Recently updated on September 29th, 2025 at 08:16 pm
With Halloween just around the corner, we decided to uncover the most spine-tingling destinations on the planet. Haunted buildings with a penchant for paranormal activities. Spooky sightings of long-dead soldiers from World War II and the American Civil War. Ghostly figures drifting through your favorite vacation destinations.
From Dracula’s castle in Transylvania to the Island of Dolls in Mexico, these are some of the most haunted places in the world.
Read on… if you dare.
1. Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta, Canada
What is it? Built 125 years ago, The Banff Springs Hotel was and is a luxury stop for Canadian train travellers. Now part of the Fairmont chain of hotels, “The Castle in the Rockies” has become an iconic landmark in the region’s picturesque landscape.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? Guests have reported sightings of a bride falling down the staircase and breaking her neck after her dress has caught on fire. But perhaps the strangest of all is the ghost of former bellman Sam Macauley. He’s been seen helping people to their room, unlocking the door, turning on the lights and then vanishing when guests go to tip him. Rooms start at roughly $440 Canadian dollars and the ghosts are free.
2. Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
What is it? The remains of a fort city built by Raja Bhagwant Singh in 1573 AD. Once a collection of royal palaces, grand temples, bazars and mansions, today the fort is an archaeological site known as the ‘House of Ghosts’.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? Long ago, a magical priest fell in love with the ruler’s daughter, a beautiful princess called Ratnavati. But his love was unrequited, so he cast a ‘love spell’ on her perfume. Ratnavati found out, threw the perfume bottle at him, which turned into a boulder and crushed him. But before he died, he cursed the princess, her family and the entire village. Bhangarh Fort is said to be forever condemned to desolation and inhabited by ghosts, making it one of India’s eeriest locations to visit.
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3. The Island of Dolls, Xochimico, Mexico
What is it? A small island south of Mexico City surrounded by the canals of Xochimico. Never intended as a tourist attraction, the island is dedicated to a young girl who died there under mysterious circumstances.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? Known as Isla de las Munecas or Island of the Dolls, the creepy site is home to hundreds of decapitated dolls. But how did they get there? The island’s caretaker is said to have found a drowned girl in the canal. Shortly after finding her, he spotted a floating plastic doll, which he hung in a tree as a mark of respect. For years he hung more and more dolls in order to please the little girl’s spirit. Locals have reported sightings of possessed dolls moving their heads, opening their eyes, even whispering to each other. What started as an innocent gesture has now become one of Mexico’s spookiest attractions.
4. Château de Brissac, Loire Valley, France
What is it? Originally built as a fortress in the 11th century, Château de Brissac is the highest castle in France, with seven magnificent floors, 204 rooms and its own private opera house seating 200 people.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? Home to the Cossé-Brissac family for five centuries, the “Giant of the Loire Valley” has had many notable visitors over the years including King Charles VII. One of the more unearthly guests is La Dame Verte (Green Lady). Murdered by her husband after being caught having an affair, her ghostly figure is often seen in the tower room of the chapel. With sockets for eyes and a nose, when she’s not scaring visitors her screeching can be heard echoing around the castle.
5. Hill of Crosses, Šiauliai, Lithuania
What is it? A collection of over 200,000 wooden crosses on a small hill in Šiauliai, north Lithuania. The Hill of Crosses started as an act of rebellion in 1831 against the Russian uprising. Religion was forbidden by Soviet Russia and the hill was bulldozed twice during the occupation. After Lithuania’s independence in 1991, it became a holy site for many Christian pilgrims.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? While it’s not the typical haunted house where ghostly encounters are bound to happen, the Hill of Crosses can give a visitor a sense of peace or a sense of foreboding depending on their perspective. The religious iconography and the hill’s symbol of rebellion against persecution is no doubt inspiring, though it’s understandably eerie for non-Christians to stand on this site — where legend says churchgoers once perished —and hear the clanking of rosaries against crucifixes.
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6. Hanging Coffins, Sagada, Philippines
What is it? An ancient burial practice carried out by the Igorot tribe of Mountain Province in northern Philippines.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? A burial tradition intended to bring the deceased closer to heaven, coffins are either nailed or tied to the sides of cliffs. Each coffin is only a metre long, as the corpse is buried in the foetal position, honouring the Igorot’s belief that people should leave the world the same way they entered it. Even more grisly, years ago savages from different tribes would hunt for heads and take them home as a trophy. Essentially, the dead were buried high up so nobody could reach them. Now if that’s not a haunted place to visit, we don’t know what is.
