The 15 Most Haunted Places in the World and How to Visit Them

Skip to main contentFind hotelsFind hotels by location...Find hotels by city or location...From spectral grizzly bears to bodiless voices, the most haunted places in the world are rife with things that go bump in the night.SeanPavonePhotoThe most haunted places in the world may seem like something out of a fable that defies all logic. They're places where UFOs hover over Transylvanian forests, headless queens roam through castle corridors, and ghosts take shape of bears, children, and any other creature imaginable. No matter where you’re traveling, you’re sure to find some sort of haunted landmark, hotel, even landmark-turned-hotel—and usually a ghost tour to go along with it.You might be guided more by scholarly than ghastly pursuits, though these locations are still worth your time. Spectral hauntings often come with spectacular history, architecture, and artwork, not to mention proximity to incredible cities and natural beauty. Whether you’re scheming up a Halloween trip or simply want to entertain the chills with a dash of the macabre, explore 15 of the most haunted places in the world below, if you dare.RPBMediaTower of London, United KingdomOver the span of nearly one millennium, the Tower of London has served as an armory, prison, menagerie, and palace. Though best known today for its housing of the Crown Jewels, the UNESCO World Heritage Site also falls among the most haunted places in the United Kingdom. It's not uncommon to hear strange noises echo through the White Tower, while over a dozen ghosts—with backstories that range from ridiculous to outright tragic—are said to lurk in its limestone hallways.The most infamous apparition is that of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife, who was executed in the tower in 1536 for being found guilty for treason and adultery. Today, some visitors may encounter her headless body roaming about, head in hand. Other specters include two young princes who were mysteriously murdered in the 1400s and even multiple accounts of a phantom bear, who made multiple appearances in the 1800s and was said to leave any witness dead.MeinzahnBhangarh Fort, IndiaThere are two long-running explanations for the curses that plague this 16th-century fort in Rajasthan. The first is that a religious ascetic had destroyed the fort and nearby towns after its height surpassed that of his own home, casting Bhangarh in perpetual shadow. The second, equally melodramatic, is that a black magic priest fell in love with a princess and was crushed to death by a boulder after she rejected him; right before he passed, however, he condemned the premises to a fate of destruction.Today, the scene at the fort is quite serene, and visitors can wander throughout royal palace ruins, Hindu temples such as Gopinath and Hanuman, as well as old marketplaces and townhouses like Nartakiyon Ki Haveli. The fort is open each day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., as no visitors—those living, at least—can legally stay after sunset.AirbnbCarl Beck House, CanadaBuilt by lumber magnate Carl Beck for his family in the late 1800s, this house in Penetanguishene is one of Ontario's most troublesome. Legend goes that after Beck's wife passed away, his eldest daughter Mary was put in charge of raising her younger siblings. Years later, when Carl died, he inexplicably left Mary $1 in his will. Today, an angry female ghost—presumably Mary—is said to appear in the upstairs windows (you’d probably haunt the house too if your dad gave you a $1 inheritance). For any travelers curious about Victorian architecture with a side of paranormality, consider renting the Carl Beck House on Airbnb.atese/GettyChuuk Lagoon, MicronesiaWhat's far scarier than a haunted graveyard? A haunted graveyard 50 feet underwater. Micronesia’s Chuuk Lagoon (formerly Truk Lagoon) served as a fortified base for the Japanese Navy during World War II and was attacked by American forces during a three-day air strike in 1944. Dozens of warships, planes, tanks, and railroad cars sank to the bottom of the lagoon, where they still remain in what is known as the “Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon.”The ship graveyard is immensely popular amongst scuba divers, with PADI dubbing it “one of the best wreck diving destinations on the planet.” Underwater explorers can swim up close to the wartime vessels, which are littered with weapons, gas masks, and, according to some superstitious divers, a few waterlogged ghosts.Liam McBurney/GettyCrumlin Road Gaol, Northern IrelandThis Victorian-era prison in Belfast is often referred to as Europe’s Alcatraz and for good reason. During its 150 years of operation, the jail contained some 25,000 inmates (men, women, and children), publicly hung many prisoners, and buried their bodies within the prison walls. The institution officially shut its doors in 1996, but the ghosts of deceased inmates are said to still roam the iron walkways today.If this sounds like the sort of place you want to spend time in, you’re in luck—Crumlin Road Gaol offers daily tours, live concerts, and reasonably priced meals at its in-house (in-prison?) restaurant. It even serves as a venue for conferences and, believe it or not, weddings.gregobagelThe Stanley Hotel, ColoradoThough travelers have been coming to Estes Park since 1909 to enjoy The Stanley Hotel’s stately Georgian architecture and world-renowned whiskey bar, its reputation took a dark turn on October 30, 1974, when Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha, checked in. The hotel was about to close for the season, and the couple were the only guests there. King was particularly struck by the endless empty corridors that he walked through after dinner, and the property as a whole ended up serving as inspiration for The Shining’s Overlook Hotel.Of the eerie stay, King said, “[The hotel] seemed the perfect—maybe the archetypical—setting for a ghost story. That night I dreamed of my three-year-old son running through the corridors, looking back over his shoulder, eyes wide, screaming. He was being chased by a fire-hose. I woke up with a tremendous jerk, sweating all over, within an inch of falling out of bed.” In the years since, the hotel has leaned into the reputation King bestowed upon it with ghost tours and a resident psychic.malaianuHoia-Baciu Forest, RomaniaNamed after a shepherd who, along