The World's Most Haunted Places: Creepy, Ghostly, and notorious Spots

Haunted and creepy places hold a strange fascination for people, especially once summer ends and fall begins. With Halloween just around the corner, we can’t help but crave spooky atmospheres and a few jumps scare. But haunted houses only for Halloween aren’t quite as chilling as real haunted places where ghosts and ghouls exist 365 days a year.

Not everyone has the nerve to brave a truly haunted location, but for those of us daring enough to seek adventure amongst the spiderwebs and spirits, there are a plethora of places around the world you won’t want to miss. If you’re the kind of person who gets their thrills listening to spooky stories and watching ghost hunters on television, you’re gonna want to check out this list.

Here’s our list of the Top 10 Most Haunted Places Around the World.

1. Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton-under-Edge, England: Want to visit one of the oldest working inns in the western world? What if we told you it was also one of the most haunted? Built-in the 12th century, Ram Inn has played host to all sorts of travelers, some of whom died while staying there. Today, the inn is home to more than 20 spirits, including children, a pagan priestess, and some demonic entities.
   
   
   
   
2. Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, USA: This luxury liner made voyages across the ocean for 30 years before finally docking permanently in Long Beach. In its time, it’s seen more than 50 deaths, and its hauntings are some of the most well-documented in the world. Hear children splashing in the now-empty pool, and see shadowy figures of the workers who lost their lives in a fire below deck.
   
   
   
   
3. Poveglia Island, Venice, Italy: What’s creepier than a deserted island that used to be a quarantine zone for plague victims? Thousands of people died terrible, agonizing deaths here. As if that’s not enough, in the 20th century it became home to one of Italy’s most renowned, and terrifying, insane asylums. Step one foot on the island today, and you can feel its dark history waiting to be unleashed.
   
   
   
   
4. Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California, USA: After the death of rifle magnate William Winchester, his wife Sarah believed she was being haunted by the spirits of people killed by her husband’s guns. To appease them, she had to build onto this house, and keep building 24/7. It was the only way to confuse the spirits. You’ll find doors that lead to nowhere, and stairs that go into the ceiling, along with dozens of ghosts still seeking vengeance.
   
   
   
   
5. Burg Wolfsegg, Wolfsegg, Germany: Castles are inherently cool and creepy. An 800-year-old castle? Even creepier. Especially when it’s haunted by the mysterious “Woman in White.” Most people believe the spirit is Klara von Helfenstein. She and her husband were both previous tenants of the castle, and one night, he murdered her in a jealous rage. Her restless spirit now seeks revenge for her wrongful death.
   
   
   
   
6. St. Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida, USA: During the Civil War, Confederate soldiers actually removed this lighthouse, along with its ability to guide Union soldiers through treacherous waters. Many Union soldiers perished as a result, and their ghosts are said to haunt the waters and land around the lighthouse. The ghost of a friendly lighthouse keeper stops them from hurting visitors though, so you’re safe if you go.
   
   
   
   
7. Lawang Sewu, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia: Lawang Sewu was built as headquarters for the Dutch East Indies Railway Company. Sounds harmless enough, right? Until we mention that it was also a prison camp during World War 2. Many men lost their lives here, and their spirits still remain. Keep an eye out for many headless men, as well as several “kuntilanak,” otherwise known as ghost vampires.
   
   
   
   
8. Gettysburg Field, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA: The bloodiest battle of the Civil War was fought in Gettysburg, with thousands of men losing their lives. But their spirits never left the field, even when the war was over. Today, ghosts are frequently seen walking here, still dressed in their Civil War attire. Most of them don’t seem to realize they’re dead and continue to fight a battle that has been long over.
   
   
   
   
9. The Catacombs, Paris, France: This is basically a massive gravesite and one of the spookiest you’ll ever visit. Back in the 1700s, Parisians were running out of room for their dead, so they buried them beneath the streets of their city. The catacombs are filled with skulls and bones that you can reach out and touch, though doing so may anger the many spirits who live there. If you go, keep your hands to yourself and the spirits will do the same.
   
   
   
   
10. Lizzie Borden House, Fall River, Massachusetts, USA: Most people in America can tell you two things about Lizzie Borden’s highly publicized 1892 trial—she was accused of killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet, and she got away with it. Suspicions followed Lizzie until her own death, and now the spirits of her, her father, and her stepmother haunt the home where the murders occurred. You can tour the house and even spend the night there.
    
    
    
    

Now that you’ve read about these places, do you still want to visit them, or do you think it safer to stay far, far away? Ghosts and spirits have a mind of their own, so any place you choose to enter, do so with care. But if you steel your nerves and find yourself facing the dangers of a truly haunted location, the adventures that await you will make for fond memories this Halloween and every Halloween hereafter.

When you get back from your adventures, let us know what happened. Did you encounter any ghosts? Hear any strange noises? Whatever happened, make sure to mark your trip on your Newverest travel map. Check off all the haunted places you visit and find new ones that are even more thrilling and spooky. We love hearing your ghostly travel stories. Have fun and here’s hoping the ghosts you encounter don’t follow you home.