Scariest Places to Visit on Halloween

Happy Halloween! If you are a weirdo like me and love anything related to the supernatural, this article is for you. I have compiled a list of the scariest places I’ve been, that would be a good thrill to visit on Halloween.

Since I was a young child I have been interested in the paranormal. I never believed in “that stuff” until I had my own personal experience with a ghost. Being a traveler, I naturally began to seek out local legends and haunted places while on the road. I have come across some very interesting stories along the way, and some places that seem to be straight out of a horror film. Here are some of the scariest places to visit on Halloween, or any day, for you thrill seeking weirdos out there.

Corvinilor Castle, Romania

As seen on the show “Ghost Hunters”, this castle’s history is nothing short of gruesome, involving torture, death and dismemberment. It’s earned its title as one of the most haunted castles in the world, and while a beautiful castle from the exterior, a visit inside will set off your creepy alarm.

Corvinilor castle, also known as Hunedoara Castle, was a prison for some unlucky souls, including Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula. According to rumors, those souls are still wandering the castle, which I’m told, takes on a malevolent vibe at night.

On one night, some tourists tricked the guards and snuck it to stay in the castle overnight. They were found the next morning beaten and bruised by what they claimed were angry ghosts.

Suicide Forest, Japan

The real name of this forest is Aokigahara or Jukai, which means “sea of trees”. This forest became famous when a Japanese writer wrote about it in one of his books, and romanticized it as a suicide spot. But this forest was already a suicide hotspot long before his novel.

The forest is dense, characterized by twisted trees and caves that formed from Mount Fuji’s volcanic eruptions. This forest is hauntingly beautiful, but tragically, a place some people choose to end their own lives.

There are rumors that the forest is home to yurei, ghosts of the dead. The legends say that ubasute used to be carried out here. According to Japanese folklore, it was a hostile act of human sacrifice where an elder was left somewhere to die.

The government stopped releasing the official numbers several years ago, but it’s estimated that hundreds of people a year come here to attempt suicide. About a quarter of them are successful. Of the ones who are rescued, some claim to have heard a voice in their head that called them to the forest to end their life.

I’ve been here twice, and objectively speaking it’s a beautiful forest. It’s very quiet and peaceful, and you can see how volcanic activity shaped its unique appearance. You may almost forget about the horrific truth on a sunny day, but knowing what I know, I’d hate to get lost in there at night.

Svajanov Castle, Czech Republic

This castle is not on the tourist trail, but if you venture a bit off the beaten path and end up here, you’ll be enchanted by the haunting tales of Svajanov Castle.

First, this castle was built in medieval times. It changed owners several times and each period seems to have it’s own morbid events. For one, the castle walls are stuffed with dead bodies of people who were sealed in alive. Historically, it was believed that by sacrificing humans and using their bodies in the very foundations of the castle, it would make the castle stronger and impenetrable to its enemies. To this day, the castle walls are still the resting place to some unfortunate soldiers and even children who fell victim to this superstition.

Another story is about a young girl who died a horrendous death in the castle. Some scaffolding fell on her while they were renovating the castle. She walked around the entire castle, injured, until she bled to death in the master bedroom and died.

But the creepiest story about this castle, is actually something you can see today. In one room there is a painting of a woman. The painting originally showed an elderly woman with her eyes open. One day, a few years ago the employees of the castle found that the woman in the painting had closed her eyes. They are certain no one could have tampered with the painting, and that this is clear evidence of the supernatural presence in Svajanov.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh is my favorite city in the UK, for many reasons, but the creepy factor just adds to the excitement. This city just oozes spookiness out of the cracks of it’s cobbled streets. It is home to numerous legends and ghost stories, and t’s something that they’ve embraced too. You can have a drink in the most haunted pub in Edinburgh. Inside you’ll find it decorated for maximum creepiness. A bit kitsche, but it really is haunted.

You can also visit the most haunted cemetery in the world. This is also where the real Tom Riddle lies, for any Harry Potter enthusiast. In the cemetery, is a tomb, said to be housing some violent ghosts. It’s been featured on several ghost hunting tv shows. In one episode, it shows someone who entered the vault to exit with scratch marks all over their body.

Hoia Baciu, Romania

This forest is tucked away deep in Transylvania, near the city Cluj-Napoca. Transylvania is known to most as where Dracula originated. But this forest, is possibly much creepier than even the famous blood thirsty vampire himself.

This forest received some worldwide attention in the 60s for being the site of numerous UFO sightings. The photos of these UFOs have been verified to be real, even by investigators today.

On top of aliens, this forest is said to be home to many spirits. There are legends of shadow people lurking among the trees. Evil spirits who are invisible to the human eye, are believed to be the reason why unsuspecting visitors suddenly fall extremely fatigued and violently ill.

A visit here, while find you among some very strange trees that don’t seem to grow in an abnormal pattern. Scientists also can’t understand the reason why they grow downwards to the ground, before shooting back up.

I visited this forest during the day, and nothing happened, but the stories were fun to hear. You can also do a night tour, which I’ve been told is usually a lot more eventful in terms of paranormal encounters.

And thats it for my list of the scariest places to visit on Halloween from around the world. Do you have any recommendations for haunted places? Send them my way, please!