7. The Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, South Africa
What is it? Built by Dutch colonists in the 17th century, the Castle of Good Hope is the oldest building in South Africa and once the seat of many government operations.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? Over the years, the fortress has seen some horrendous punishments and executions, which sparked many reports of ghost-sightings. The most famous of which is ‘the Lady in Grey’, a female apparition that has been seen running and crying hysterically through the castle. Interestingly, she hasn’t been spotted since a woman’s body was found during excavations. Now home to three excellent museums and a restaurant, South Africa’s most haunted castle is definitely worth a visit.
8. Bran Castle, Transylvania, Romania
What is it? This impressive 14th century castle is a national monument with a frightening reputation thanks to Bram Stoker’s chilling novel.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? Bran Castle is the only castle in Transylvania that fits the description from the Gothic horror novel, Dracula. The story follows a blood-sucking vampire, Count Dracula of Transylvania and his battle with vampire hunter Van Helsing. Legend has it that in villages nearby, evil spirits called “steregoi” act like normal people during the day, but at night their souls leave their bodies and torment locals in their sleep.
Discover Dracula’s home for yourself on Trafalgar’s Balkan Adventure.
9. The Tower of London, London, United Kingdom
What is it? Built in 1097, the castle, fortress and World Heritage Site has seen over 900 years of history. From regal kings to tortured prisoners, the Tower of London is not only one of the UK’s largest ghostly gatherings, but also one of the most haunted places in the world.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? With such a rich history, it’s no surprise that the Tower of London has its fair share of gruesome tales. Over the years there have been many paranormal sightings, the most famous of which is Anne Boleyn, wife of notorious King Henry VIII. Beheaded by order of the King in 1536, her headless body has been spotted roaming the tower. Not just a home for the dead, look out for the guardians of the Tower… six ominous ravens.
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10. Door to Hell, Karakum desert, Turkmenistan
What is it? A giant gas field, the size of an American football field located in the Karakum desert.
Why is it a spooky place to visit? Known as the “Door to Hell”, the flaming crater could easily be mistaken for the gateway to the Underworld. In 1971, a Soviet drilling rig accidentally hit a massive underground natural gas cavern. Resulting in poisonous fumes being released into the air, the hole was lit to prevent an environmental catastrophe. The hole still burns more than 40 years later.
Few ever report ghost sightings and a ghost hunter certainly can’t grab a tour guide and delve into the pit. Those who want to witness the frightening hellscape can camp under the stars and marvel at the crater’s infernal blaze for an other-worldly experience.
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What is the #1 most haunted house in America?
One of the most haunted houses in America is The Whaley House in San Diego, California. It was constructed in 1856 as a two-storey Greek Revival home and was considered one of the finest homes in the state. Unfortunately, many of the Whaley family members died under tragic circumstances while living in that house, including a young girl named Anna who is one of the restless spirits still trapped inside.
In fact, it was assumed haunted prior to the home’s construction, as a horse thief was executed on the site. The Whaley House is open for both historical tours and after-hours paranormal investigations.
Which is the most haunted story in the world?
The most haunted story in the world varies from continent to continent and country to country. The Bell Witch Cave and the Amityville Horror are two famous American tales while Venice, Italy, has a story about the island of Poveglia where plague victims perished. In South Africa, the tale of the Uniondale hitchhiker sends a chill up traveller’s spines and in South Korea, The Tale of Changhwa Hongnyŏn dates back to the 1650s.
What is the most haunted place on Earth?
No single place on the Earth is “most” haunted, though Edinburgh, Scotland, England’s Tower of London, and Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg Battlefield have dozens, if not hundreds, of ghost tours and ghost stories associated with them.
One of the most haunted places in the world is Mexico’s Island of the Dolls — at least from a Guinness World Records standpoint. La Isles de las Muñecas has the world’s largest collection of haunted dolls. Over 4,000 hang there, and if each is allegedly haunted by the same spirit, it’s one of the most haunted places on Earth by sheer volume of objects possessed.
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Do you have a destination to add to our spooktacular list? Comment below with your scariest spots.