires and witches? Quite a while before Twilight, when I was a little kid in Brazil in the early 90s (possibly too small to be obsessing over vampires, but here we are), I was fully fixated on them. Brazilian TV imported the most random shows from everywhere and one of my favourites was the Canadian-American show Dracula: The Series, filmed in Luxembourg of all places. If anyone else has watched that, please tell me, I’ve never met another person who has! We also had our own soap opera, Vamp, centred on Count Vlad, head vampire. I was 6. A few years later the vampire phase gave way to a witch phase and that one never really left but that’s a post for another day (I got loads here, actually!).
All of which is to say that, if you’re trying to work out where to actually spend Halloween in Europe this year, rather than just carve a pumpkin and call it a day, the continent has more options than almost anywhere else on earth and some of them take the holiday properly seriously.
Below are 11 places worth building an actual trip around: some for the history, some for the eerie vibe and a few for the ticketed, book-ahead Halloween events.
With Halloween just around the corner, there’s no better time to explore all the spooky places Europe has to offer. Europe is steeped in history. Many of its landmarks have eerie backstories filled with ghost sightings, creepy legends and chilling encounters.
Whether you’re a thrill-seeker or just looking for a unique travel experience, these spooky places should be on your list.
I’m obviously starting this post with Dracula…
Quick Guide: Halloween in Europe
📍 Countries covered: Romania, Ireland, France, Scotland, England, Italy, Germany
🗓️ When to go: Most events cluster around 31 October itself, but several run for days either side
🎟️ Book well ahead for: Bran Castle’s Halloween Party, Edinburgh’s Samhuinn Fire Festival and Chillingham Castle’s Halloween-dated ghost tours all sell out, often weeks in advance
👨👩👧 Family-friendly option: The Tower of London’s half-term Halloween trail is designed to spook, not terrify
⚠️ Heads up: Poveglia Island is closed to the public; you can only view it by boat tour, Halloween or not
Bran Castle, Romania
Location: Transylvania
Bran Castle is famously tied to the legend of Dracula, long rumoured to be haunted by Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration behind the vampire myth, along with other spirits. Visitors often report strange occurrences and a sense of being watched in the gloomier corridors.
What to expect: Tour the castle’s eerie rooms, learn about Vlad the Impaler’s violent history and take in the dramatic views over the Carpathian Mountains.
🎃 For Halloween specifically: Bran Castle runs a proper Halloween Party most years, typically over two nights, with night tours of the castle, live actors in costume, themed dinners and a costume contest. It draws visitors from across Europe and regularly sells out, so this is one to book early if it’s the centrepiece of your trip. You can get a 2-day tour from Bucharest with tickets to the Halloween Party at Bran Castle here on GetYourGuide. It’s kinda pricey but if you’re looking for a trip to experience Halloween in Europe, then this is one of the top choices!
Bonus tip: If you’re flying into Bucharest, you can hire a car and drive up. Otherwise, GetYourGuide’s full-day castle-hopping tour covers Bran Castle, Peleș Castle and Brașov Old Town in one trip. This one I linked also included WEDNESDAY’S NEVERMORE ACADEMY!!!
Leap Castle, Ireland
Location: County Offaly
Leap Castle carries a history of family betrayal and is said to be haunted by the “Elemental,” a malevolent spirit. Its “Bloody Chapel,” where many executions took place, is where visitors most often report an overwhelming sense of dread. The castle was held by the O’Carrolls, described at the time as “a fierce and brutal people, bent on domination”.
What to expect: A tour through the castle’s violent past, with an eye out for the shadowy figures often reported in the chapel.
Top tip: Visit during the winter months for an even more eerie atmosphere.
RELATED POST: Best of Witchy Edinburgh: Magical Places, Shops and Hidden Gems
Trim and Athboy, Ireland: The Púca Festival
Location: County Meath
Ireland is widely considered the birthplace of Halloween: the holiday descends from Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the point where, according to tradition, the veil between the living and the dead is thin. County Meath and specifically the Hill of Ward near Athboy, is where some of that tradition’s oldest roots are said to lie.
🎃 For Halloween specifically: The Púca Festival now brings that history to life every year around 31 October, across Trim and Athboy. Expect the Lighting of the Samhain Fire at the Hill of Ward, torchlit processions through Trim’s medieval streets, traditional storytelling, live music and folklore tours. It’s developed in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s official tourism board, and is aimed at adults and families alike.
