Glimpse into some of Europe’s most festive destinations you can visit to have the most ‘spook’-tacular Halloween! 

Travel Writings

By Carolina Littleton | Edited by Isabella Sevilla Aguilera

Spooky season is right around the corner! As temperatures drop, pumpkins are carved, and scary stories are told you might be looking for ways you can also get into the Halloween spirit this year. There are so many different ways of celebrating the holidays throughout Europe, so I have compiled a list of the top 3 spookiest destinations in Europe you can visit to spend your Halloweekend outside of Rome including the best tips, tricks, and treats for your travels! 

Transylvania, Romania  

I mean…of course. Transylvania was the first destination that popped into my head when thinking about the spookiest places to visit. It’s history of being known as the home and birthplace of Dracula has given Transylvania the reputation of being one of the most haunted places you can visit and the title of being one of the world’s UNESCO heritage sites! 

The overall atmosphere of Transylvania is flooded with the feeling of the Halloween spirit with its gothic architecture and medieval vibe. Below you will see a list of the things you can explore and should not pass up, especially during this time of the year. 

Dracula’s Castle in Bran, Romania  

Dracula’s castle in Bran dates back all the way to 1377! Every year it hosts a Halloween party allowing you to spend your evening drinking the punchy potions and dancing in the haunted hallways of the castle! If you are someone looking for a Halloween party with DJs, demons, and decorations, this is the experience for you that takes place on the evening of November 2, 2024. Dance away into the early hours of the morning, so clear your calendars and prepare for a night full of entertainment.  

If you are not a big party person, Bran is still a wonderful place to visit because its autumn activities expand beyond just the castle. There are many options for anyone visiting involving a day-time trip to Dracula’s castle and the widest variety of surrounding castles you can check out.  

I cannot imagine a better way to spend your Halloweekend, than taking a visit to Dracula’s castle whether you go for a party or simply to stroll through it’s never-ending corridors.  

Sighisoara, Romania (Dracula’s Hometown) 

Sighisoara is notoriously known for being the hometown of Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula. It is full of old colorful townhouses that make you feel like you have entered a haunted fairytale. In this village, also known as the “Pearl of Transylvania,” you can dine at Dracula’s childhood home which was converted into a Dracula themed restaurant. If you request to see Dracula’s childhood bedroom the waiters will let you for a small admission. This is a fantastic way to experience some authentic Romanian cuisine in one of the areas that Romania is most known for.  

A visit to this medieval, historic town calls for a day of walking around to see all the attractions. Not only will you gain an understanding of what it felt like to walk the streets the way Dracula once did. By walking around, you will be able to visit the famous Clock Tower which acts as a symbol of the town. The Clock Tower, after being built in the 14^th century, is still one of the greatest tourist attractions in this town alongside the Dominican Monastery Church nearby that is one of the only other surviving buildings of the old rural Gothic architecture from Dracula’s time. 

Of all the must-see attractions in Romania during Halloween, a visit to Sighisoara is the most historical and relaxing visit. You will be more than satisfied by simply roaming the streets aimlessly as Dracula once did. 

Dracula International Film Festival 

If you are an avid movie lover, then spending your Halloween at the Dracula International Film Festival in Brasov, Romania is exactly the place you should find yourself traveling to. This year, the festival is taking place from October 21 to November 3 and will showcase a number of features made by filmmakers working in the horror, sci-fi, gore, thriller, supernatural, dark comedy, animation, experimental film, and cutting-edge film categories. 

In the past, unique minds use this festival as a way to express their creative side on and off screen by showing up in elaborate costumes relating to the films they may be watching or displaying some of the creepiest films you will not get the chance to see anywhere else! 

Any film lover or thrill-seeking individual should make their way to this film festival for their yearly screenings of some of the most mysterious media.  

Amsterdam, Netherlands  

When people think of Amsterdam, they typically envision art museums, tulip festivals, and quaint bike towns. But there is another side of Amsterdam that is full of scares which are perfect for an exciting Halloweekend. I found Amsterdam’s Halloween activities particularly intriguing because they combine its reputation of having many museums with the Halloween spirit along with many more must-see attractions.  

