Spooky London: Scary Things to Do in London This Halloween

This is a post about spooky London.

This website contains affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them at no extra cost to you. Using these links helps support our work, so we truly appreciate it if you choose to do so. Thank you for your support!

Spooky London has everything you want for Halloween. Instead of a single parade you get a whole network of haunted streets, witchcraft lore and ghost stories built up over centuries. Visitors asking “does London celebrate Halloween?” will find ghost tours, candlelit museums and pubs with legends older than some countries! This makes the city one of the best places to celebrate Halloween in Europe.

Spooky London Walking Tours and Ghost Walks

One of the easiest ways to dive into spooky London is to book a guided walk.
Jack the Ripper Walking Tour in Whitechapel is one of the most famous scary things to do in London. Guides take you to the exact cobblestoned streets where the crimes took place while telling you stories of Victorian London.
The Witchcraft and Occult Walk through Soho and Bloomsbury explores London’s Hellfire Clubs magical societies and hidden occult landmarks. It is the perfect pairing with your Witchy Shops in London post and lets readers plan a full day of magic and mystery.

London Witches and History Bankside tells you about the true historical tales of suspected London witches and fascinating pieces of London history while also taking you through quintessential London areas featuring the likes of Southwark Cathedral, The Golden Hinde, The Globe Theatre and Millennium Bridge.

London Witches walks you through the witchcraft history in the capital and explores the lives of the women accused.

For ghostly vibes, Ghosts of Greenwich takes you on a journey around the 15th century town of Greenwich exploring its dark past and terrifying ghost stories of spectres and spooks that haunt the streets.

Ghastly Ghosts goes off the beaten path on a 2-hour after-dark walking tour of the historic City of London starting at All Hallows by the Tower, one of the oldest churches in London, with a Saxon arch and recycled Roman tiles. Hear stories of unspeakable suffering, blood-curdling crime and horrid murders.

And finally, join Ghosts of Mayfair for a completely different view of what the neighbourhood is like today (of the most affluents in the city!). On this 2 hour tour you’ll visit a park, a forgotten plague pit, the site of a 17th-century duel, the most haunted house in London and more!

Most Haunted Places in London to Visit This Halloween

London’s iconic landmarks take on a new edge in October.
The Tower of London runs occasional evening events or ghost stories told by Yeoman Warders. It’s pretty pricey! So if you’re not keen on spending that much, even by day the dungeons and battlements drip with haunted history. You can grab a day ticket here.
Highgate Cemetery offers guided tours of its atmospheric western section. Elaborate Victorian tombs and stories of the Highgate Vampire make it one of the most haunted places in London England.
The Old Operating Theatre Museum in Southwark is Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre. Candlelight and surgical tools make it one of the scariest attractions you can visit at Halloween.
The Cutty Sark in Greenwich hosts after-dark ghost tours with stories about shipboard accidents sailors’ superstitions and maritime legends.

Most Haunted Pubs in London for a Spooky Night Out

For visitors who prefer their scares with a pint, there is no better place than London’s haunted pubs.
The Ten Bells in Spitalfields is directly linked to Jack the Ripper victims and still retains its Victorian interior.
The Spaniards Inn on Hampstead Heath was frequented by highwayman Dick Turpin and has several reported ghosts upstairs.
The Grenadier in Belgravia is a tiny former guards officers’ pub famous for a ghost rattling coins.
The Flask in Highgate has vaulted cellars where hangings allegedly took place and cold spots visitors still feel today.

Where to Celebrate Halloween in London: Special Events

Chelsea Physic Garden is running a variety of events from incense making workshops, make your own broomstick and even rituals! These are ticketed and always sell out early.
London Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo is more for families during half term but, to be honest, with a group of friends I’d say it’s very appealing: marshmallow toasting, pumpkin picking, silent disco and more?! What a great day!
Pumpkin Nights at Foxes Farm or Secretts outside London make a fun day trip for pumpkin picking and seasonal food.

