In a nutshell
- Into dark history, real chills, and places guaranteed to give you goosebumps? You’ve come to the right place.
- We’re sharing 13 of the most spine-tingling, haunted places in the world — from abandoned sanatoriums to real true-crime locations.
- For each spot, you get personal impressions, practical tips for visiting, and the best ghost stories from the site. Fair warning: maybe don’t read this one before bed.
The Conjuring House, USA
- Where? Harrisville, Rhode Island
- Creep factor: Very high
What you need to know: Tucked between woods and fields in Harrisville, USA, sits an unassuming farmhouse known as the Conjuring House. In the 1970s, it became the scene of unexplained phenomena that tormented the Perron family.
The famous demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated the house — and their case inspired the horror classic The Conjuring.
Ghost stories: According to the Perrons and subsequent owners, the hauntings at the Conjuring House go way beyond cold drafts and strange noises. Shadow figures appear in doorways, residents and visitors are regularly touched by unseen hands, and something particularly dark is said to lurk in the basement.
The best-known spirits include the witch Bathsheba Sherman, seven soldiers buried on the property, a lady in white, and several unidentified child ghosts.
How to explore it: The Conjuring House is privately owned, but guided tours, overnight ghost hunts, and full overnight stays are offered regularly. You can book everything through the official website — though it’s not suitable for children, and every visitor must sign a waiver on arrival. Which honestly just makes it scarier.
Book a tour or overnight stay at the Conjuring House
Good to know: The 2013 film The Conjuring tells the story of the Perron family, but it wasn’t actually filmed in the original house. Shooting took place at a property in Currie, North Carolina.
Leap Castle, Ireland
- Where? County Offaly, Ireland
- Creep factor: Very high
What you need to know: Leap Castle sits on a hilltop in the idyllic countryside of Offaly. Looking at it, you’d never guess it’s considered one of the most haunted castles in Europe. Built in the 13th century, Leap Castle spent hundreds of years as a site of intrigue and bloody family tragedy.
Most infamous is the so-called Bloody Chapel, where in 1532 the priest Father O’Carroll was executed by his own brother, John O’Carroll, with a sword — mid-Mass.
Ghost stories: Leap Castle is home to many unfriendly spirits. Visitors report screams coming from the chapel, disembodied prayers with no apparent source, and an oppressive darkness that’s hard to shake.
Particularly unsettling is the famous apparition known as “The Elemental” — a dark, part-animal, part-human figure said to have been summoned into the castle through rituals.
How to explore it: Leap Castle is privately owned, but the owner is happy to open it up to visitors by arrangement. There are no public tours, but you can book a private visit by email.
Lizzie Borden House, USA
- Where? Fall River, Massachusetts
- Creep factor: Very high
What you need to know: With its dark green facade and Victorian charm, the house on Second Street looks almost harmless — but in 1892, it became the scene of a crime that’s never been solved. The wealthy Andrew Borden and his wife Abby were brutally murdered with an axe.
The prime suspect? Andrew’s daughter, Lizzie Borden. Even though she was acquitted, she remains closely tied to the case. Today, true crime fans and historians widely suspect that Lizzie and the housemaid Bridget were in it together.
Ghost stories: The guest room and the living room — the two crime scenes — are said to be the most active spots. Many visitors feel a heavy, suffocating energy there. Andrew, Lizzie, and Bridget are all said to still wander the house. While Andrew and Lizzie come across as darker presences, Bridget apparently still greets visitors with an air of expectation.
How to explore it: The Lizzie Borden House operates as a bed & breakfast and museum. During the day, you can join guided tours through the house. After dark, things get serious — you can choose between attending a séance or spending the night in the original bedrooms.
Book a tour or overnight stay at the Lizzie Borden House
Isla de las Muñecas, Mexico
- Where? Xochimilco, Mexico City
- Creep factor: High
What you need to know: Hidden within the Xochimilco canal system in Mexico lies the Isla de las Muñecas — the “Island of the Dolls.” Its deeply unsettling reputation comes from a local man named Julián Santana, who began hanging dolls from the trees to appease the spirit of a girl who had drowned nearby.
Ghost stories: An island covered in weathered, decaying dolls is creepy enough on its own. But the dolls here are said to be haunted by the spirit of the drowned girl — and visitors claim they move on their own from time to time. People also report hearing voices, footsteps, and other eerie sounds.
How to explore it: The Isla de las Muñecas can only be reached by boat on a guided tour. Most tours combine the island visit with a ride through the canals. Exciting, adventurous, and seriously not for the faint-hearted.
