These are Europe’s SPOOKIEST holiday destinations from cursed islands to headless ghost tales
THERE is nothing sinister about Tenerife or the capital of romance Paris. Or is there? With Halloween finally here, we uncover the spooky sides of European destinations.
From a cursed canalside palace in Venice to headless ghosts in Malta, Lisa Minot and Sophie Swietochowski share their pick of surprisingly scary holiday hotspots.
PARIS
THE French capital is reportedly home to the world’s largest underground ossuary — where the remains of six million people are buried beneath the streets.
Thrillseekers can stroll the network of underground tunnels, which are embedded with human skulls and bones.
You may see the City of Love in a whole other light after this.
GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the 3H Explorers Hotel is from £459pp including flights from Leeds Bradford on November 9.
Includes a 22kg baggage allowance. Approximately £28 in tourist tax is payable at the property. See jet2holidays.com.
ROME
DESCEND into the Capuchin Crypt beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini on the bustling Via Veneto and you’re greeted with a stunningly creepy sight — the bones of nearly 4,000 friars decorate five subterranean chapels.
The bones are laid out in intricate patterns across walls and archways and have even been turned into chandeliers.
GO: Two nights’ B&B at the 5H Villa Agrippina is from £399pp including flights from Heathrow on select dates in December. Price includes 23kg luggage. See britishairways.com/rome.
PRAGUE
IT may be famous for its pretty cobbled squares and fairytale spires but its medieval past has some chilling folklore.
The 14th-century Charles Bridge is said to be haunted by headless ghosts of executed nobles.
And the Old Town is famous for the legend of the Headless Templar Knight — a ghost who rides a white horse through the streets after midnight.
GO: Three nights’ B&B at the 3H Comfort Hotel Prague City East is from £419pp including flights from Bristol on November 27 and 22kg luggage. See jet2holidays.com.
TENERIFE
ANCIENT spirits lurk in one of Tenerife’s oldest buildings, the Palacio de Lercaro.
This is the former home of Catalina Lercaro, the daughter of a wealthy businessman who was forced into a loveless marriage.
Catalina tragically took her own life by throwing herself down a well, and rumour has it that she still walks the building today. Holidaymakers can explore the building, with a traditional stone staircase, before venturing into the gorgeous old town for a bit of light respite.
GO: Seven nights’ self-catering at the 3H Coral Compostela Beach Golf & Siam Park Waterpark is from £429pp based on four sharing and including flights from Manchester on November 1. Includes a 22kg baggage allowance and return transfers. See jet2holidays.com.
DUBROVNIK
JUST 600 metres off the shore of Dubrovnik lies the isle of Lokrum.
It may look like a lush paradise but local folklore has it that Benedictine monks placed a curse on anyone who tries to take control of the island, after they were forced out by French forces in the late 18th century.
A string of former owners suffered mysterious deaths and tragedies, and today you can visit the eerie ruins of the abandoned monastery.
GO: Three nights’ B&B at the Hotel Porto is from £338pp with flights from Gatwick on November 14. See easyjet.com/en/holidays.
MALTA
LISTEN out for whispers when you stroll in fortified medieval hilltop city Mdina — the headless ghost of Katrina still wanders the narrow lanes, calling to passers-by.
Traditional folklore claims she was sentenced to death for killing a knight in self-defence.
She was granted one final wish — to marry her true love — before being marched to her death immediately after the ceremony.
Mdina, known as the Silent City, is a spooky place to explore and many have claimed to see a woman in a bridal gown disappearing into the walls.
GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the 3+H Mayflower Hotel is from £519pp including flights from London Stansted on November 6, plus 22kg baggage and return transfers.
Approximately £18 in tourist tax is payable at the property for this holiday. See jet2holidays.com.
VENICE
IF you visit Venice, you may want to steer clear of the 15th-century Ca’ Dario that borders the Grand Canal. Many believe the palace is cursed, after seven owners and visitors have met tragic ends since the 1980s.
People became so suspicious that the property remained empty for many years until 2026 . . . when it was listed for sale.
GO: Three nights’ B&B at the 3H Il Mercante di Venezia is from £182pp including flights from London Stansted on December 13 and hand luggage. See tui.co.uk.
CRETE
GREECE is full of gory history so it’s no surprise that one of its fortresses is said to be crawling with an army of ghosts.
Head to Frangokastello, on the island of Crete, and you’ll find a restored Venetian castle overlooking a sandy beach.
At first glance, it may look peaceful but visit in the morning in May and you might be able to spot shadowy figures emerging from the misty waters.
They are said to be the ghosts of fighters who died in an horrific battle in 1828.
GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the 4H Creta Palm Resort is from £799pp including flights from from East Midlands on May 4 next year. Includes 22kg baggage and return transfers.
Approximately £58 in tourist tax is payable at the property. See jet2holidays.com.