Witchy Shops and Spooky London Attractions for Halloween

London has some of the best witchy shops in the world and Halloween is the perfect excuse to visit. Bookshops like Watkins Books in Cecil Court also stocks tarot decks, grimoires and lots of other magical supplies if you’re into the craft.
The Atlantis Bookshop near the British Museum has been a hub for magical societies for decades! In fact, Gerald Gardner, founder of Wicca, held his first London coven meeting right there on their premises.
Treadwell’s in Bloomsbury doubles as a shop and event space with a myriad of workshops on spellcraft, tarot and folklore. They also offer online workshops if you’re not in the area.
For a free museum experience, add the British Museum’s Enlightenment Gallery which holds artefacts linked to alchemy and magic. Conveniently located a few steps away from The Atlantis!

Scary Things to Do in London at Night

Combine haunted spots and tours into your own itinerary. Visit a witchy shop in the afternoon, take a ghost walk at dusk then finish in one of the most haunted pubs in London for a late dinner. This mix of spooky London attractions gives you a more immersive experience than any single-ticket event. Btw, did you know Halloween takes place on a Saturday this year?

Planning Tips for a Spooky London Itinerary

Book all tours and events early because Halloween week in London sells out quickly.
Use a contactless card or Wise card for easy payments on the tube and buses especially if your ghost walk ends late at night.
Dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes for walking tours.
If you want to stay near your main activity, Spitalfields is convenient for Jack the Ripper tours, Bloomsbury for witchcraft walks and Greenwich for Cutty Sark ghost tours.

Make It a Full Halloween Weekend

If you’re visiting from outside London, turn your night out into a weekend. Explore daytime attractions like the Old Operating Theatre Museum or Highgate Cemetery then spend the evening on a ghost walk. Finish with Sunday lunch in one of London’s haunted pubs.

Spooky Hotels and Haunted Stays in London

If you want your Halloween trip to be fully immersive, book a stay in one of London’s most haunted hotels. The Langham Hotel (££££) near Regent’s Park is famous for its ghosts including a Victorian doctor who murdered his bride and a spectral figure in a grey suit who appears at the foot of the bed. The Georgian House Hotel (££/£££ – in 2025, I think £200ish is probably a ££ in London) in Pimlico has Harry Potter-style Wizard Chambers complete with cauldrons and four-poster beds which are perfect for a magical Halloween stay. The Courthouse Hotel (£££) in Soho once held an actual courtroom and cells and now offers stylish rooms in a historic setting. Even if the ghosts are only legends, the atmosphere is unforgettable.

Spooky Eateries and Themed Bars

You can also lean into spooky dining. Lost Boys Pizza in Camden is a cult favourite known for its black charcoal pizza bases, neon lighting and 1980s vampire movie theme. The Cauldron in Dalston offers interactive potion-making classes and cocktails served with wands and dry ice. Mr Fogg’s Tavern in Covent Garden decorates for Halloween with Victorian curiosities taxidermy and plenty of candlelight. Sketch in Mayfair often changes its decor for the season and its surreal interiors make it feel like stepping into a Tim Burton film. Book these in advance because Halloween week fills up fast.

Halloween in the UK

If you’ve got more than a weekend and want to chase the spooky season further, London isn’t the only place in the UK worth it. Burley Witch Village in the New Forest leans fully into its witchy reputation with actual witch shops and a history to match and it makes an easy add-on if you’re already thinking countryside over city for part of your trip.

Scotland takes this further still. It executed more people per capita for witchcraft than anywhere else in Europe and that history sits underneath places like Edinburgh’s Old Town as much as the Highlands. Not to mention their big Samhain celebration which is the crown jewel of Halloween in Scotland!

If Halloween has put you in a witchy mood, my guide to the most magical places in Scotland covers the folklore, the witch trial sites and the Harry Potter filming locations worth building a trip around. And if castles are more your thing, I’ve also rounded up the best Scottish castles worth the detour.

None of this needs to replace a London Halloween. Treat it as where to go next once the pumpkins are gone and you still want that spooky vibe.

Final Thoughts on Spooky London

Spooky London is more than a costume party. It’s haunted alleys, witchcraft lore and pubs full of stories. If you’ve been wondering where to go for Halloween in London or whether London even celebrates Halloween, this guide shows you the most haunted places in London England and the best spooky London attractions.

FAQ: Spooky and Halloween in London

This is a post about spooky London.