Book a tour to the Isla de las Muñecas
Helltown, USA
- Where? Boston Township, Ohio
- Creep factor: Medium to high
What you need to know: Helltown sounds like something out of a horror film — and this ghost town in Ohio has more than earned that reputation. In the early 1970s, part of the community was forcibly evacuated to make way for a national park. But the abandoned houses, schools, and churches were left standing, and with them, a whole lot of stories about paranormal activity.
Ghost stories: Helltown is surrounded by legends — shadow figures wandering the streets, flickering silhouettes in windows. The old elementary school is considered a paranormal hotspot. Some of the abandoned buildings are also said to catch fire mysteriously and without any apparent cause.
How to explore it: Helltown is best explored on your own — there are only a handful of organized tours through the area. That said, entering many of the buildings is officially off-limits, so keep that in mind. It’s particularly popular with urban explorers.
Good to know: Helltown wasn’t always called Helltown. The little settlement was originally known as Boston Village.
Paris Catacombs, France
- Where? Paris, France
- Creep factor: Medium to high
What you need to know: Beneath the elegant streets of Paris stretches a seemingly endless tunnel system filled with the bones of millions of people: the Paris Catacombs. They were created in the 18th century when Paris was struggling with disease and famine, and the city’s cemeteries had simply run out of space.
The remains were moved into the network of tunnels beneath the city and stacked with eerie artistry — skull upon skull.
Ghost stories: Full-blown ghost sightings are rare here. What the Catacombs are truly notorious for is their suffocating atmosphere, countless legends, occult activity, and people who went in and never came back out. The real horror here often plays out entirely in your own head. Seriously creepy.
How to explore it: A small official section of the Catacombs is open to ticketed visitors — and honestly, we’d strongly recommend sticking to that part. Venturing into the Catacombs alone is not only illegal, it’s genuinely dangerous.
Book tickets for the Paris Catacombs
Beelitz-Heilstätten, Germany
- Where? Beelitz, Brandenburg
- Creep factor: Medium to high
What you need to know: About 50 kilometers southwest of Berlin lie the Beelitz-Heilstätten — a vast complex of 60 buildings that were originally constructed as a tuberculosis sanatorium. During both World Wars, the site served as a military hospital. Since the 1990s, it’s been completely abandoned, and a wonderfully morbid atmosphere has taken over.
Ghost stories: This place is said to be seriously haunted. From former patients to ghostly nurses, all kinds of figures are reportedly seen drifting through the corridors. The old surgery building is considered especially eerie, with accounts of footsteps, cold spots, shadows, and disembodied voices. Many say the history of this place is somehow trapped within its walls.
How to explore it: Some areas are off-limits, but a large part of the complex can be visited on a guided tour. There are even different tour options — including a flashlight tour after dark.
Book a tour of the Beelitz-Heilstätten
Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Italy
- Where? Palermo, Sicily
- Creep factor: Medium to high
What you need to know: Inside an unassuming monastery in Palermo lies one of the most macabre places in all of Europe: the Capuchin Catacombs. They house nearly 2,000 embalmed corpses — hung in clothing, laid out, or displayed behind glass. The oldest date back to the 16th century, the most recent to the 20th. What began as a monastic burial practice has become a major destination for dark tourism.
Ghost stories: Visitors report a deep sense of unease, the feeling of being watched, and a strange energy that’s hard to explain. Particularly well-known is the body of little Rosalia, who died in 1920 at just two years old. Her remains are so well-preserved that she looks like she’s simply sleeping — and some visitors claim to have seen her eyes faintly open.
How to explore it: The catacombs are open to the public during regular opening hours. Tickets are only available on-site at the entrance.
Check out our full Sicily travel guide
New Orleans, USA
- Where? New Orleans, Louisiana
- Creep factor: Medium
What you need to know: New Orleans is famous for its vibrant culture — but also for its deeply dark side. The city on the Mississippi is considered the center of voodoo in the US, a tradition rooted in African, Caribbean, and Catholic rituals. And beneath all that Mardi Gras energy, there’s a history full of pain and dark magic.
Ghost stories: The shadows of the past feel especially present here. Numerous plantations around New Orleans carry the weight of slavery — a history that left behind not just immeasurable suffering, but a dark energy that many visitors say they can still feel.
In the historic district, the LaLaurie Mansion is considered one of the most disturbing spots in the city. It’s where Madame LaLaurie tortured her own enslaved people in the attic until they died. The ghosts of New Orleans are said to be lost souls caught between pain, torment, and a desperate search for peace.
How to explore it: You can explore New Orleans on your own, of course. But what we really love are the guided voodoo and ghost tours through the city. And don’t skip the Voodoo Museum — it’s well worth a visit.
Book the New Orleans Vampire, Voodoo & Ghost Tour
Bran Castle, Romania
- Where? Bran, Romania (Transylvania)
- Creep factor: Medium
What you need to know: Bran Castle — also known as “Dracula’s Castle” — looms high above the picturesque landscape of Transylvania. Here, real history, legend, and classic world literature blur together into one uniquely eerie destination.