The following activities I found will make for a great weekend full of events designed for Halloween since. Unlike the events, I recommended in Romania, all the following are in Amsterdam. Hence, it is possible to visit every sight in one weekend if you are feeling ambitious.  

Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum  

I am sure everyone is familiar with “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” series in one way or the other, but you may not be familiar with the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum found right in the middle of Amsterdam!  

Otherwise referred to as “The Little House of Horrors,” this museum, which first opened in December 1918, is filled with mysterious findings from throughout the world. Robert Ripley was an explorer that gathered these weird findings and oddities from wherever he traveled to display them for people to see. His collection includes things such as bear skeletons, shrunken heads, wax statues, torture devices, mermaid corpses, and more!  

Many of his pieces are known to be haunted which makes them the perfect displays to walk through during the Halloween season that will give you a chill up your spine.  

Amsterdam Dungeon 

Calling all adrenaline-seeking history buffs to Amsterdam’s interactive dungeon experience. The Amsterdam Dungeon is one of the most creative ways I have ever seen a city combine thrill and education into one spook-tabular experience. This experience takes you through the past 500 years of Amsterdam’s history in about an hour and a half, and it portrays true stories played out by actors performing as scary characters from the period. 

This “specialty” museum is about €26 per entry to give you the most authentic and interactive tour of Amsterdam’s ark past. You can pick from a variety of different shows that highlight different moments of history in intriguing, gruesome, and entertaining ways.  

As a retired theatre kid, it would 100% be the kind of activity I would visit during my time in Amsterdam. It is a super engaging way to gain a better understanding of the history attached to one of the most famous places in the world.  

Haunted Ghost Walk 

Take advantage of the opportunity to take a ghost walk while in the Netherlands! See all that the “dark side of Amsterdam” has to offer during the spooky season.  

By embarking on this haunted ghost walk of Amsterdam, you will not only get to see the beautiful sights, architecture, and landscape or Amsterdam, but you will also get to listen in on authentic, historical, and original tales about some of Amsterdam’s most famous ghost stories. You will hear tales about nuns retiring from the dead to haunt her family, ghosts who slowly drove his killer into madness, and many other ghost stories that are merely whispers of the past you will not hear otherwise. 

I am a huge fan of walking tours through any city I visit. It is one of the best ways to truly experience the city in areas that are more off the beaten path. Of course, you can always explore the city on your own, but I would be a fool to ever pass up on a good ghost story during the peak of Halloween in Amsterdam.  

Corinaldo, Italy 

As we quickly approach Halloweekend I recognize some last-minute planning for big trips, such as the ones listed above, may be difficult to throw together, so I thought I would add in an honorable mention of a great Halloween destination in Italy that is known for one of its most famous celebrations… 

La Festa Delle Streghe (Festival of the Witches) 

The Festival of the Witches takes place every year in Corinaldo, Italy which is a quaint and medieval town on the eastern coast of Italy in the Marche region. It is referred to as the “Capital of Halloween” in Italy and is a great destination for those not wanting to leave the country but still get in the Halloween spirit.  

The Festival of the Witches takes place throughout the week, leading up to Halloween filled with activities designed for a spooky weekend. It includes live music performances, tasty food, and plenty of eerie entertainment of course all complimented by Halloween decorations and the buss of the excitement surrounding the holidays.  

Having a Happy Halloween  

Hopefully after reading this article, you are eager for the upcoming spooky seasons and ready to celebrate your Halloweekend at one of these creepy destinations. There is so much excitement and appreciation that comes from experiencing how other cultures and countries celebrate the holidays differently, and I can only imagine the crazy, creepy, and crooked ways people let their spooky side shine through while celebrating Halloween. Ideally, you are already booking your ticket, packing your costumes, and gearing up for a festive weekend full of ghosts, ghouls, and great memories.  

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