What to expect: A few days of fire ceremonies, processions and storytelling rooted in real Celtic tradition, rather than a generic Halloween party dressed up with Irish scenery.
Top tip: Book accommodation in Trim or Athboy early. Rooms across County Meath fill up fast for festival weekend and some hotels offer festival-specific rates.
If Ireland’s darker history interests you more broadly, Witchy Edinburgh covers Scotland’s own centuries of executions and ghost stories.
The Catacombs, Paris
Location: Paris, France
Beneath the streets of Paris lies a labyrinth of tunnels holding the remains of more than 6 million people. Originally an 18th-century ossuary, the Catacombs are said to be haunted by the souls of those whose bones were moved there.
What to expect: Visitors can tour a small portion of the tunnels, though people have reported hearing whispers, seeing shadowy figures and even feeling cold hands brush past them.
Top tip: Book a skip-the-line with special access.
If witchy shopping is more your speed once you’re back on solid ground, here’s where to find it in London.
WITCHY LONDON: Best Witchy Shops in London
Château de Brissac, France
Location: Loire Valley
Château de Brissac is home to the “Green Lady,” believed to be the spirit of Charlotte de Brézé, the illegitimate daughter of King Charles VII, murdered by her husband in the 15th century. She’s said to roam the halls with hollow eyes and guests have reported moaning in the middle of the night.
What to expect: The château runs tours and braver visitors can stay overnight in its haunted rooms. Even if nothing happens, you’re still sleeping in a French château!
Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
Location: Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle has been the site of battles, sieges and executions for centuries and is widely believed to be haunted by the prisoners and soldiers who died there, including a headless drummer reported by multiple visitors over the years.
What to expect: Explore the dungeons where prisoners of war were once held and see if anything catches your eye in the shadows.
🎃 For Halloween specifically: Edinburgh doesn’t just mark Halloween, it’s arguably where the modern version of it took shape. The Samhuinn Fire Festival, held on 31 October and run by the Beltane Fire Society, is a full theatrical procession telling the story of Summer being overthrown by Winter, with fire performance, drumming and hundreds of performers. It’s one of the coolest Halloween celebrations I’ve ever been to! Nowadays tickets are needed and sell out, usually released around the end of September, so this needs planning ahead rather than a last-minute decision.
Top tip: Don’t skip the underground vaults, considered one of the most haunted parts of the whole castle.
Bonus tip: A short walk from the castle, at the bottom of the Vennel steps, is one of the best ice creams I’ve ever had. Mary’s Milk Bar churns it in-store with different flavours daily; I’m still thinking about the ricotta and orange blossom scoop.
Bonus tip 2: Still on the Vennel steps, head up rather than down and you’ll find one of the most photographed viewpoints of the castle in the city:
Honestly, Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities ever! I’ve got many posts about Edinburgh and Scotland around here, including this one about the top 10 things to do in Edinburgh.
WITCHY SCOTLAND: The Most Magical Places in Scotland (Witchy History, Folklore and Wizarding World)
Poveglia Island, Italy
Location: Venice lagoon
Poveglia might be the eeriest entry on this whole list. It’s widely considered one of the most haunted places in the world, with a history as a plague quarantine island and later a mental asylum. It’s abandoned now, but the stories of what happened there haven’t gone anywhere, including accounts of a doctor carrying out crude lobotomies on patients. I couldn’t find a copyright-free photo to include here, but if you want to lose some sleep tonight, search “Poveglia Island” and see what comes up.
What to expect: The island itself is closed to the public, but boat tours pass close by, and people often describe a real sense of dread as they approach.
Top tip: Pair it with a ghost tour of Venice, and maybe watch A Haunting in Venice beforehand to set the mood.
*Update since this post first went up in October 2024: On 1 August 2025, a community group called Poveglia per Tutti (“Poveglia for Everyone”) took a 6-year renewable concession on the northern part of the island from the Italian state, after years of fighting off property developers. Their plan is to turn it into an urban park exclusively for Venice residents, no hotels, no tours, no tourist access, as a small act of resistance against overtourism in the city. Practically, this doesn’t change anything for visitors: the island was closed to outsiders before and it stays that way now, just under different, more locally-minded ownership. That does make it less creepy for me though…
Hoia Baciu Forest, Romania
Location: Cluj-Napoca
Nearly as chilling as Poveglia pre-residents renovation, in my nervous opinion. Known as the “Bermuda Triangle of Romania,” Hoia Baciu Forest is infamous for reported UFO sightings, strange lights and ghostly apparitions. Locals say some who enter never come back, which is more than enough reason for me to admire it from a distance.