The historical part? Count Dracula was a real person. His name was Vlad III Drăculea, a 15th-century Wallachian prince who went down in history as “Vlad the Impaler.” And this is where fact and legend start to mix. Vlad III was certainly bloodthirsty — but he didn’t actually drink blood. And he never lived in Bran Castle.
That said, Vlad III and Bran Castle together are widely considered a major inspiration for Bram Stoker’s famous novel Dracula. And that blend of legend, real history, and Stoker’s horror story makes the castle a genuine pilgrimage site for fans of all things spooky.
Ghost stories: The reported hauntings at Bran Castle are relatively subtle — creaking doors and floorboards, voices, the sound of hooves, and nighttime apparitions in the courtyard. But as a complete package, it’s genuinely unsettling.
How to explore it: Bran Castle is now a museum that you can visit during regular opening hours. Tickets are available on-site and online. Guided tours and audio guides are also offered for deeper insight into the castle’s stories. Overnight stays aren’t possible.
Book tickets for Bran Castle
Discover more fascinating castles across Europe
Greyfriars Kirkyard, Scotland
- Where? Edinburgh, Scotland
- Creep factor: Low to medium
What you need to know: Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh is one of the most famous and unsettling cemeteries in Scotland. People have been buried here since the 16th century — but the place is notorious for its restless spirits and dark stories.
Ghost stories: The most famous legend centers on “Bloody” George McKenzie, a cruel lord known in the 17th century for his brutal interrogations. His tomb is said to be guarded by a malevolent presence that has allegedly even physically harmed visitors.
A much more welcome presence is little Bobby — a dog who stayed loyal to his owner even after death. His statue is one of the most beloved attractions in Edinburgh, and you’ll find it right at the cemetery entrance.
How to explore it: The cemetery is free to enter. Cemetery tours and ghost walks can be booked online — we’ve done one ourselves and loved it!
Book the Edinburgh Cemetery & Haunted Vaults Tour
Frankenstein Castle, Germany
- Where? Mühltal near Darmstadt, Hesse
- Creep factor: Low to medium
Frankenstein Castle is under renovation until the end of 2026. After that, it will reopen to visitors. The on-site restaurant will also be renovated from late 2026 through the end of 2027, but the castle itself will still be open to visit during that time.
What you need to know: Frankenstein Castle near Darmstadt in Germany has a dark legend attached to it. The infamous alchemist Johann Conrad Dippel is said to have conducted sinister experiments here in the 17th century — and is believed to have been one of the inspirations for Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. That connection alone makes it a magnet for mystery enthusiasts.
Ghost stories: Visitors report mysterious lights, unexplained sounds, and a brooding atmosphere that’s especially noticeable in the vaulted cellars. There have also been plenty of reported ghost sightings across the castle grounds over the years.
How to explore it: The castle is open from April through October and can be visited independently or on a guided tour. Tickets are available on-site.
Check out our tips for 5 road trips through Germany
Hill of Crosses, Lithuania
- Where? Šiauliai, Lithuania
- Creep factor: Low
What you need to know: The Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai is a mystical place of quiet power and deep history. For over 100 years, pilgrims, locals, and visitors have been placing countless crosses of all shapes and sizes on the hill — as symbols of faith, hope, and resistance.
Ghost stories: There aren’t really any ghost stories here — but the atmosphere is profound and almost magical. Many visitors speak of a sense of awe and a spiritual presence that you can genuinely feel on the hill.
How to explore it: The Hill of Crosses is free to visit and open at any time. A guided tour is well worth considering, since the hill sits about 12 kilometers outside the city.
Book a tour to the Hill of Crosses & the Gems of Jelgava
Frequently Asked Questions About the Scariest Places in the World
Where is the scariest place in the world?
That’s genuinely hard to answer — being creeped out is, in a way, a matter of personal taste. For many horror fans, though, the Conjuring House in Rhode Island ranks among the most terrifying places on earth.
What is the creepiest place in Germany?
Frankenstein Castle in Hesse and the Beelitz-Heilstätten near Berlin are two places in Germany where you really wouldn’t want to be alone after dark.
Wolfsegg Castle in Bavaria and Eltz Castle in Rhineland-Palatinate are also said to be haunted.
What are the most mysterious places in the world?
Among the most secretive and mysterious spots in the world are:
- Area 51
- Vatican Secret Archives
- Pine Gap
If you want something spookier, check out:
- Paris Catacombs
- Aokigahara
- Hoia-Baciu Forest
Which country has the most ghosts?
Impossible to count, of course — we don’t even know if ghosts actually exist! That said, the greatest number of ghost stories and haunted-place traditions come from England, Scotland, and the USA.