Halloween is just around the corner which can only mean Brits will need to get the sweet treats in for kids who go trick-or-treating this year. But for others, they will see the American celebration as a time to plan a trip somewhere.
A holiday specifically catered for all things spooky including tours people can go on to get them into the Halloween spirit.
With so many eerie destinations, it can be difficult to narrow down the options and choose one.
However, Riviera Travel have created the Spooky Travel Index, ranking cities on their ability to provide a frightening trip this Halloween.
To do this, they analysed factors such as the number of walkable ghost tours, cemeteries and the average daylight hours in each destination before scoring and ranking them.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 destinations to visit this Halloween:
The study revealed Rome as the place to be this Halloween, scoring an impressive 51 out of 60 points. With 36 ghost tours and 24 cemeteries, it’s easy to see why the Italian capital city ranks as one of the best destinations for an eerie trip. Tours on offer include a guided tour of the city’s ancient crypts and catacombs.
According to TripAdvisor, the best-rated tour is The Original Roman Crypts and Catacombs Tour. The tour is three-and-a-half hours where travellers learn all about the history of the city.
One traveller wrote on TripAdvisor: “We had a great time and it was clear our tour guides really loved not only history but archaeology!”
A second said: “I recommend this tour who are interested in the medieval ages. The guides were knowledgeable and kindly answered questions. This was the start-up experience for my medieval Roman Empire excursion.”
Another added: “Superb! This tour was the best by far and would highly recommend it. We got two different guides which really kept our interest peaked through all the different stages! A job well done, keep up the good work!”
In second place was Prague with a score of 50. The city ranks high due to its range of ghost tours on offer, with 34 in total. The Czech capital is home to some incredibly creepy buildings, including Sedlec Ossuary – a church home to over 40,000 human bones. Additionally, there are around 10.7 hours of daylight, in the city, throughout October.
Paris ranks third, scoring 49 points, and offers a range of spooky activities, including visits to the chilling Père Lachaise Cemetery and Paris Catacombs. The ‘City of Love’ has 25 ghost tours and 13 cemeteries.
Bucharest is another great option for Halloween, scoring 46 points altogether. The Romanian capital city has a breathtaking 77 ghost tours on offer to visitors, leaving travellers spoilt for choice. Meanwhile, the city is a stone’s throw away from Transylvania – the home of Count Dracula. There are also three cemeteries and 11 hours of daylight, on average.
Berlin was fifth on the list and also scored 46 points. While the city may only offer three ghost tours, the historical significance of Germany’s capital sets the tone for an eerie and unsettling trip. Many spots around the city are reportedly haunted, including Spandau Citadel, a mediaeval fortress.
The Austrian capital city, Vienna proved to be another great choice for travellers, scoring 43 points. With seven ghost tours available, including a guided walk around the city’s underground catacombs.
Budapest also scored 43 points and offers travellers 12 ghost tours with specific themes. One popular tour is a night-time dark history tour, which provides incredible insight into urban myths and legends.
The second Italian city to feature in this ranking is Venice, scoring 39 points in total. There are 22 ghost tours available to take advantage of, including walking tours at night, there is also only one cemetery throughout the entire city. Near Venice is Poveglia Island, rumoured to be haunted by victims of the plague.
The Dutch capital city, Amsterdam, also scored 39 points. Known for its narrow canals, the city has six ghost tours, allowing visitors to indulge in Haarlem and Ultrecht’s spooky culture. On average, there are 10.6 daylight hours throughout October, making nights longer and more eerie.
Finally, the Norwegian capital Oslo scored 37 points. There is only a singular ghost tour, focusing on Oslo’s most popular myths and legends. Additionally, three cemeteries and an average of 10.1 daylight hours help set the backdrop for Halloween. The city is home to Akershus Fortress, which has a black devil dog said to bring misfortune.
Top 10 spookiest destinations to spend Halloween and their overall travel score:
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Rome, Italy – 51
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Prague, Czech Republic – 50
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Paris, France – 49
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Bucharest, Romania – 46
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Berlin, Germany 46
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Vienna, Austria – 43
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Budapest, Hungary – 43
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Venice, Italy – 39
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Amsterdam, Netherlands – 39
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Oslo, Norway – 37
Will Sarson, travel expert at Riviera Travel, said: “With Halloween fast approaching, we found it appropriate to construct a travel index, analysing a variety of countries from every corner of the globe. Overall, the results were incredibly intriguing and it was interesting to note Rome as the go-to destination for a spooky holiday this Halloween.
“It was also interesting to uncover the sheer amount of ghost tours in each city – in particular Bucharest, which is home to over 70. These tours allow travellers to indulge in the local culture, learn about historic tales and get in the Halloween spirit.”