What to expect: Guided tours take you deep into the forest, where you’ll hear about the stranger occurrences and hopefully, come back out the other side.
Top tip: Bring a camera. Plenty of visitors claim to have caught something unexplained on film.
If you’re basing yourself in Romania for Halloween, this pairs naturally with Bran Castle, they’re a manageable drive apart.
The Tower of London, England
Location: London
The Tower’s history of imprisonment, torture and execution makes it one of the most haunted sites in the UK. Anne Boleyn, beheaded here, is said to be seen wandering the grounds carrying her own head.
What to expect: A guided ghost tour through the Tower’s darker history if you go after hours.
🎃 For Halloween specifically: Over October half-term, the Tower runs a family-friendly Halloween trail, spooky installations and a ghost trail included with standard admission. It’s deliberately pitched at “spook, not terrify,” so it’s a good option if you’re travelling with younger kids who still want in on the Halloween atmosphere.
Top tip: Visit at night for the full effect outside of the family trail hours and add the Crown Jewels to your ticket while you’re there.
If England’s witchier corners are more your thing, Burley in the New Forest is worth the detour.
UK WITCH VILLAGE: Burley Witch Village: Discover England’s Most Bewitching Hidden Gem
Chillingham Castle, England
Location: Northumberland
Chillingham has a long, bloody history and is said to be haunted by those tortured within its walls, including the “Blue Boy,” a ghost reported to appear at midnight and cries said to still echo from the dungeons.
What to expect: A tour that includes the torture chamber and dungeons, with the full grim detail of how prisoners were treated.
🎃 For Halloween specifically: Chillingham runs ghost tours and hands-on ghost hunts year-round, but its Halloween-dated editions around 31 October are consistently the first to sell out of the entire calendar. If this is the one you want, book the moment tickets go live rather than waiting.
Top tip: You can book an overnight stay in the castle if you want a real shot at experiencing its hauntings. Let me know if you spot the Blue Boy.
Burg Eltz, Germany
Location: Wierschem
This medieval castle has stayed in the same family for over 800 years and is said to be haunted by those who died in the many battles fought over its ownership, with visitors reporting figures in the halls and strange noises at night. I visited last autumn and didn’t see anything myself, but the guided tour was interesting and the setting is really beautiful.
What to expect: A guided tour through the castle’s past and its beautifully preserved medieval architecture.
Top tip: Visit in autumn, when the mist rolling over the hills adds to the eerie feel. We didn’t have much time to explore further as we were driving on to the village where I used to live as an au pair many years ago, but nearby there are plenty of pretty villages along the Moselle with places to eat, stay and hike.
Bonus tip: For a not-remotely-scary detour, the cakes in the castle café are excellent. German cakes usually are.
INTERESTED IN GERMANY? Top 10 Best Cities to Visit in Germany
FAQ: Halloween in Europe
It depends what you’re after. Transylvania (Bran Castle) is the obvious pick for full Dracula theatrics, Edinburgh for the Samhuinn Fire Festival and County Meath in Ireland if you want the actual folklore roots of the holiday rather than a costume party.
Halloween descends from Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest season, celebrated in Ireland (and parts of Scotland) for over 2,000 years before it evolved into the holiday celebrated today.
Yes and it leans into it. Bran Castle runs a dedicated multi-night Halloween Party most years, with night tours, live actors and themed dinners, though it does sell out and needs booking ahead.
An annual fire performance and procession held in Edinburgh on 31 October, produced by the Beltane Fire Society, that reimagines the ancient battle between the Summer and Winter Kings through fire, drumming and theatre. It’s one of Europe’s most distinctive Halloween events and tickets sell out.
The popular ones do, often weeks in advance. Bran Castle’s Halloween Party, Edinburgh’s Samhuinn Fire Festival and Chillingham Castle’s Halloween-dated ghost tours are the three most likely to sell out on this list.
Final Thoughts
Most of Europe’s history is dark if you dig even slightly beneath the surface and Halloween is really just the one time of year everyone agrees to lean into that on purpose. Some of what’s on this list is genuine unease, some of it is centuries of storytelling and quite a lot of it now is a proper organised event worth planning a trip around rather than stumbling into.
If you’d rather ease in with something a little less intense, here’s where to find the best pumpkin patches near London.
Enjoyed this? You might also like:
This was a post about Halloween in Europe and Halloween destinations in Europe.
