Some people travel so they can get away and relax, some travel so they can have new and exciting adventures, and then there are the people who travel who can have the living crap scared out of them. Okay, so that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but there are people who love ghosts, ghouls, and the unknown, and for those people, there are countless cities all over the world that are said to have haunted spots. To be fair, most major cities have a least a couple of places that are alleged to be haunted by spirits from another world. However, there are some cities that are just more haunted than others. Let’s take a look at some of the most haunted cities in the world and what makes them such a haven for paranormal activity.
New Orleans
Most of us think of New Orleans as a party town, but it’s also a ghostly town that’s one of the most haunted in the U.S. Not only does the city have a history of bloodshed dating back to the Civil War, but it also has deep ties to voodoo magic. In fact, one of the top places to visit on a New Orleans ghost tour is the cemetery where Voodoo queen Marie Laveau is buried. There are also tales of the ghosts of Civil War soldiers and victims of yellow fever roaming around the grounds of that same cemetery. Of course, few will be surprised to hear that a cemetery is haunted. However, several places in the French Quarter are also said to be inhabited by spirits. The most famous is the LaLaurie Mansion, which was owned by Madame Delphine LaLaurie when parts of it were destroyed in a fire. Madame LaLaurie was known to torture slaves in the basement, and seven of them died in the fire, perhaps leading that house to become haunted.
Savannah
There may be no city in the southern U.S. more charming than Savannah. At the same time, there may be no city that’s more haunted. Like a lot of southern cities, Savannah’s ties to the Civil War are believed to be a primary source of its haunted activities. However, it’s also believed that Savannah was literally built on top of an old Native American burial ground and mass graves from the American Revolution. If true, those spirits are no doubt upset that their final resting place is now a wonderful tourist attraction for those willing to make the trip. Visitors to the city would be remiss not to take one of the many ghost tours offered, enabling them to check out all of the allegedly-haunted locales scattered throughout the city, including museums, hotels, and even a popular brewery. There are also cemeteries in the city that date back to the 1700s that have been rumored to be the site of voodoo rituals. Other cemeteries are the final resting place of both slaves and Civil War soldiers, both notorious for being restless in the afterlife.
Quebec City
On the surface, Quebec City is a quaint city that’s akin to actually being in France. However, it has a little bit of a dark past that has led to it being one of the most haunted places in Canada. Parts of Quebec City were fierce battlefields during the Seven Years’ War, including one 1759 battle in which over 1,000 died. Many
Prague
Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and is just begging for tourists to visit. But the city is also haunted in a mid-evil kind of way. Visiting the city in person may be the only way to fully grasp all of the figures that haunt Prague to this day. There’s the Begging Skeleton, who is the Casper of the Czech Republic in that he’s a friendly ghost and will only beg for money from drunks on the streets of Prague late at night. Then there is the Mad Barber, who went crazy following the death of his wife, attacked a bystander with a razor, and was killed by soldiers. However, the most famous ghost in Prague is probably the Headless Templar, who rides on horseback along the cobbled streets of Prague. The stories about ghosts and spirits in Prague go on and on, virtually forever.
London
There are many great tourist attractions in London, and not everyone who visits them realizes they are allegedly haunted. Westminster Abbey, for instance, is said to be haunted by the ghosts of monks and royals. The same is said about the Tower of London. Of course, your best bet for some paranormal action is Highgate Cemetery, which used to be one of the best places to be buried. Just ask Karl Marx, who’s buried there. However, when the cemetery was left abandoned in the 1960s, those laid to rest didn’t take too kindly to it. Now there are stories about the Highgate Vampire lurking on Swain’s Lane, the road that runs through the cemetery. Even if you want to avoid those spots and spend your London nights enjoying a few drinks, there are pubs in London that claim to be the epi-center of ghostly activity.
Edinburgh
A few hours north of London is the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. Just looking at this picture of Edinburgh, you can’t be surprised that it’s haunted. Your ghost tour of the city has to start with the famous Edinburgh Castle, which is a picturesque piece of architecture that just happens to have a dark past and dungeons filled with restless spirits. The staff at the castle claims to hear voice and footsteps on a daily basis, leaving little doubt among them that the place is haunted. Then there’s Greyfriars Kirkyard, a cemetery in which people have suffered mysterious scratches and bruises after visiting. That shouldn’t be a surprise when you learn that it was a concentration camp for Presbyterians in the 17th century, many of whom died there. However, the city’s underground is hands down the most terrifying part of Edinburgh. There are passageways underneath the South Bridge where many died in a 1975 flood. Those vaults are now both secretive and spooky.