with his flock of 200 sheep, vanished without a trace in the forest, Hoia-Baciu hit it big in 1968 when a military technician photographed a supposed UFO hovering over the trees. Some believe it to be a portal capable of transporting visitors to places unknown. Those who pass through (and live to tell the tale) have reported rashes, nausea, and anxiety. The curved, spindly trees that make up the forest are particularly conducive to a twisted feeling, as is the location in Transylvania—a real nexus point of abnormal activity.rodclementphotography/GettySt. Augustine Lighthouse, FloridaThe St. Augustine Lighthouse is visited by over 200,000 people annually, though it's just as well-known for its otherworldly guests. Several tragic events that occurred at the now-historic site have contributed to the alleged paranormal activity. The ghost of a lighthouse keeper who fell to his death while painting the tower has been spotted watching over the grounds. Ever since the horrific death of three young girls, who drowned when the cart they were playing in broke and fell into the ocean, visitors have claimed to hear the sounds of children playing in and around the lighthouse.WirestockPoveglia Island, VeniceLess than half a mile from the canals of Venice, Poveglia Island has served as a quarantine zone for bubonic plague victims, storage space for Napoleon’s weapons, and the site of an early 20th-century psychiatric hospital. The latter played host to horrific medical experiments and finally closed for good in 1968 after a doctor threw himself off the institution’s bell tower. Locals still claim to hear echoing chimes from the island—even though the bell was removed decades ago. Though it's illegal to visit Poveglia, you can see the island and decaying hospital at a safe distance from the beaches of nearby Lido or by hiring your own boat charter to pass a little closer (do not disembark onto the island).John W. Banagan/GettyHimeji Castle, JapanHimeji Castle dates to 1333 and is regarded as one of the greatest remaining examples of Japanese castle architecture. It also has some rather eerie folklore associated with it—most notably the story of Okiku, a palace servant who was falsely accused of losing valuable dishes and thrown to her death in the castle’s well as punishment. Her ghost now sulks in the castle at night, counting dishes in a mournful tone; she reaches nine before shrieking and returning to the well’s depths. A visit to Himeji Castle is best done as a day trip from Osaka, about two hours away by train.Dawid Kalisinski PhotographyMontpelier Hill, IrelandOn the northern edge of Ireland's Wicklow Mountains, at the summit of Montpelier Hill, the ruins of a lone building remain. As many tales begin, the hill was originally site to an ancient grave, which wealthy Irishman William Conolly disregarded (even taking stones from) while building a hunting lodge in the 1720s. It's no surprise that terror ensued, and after Conolly's death, private club Hell Fire Club occupied the space, where they were said to engage in black masses, ritual murder, and other occultish happenings. At one such meeting, an unfamiliar guest with horse hooves as feet disappeared as mysteriously as they arrived. A curious farmer who had witnessed another night unfold was apparently left so terrified he no longer remembered his own name. Today, an enormous black cat with striking eyes is said to haunt Montpelier, which, beyond its murky past, offers forest trails and guided paths that make for an otherwise pleasant walk (before dusk).Barcroft Media/GettyIsla de las Muñecas, MexicoHidden among the canals of Xochimilco, Isla de las Muñecas (“Island of the Dolls”) is something of an internet legend and dark tourism mecca. The backstory centers on a man named Julian Santa Barrera, who reportedly encountered the body of a girl floating in the channels. Shortly thereafter, he found a discarded doll in the same canals, and he hung it from a tree on an artificial island in her honor—and to ward off evil spirits. So he continued, adding more and more dolls to appease the ghost of the young girl.After Barrera passed away in 2001, his family opened the island to the public, and travelers have been seeking it out ever since. As if the mere idea of the island isn’t unnerving enough, there have also been reports of the dolls whispering to each other and moving their eyes.borcheeZvíkov Castle, Czech RepublicOften considered the “king of Czech castles,” this early Gothic fortress in South Bohemia has undergone sieges and assaults from the 1400s onward, though, today, the source of its terrors is an impish creature called Rarášek, who is said to trip and poke at any unassuming visitor. A ghastly woman, known only as “the White Lady,” also resides here, while hellhounds allegedly guard a secret passage to the castle tombs.Beyond the paranormal, visitors can enjoy self-guided tours through Zvíkov's cellars, courtyards, and rooms—be sure to stop and take a look at St. Wenceslas Chapel's frescoes.Jon Lovette/GettyForsyth Park, SavannahThe entire city of Savannah is essentially one giant ghost story, due in large part to the mysterious tunnels that run below the town’s streets. The underground structures play a major role in many of Savannah's most haunted locations, including Forsyth Park, the fountained green space you probably recognize from a postcard or two.According to Savannah Magazine, doctors at the adjacent Candler Hospital (now the Savannah Law School) performed autopsies in the tunnels below. Maria Pinheiro, a historian and spokesperson with Ghost City Tours, says these below-the-surface rumblings make Forsyth Park particularly ripe for sightings of shadowy shapes that, even if unclear, it's certain they are not of this world.This article has been updated since its original publish date.Caitlin Morton has been writing about travel for a decade, with bylines in Vogue, Travel + Leisure, AFAR, TripSavvy, Real Simple, and more. She enjoys baked goods, Ireland, orange nail polish, and horror movies. One time she held the door open for Ian McKellen, which is as close to fame ... Read MoreSkyli Alvarez is the editorial assistant at Condé Nast Traveler. She holds a BA in journalism and minor in art history from the University of Georgia and has words and photos in Teen Vogue, Vogue, Polyester Zine, and more. Her work, written and visual, explores style, scenes, and subcultures past ... Read More