The spookiest cities in Europe – that were made for Halloween

This medieval city has more than enough ghosts to fill a weekend away. Run by The York Ghost Merchants – a ghost-sculpture shop claiming a mystical, centuries-old lore – Ghost Week takes place every year across the city. From mini-ghost treasure hunts to Gothic tea dances, the Week has events to cater to every whim. The city itself also has a long history with hauntings, from an old women’s prison to a haunted pub. Take a tour through its medieval streets to learn more – and maybe encounter a ghost or two yourself. 

👻 Time Out tip: Keep an eye out for wire mesh ghosts throughout the city, made as part of the yearly Ghosts in the Garden art installation. 

➡️ Stay here: Our favourite Airbnbs to stay in York

The Irish capital has a haunting history to tell. Hosting both Ireland’s largest cemetery and a prison-turned-museum, stories of death haunt every corner. Glasnevin Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 1.5 million people, including Daniel O’Connell (a 19th-century leader known as The Liberator) and Arthur Griffin (the founder of Sinn Féin). Kilmainham Gaol has its own terrifying tales to share, as the prison’s history is filled with executions and hauntings. 

👻 Time Out tip: Dublin’s Malahide Castle, said to have at least five ghosts in residence, is free to visit (grounds only) year-round.

➡️ Stay here: The best hotels in Dublin right now

Count Dracula’s hometown couldn’t not make it onto the list. Bran Castle, the haunting stronghold often assumed to be Dracula’s own, sits atop craggy rocks not unlike those described in Bram Stoker’s novel. The torture chambers on the lower floors are home to an array of ancient deadly artefacts, and every October, the castle transforms into a dark, atmospheric exhibition of urban myth and vampiric legend. The real inspiration behind Dracula – Vlad The Impaler – lived in the nearby Poenari Fortress, and his story of brutality is told within the 14th century castle walls. 

👻 Time Out tip: If you’re looking to get up close with danger, take a bear-watching tour in the nearby forests to spot the cute – but deadly – animals. 

The setting for The Sound of Music sheds its whimsical exterior in some of its quieter buildings. Moosham Castle was the site of the deadly Zaubererjackl witch trial, which killed 139 between 1675 and 1690. Jackl the Sorcerer – a young local boy who was said to have made a deal with Satan – became a folkloric figure across Salzburg, and his history is told inside the castle. For even more medieval horror, take a flashlight tour through the Hohensalzburg Fortress where the ghost of The White Lady is said to drift the halls. 

👻 Time Out tip: A Dark History tour through the Old Town at night is sure to have you checking over your shoulder. 

➡️ Stay here: The excellent Hotel Sacher is right in the historic centre – read our review and book it yourself here. 

Known as The Village of Witches, this mountain village in the heart of the Basque Country has a history that’ll make your heart jump. Legends say that akelarres (covens) met hundreds of years ago in the Cave of Zugarramurdi to worship the devil, by the Infernuko erreka (hell’s stream) brook. Even without the mythology, the cave is a striking sight, with 12-metre high walls and two raised galleries carved by centuries of water passage. A plaque on the cave’s walls commemorates those killed in the 1610 witch trial, and their story is told in the nearby Witch Museum. 

👻 Time Out tip: This northern village is right on the border between Spain and France, so take a day trip out to the southern French countryside. 

On the surface, Prague seems like a Christmas wonderland – but dig a little deeper and you’ll find dark details. Head to Speculum Alchemiae, the old laboratory of an alchemist with an affinity for the occult. Alternatively, watch the Walk Of The Apostles on the Prague Astronomical Clock, a mechanical show where a procession of apostles and Death himself marks the hour. Even the Basilica of St. James has a haunting secret – a real 400-year-old decaying limb, said to be a warning against thievery from the church. 

👻 Time Out tip: It’s not all historical horror – Prague has a buzzing club scene that hits a peak around Halloween. 

➡️ Stay here: Our favourite Airbnbs in Prague

It is as if the towering castles and winding streets of Edinburgh were built for the autumn season. Wandering through the hilltop Edinburgh Castle at night, or searching for names inspiring the Harry Potter books in Greyfriars Kirkyard cemetery, is atmospheric enough – but for the most Halloween-y experience, head to the Samhuinn Fire Festival. This ancient Celtic tradition involves a fiery standoff between the Summer and Winter Kings, with drumming and fire-play in the background, and honours the feisty transitional season of autumn. 

👻 Time Out tip: While you’re in Scotland, check out GlasGLOW, a yearly light show where Glasgow’s Botanical Gardens gleam with spooky displays. 

➡️ Stay here: The greatest hotels in Edinburgh

The City of Love has another, not so lovely, reputation. Under the romantic streets lay the Catacombs of Paris, an underground tomb with over a million unidentified human remains. It’s the largest ossuary – site for human remains – in the world, and the walls are built using human skeletons. If that’s sounding a little too scary, there’s also Père Lachaise Cemetery – known as the City of the Dead. It’s the most visited cemetery globally, with the graves of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison and Frederic Chopin. 

👻 Time Out tip: Catch a spooky movie at Grand Rex, a 1930s Art Deco cinema, screening Halloween classics throughout October. 

➡️ Stay here: Paris’s best hotels, from bougie to budget

You may not have heard of this tiny town, but it's home to the largest pumpkin festival in the world. Every year, Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival showcases 450,000 pumpkins across the grounds of a Baroque palace garden, with new display themes every year. There’s pumpkin sculptures, ornaments, foods and just plain pumpkins. See how much of the vegetable you can eat in just one visit. 

Time Out tip: Make sure to try Maultaschen, a local favourite which resembles ravioli.