Venice
Did you think Venice was all canals and gondola rides? A short boat ride from Venice is Poveglia Island, which is still considered part of the city of Venice in addition to being one of the most haunted places in the world. For centuries, the island was used as a place to send both plague victims and those with mental illness. The stories of what happened there are both terrifying and infuriating, including reports of a doctor performing strange experiments on asylum patients. Today, the island is completely abandoned and it’s illegal for people to visit it. At one point, contractors attempted to restore the hospital, but construction didn’t last long. The assumption is that the spirits that haunt the island scared away the workers. If you’re willing to break the law, you might try working your way over to Poveglia Island from Venice, but even the fishermen in the area avoid the area at all costs.
Baltimore
Charm city doesn’t get nearly enough credit for being one of the more haunted cities in the U.S. After all, the city was a prime location during the American Revolution, Civil War, and even the War of 1812. In short, there’s been a lot of bloodshed in Baltimore’s streets, historically speaking. The neighborhood of Fells Point, which is adjacent to the popular Inner Harbor area, is said to be haunted. During the day, Fells Point is a lovely and vibrant neighborhood, but when the sun goes down, weird noises can be heard in and around the bars, restaurants, and shops. There has also been some paranormal activity reported around Fort McHenry. Finally, writer Edgar Allan Poe, who is buried in Baltimore, is said to haunt parts of the city.
Gettysburg
Gettysburg, this tiny town in rural Pennsylvania, is filled with history but is also one of the most haunted places in the U.S. Most people are familiar with Gettysburg being both a turning point in the war for the North and the site of the bloodiest battle in the Civil War. Roughly 51,000 soldiers were killed or injured during the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as one civilian death. Naturally, more than 150 years later, Gettysburg is a haven for paranormal activity. Oddly enough, it’s not just the battlefields where ghosts tend to roam. The battle was spread so far and wide that the main streets in town are said to be haunted. If you visit, which is recommended for anyone who cares about history or ghosts, there are several ghost tours available that will show you all of the hotspots in town where you can hear and see the spirits of soldiers that continue to haunt the town.
Dublin
Like a lot of old, European cities, Dublin has its fair share of haunted places. The famous Hellfire Club is not to be missed by ghost enthusiasts. There’s always been
Bruges
Bruges is a lovely canal town in northwestern Belgium that’s a rather underrated tourist destination. It also has a rather famous ghost story. The story is about a monk and a nun who lived together. The monk is said to have been in love with the nun but murdered her and buried the body in a secret tunnel underneath the city’s waterways. It’s now believed that both the monk and the nun haunt Bruges. They appear as pale ghosts in the city in the evening, only to disappear when midnight strikes.
Istanbul
Istanbul is another wonderful city to visit but is often overlooked as being a place of paranormal activity. It’s a rather old city, so it’s not hard to understand why some say it’s haunted. First, there’s the Bakirpasa Mansion, which may actually be pictured in the dictionary when you look up the word haunted. Legend has it that the entire building disappears once a year. There is also a red castle on the banks of the Bosphorus Strait that goes by the nickname Perili Köşk, which translates to “haunted mansion” in Turkish. There is allegedly a ghost there who faintly plays the piano when she thinks nobody is listening. Finally, there are some who believe that a section of the city’s Grand Bazaar called the Cevahir Bedesten serves as the pathway to a different dimension.
Bhangarh Fort, India
Most people don’t think as India as a place with paranormal activity, but there are a few spots, and Bhangarh Fort is said to be the most haunted place in the country. Among the stories connected to the fort is one involving a monk who cursed the fort because it was so large that it cast a shadow on his home. Another story involves a saint who tried to use a love potion on a princess. He then cursed the fort after she rejected the potion. Regardless of how it happened, there have been several mysterious deaths involving tourists who tried to spend the night inside the abandoned fort. There are signs that inform visitors to stay away once the sun goes down, but ghost hunters who believe something is up will sometimes ignore those signs and take their chances with whatever spirits may be haunting the fort.
