Spooky Travel Index Reveals the Best Destinations For Halloween Getaways
Halloween is upon us and marks the perfect opportunity to indulge in a chilling adventure, visiting destinations renowned for their ghost tours and urban legends.
In Europe and beyond, various locations offer all the makings of the perfect Halloween trip, allowing people to unwind while engaging in cultural traditions surrounding the beloved celebration.
To mark the start of spooky season at Riviera Travel, we wanted to uncover the most haunting destinations around the globe for Halloween. To do this, we’ve created an index, ranking the top ten most spine-chilling locations renowned for their ghost tours and (lack of) daylight hours.
While most people think of Salem, New Orleans and Transylvania as the spookiest locations, we’ve crunched the numbers and you’ll be surprised to learn that NONE of these destinations make the top ten!
So, with Halloween right around the corner, let’s unmask the top ten destinations for a terrifying trip!
Spooky Travel Index
To develop our index and find the eeriest destinations, we evaluated several key factors across various countries around the world, including the number of ghost tours, cemeteries and the average amount of daylight.
Each destination was then scored individually on each factor and given a total score out of 60. The locations were then ranked from 1-10.
| Rank | Destination | Number of ghost tours | Number of cemeteries | Avg daylight hours | Spooky Travel Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rome, Italy | 36 | 24 | 11 | 51 |
| 2 | Prague, Czech Republic | 34 | 12 | 10.7 | 50 |
| 3 | Paris, France | 25 | 13 | 10.8 | 49 |
| 4 | Bucharest, Romania | 77 | 3 | 11 | 46 |
| 5 | Berlin, Germany | 3 | 24 | 10.6 | 46 |
| 6 | Vienna, Austria | 7 | 12 | 10.8 | 43 |
| 7 | Budapest, Hungary | 12 | 6 | 10.8 | 43 |
| 8 | Venice, Italy | 22 | 1 | 10.9 | 39 |
| 9 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 6 | 3 | 10.6 | 39 |
| 10 | Oslo, Norway | 1 | 3 | 10.1 | 37 |
1. Rome, Italy
In first place, Rome is ranked as the best destination to spend Halloween, scoring 51 out of 60 points. The Italian capital city is a well-known tourist hotspot all year round and is popular for its historic monuments, such as the Colosseum and Arch of Constantine.
Rome is an excellent option for a spooky trip, being home to thirty-six ghost tours - including a guided tour of the city’s ancient crypts and catacombs, perfect for getting in the Halloween spirit. Twenty-four cemeteries are dotted throughout the iconic destination, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
With an average of eleven hours of daylight in Rome throughout October, visitors can enjoy the eerie atmosphere after sunset, making it a wonderful destination to spend Halloween.
2. Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic’s capital city, ranks as the second-best location for a ghostly getaway, scoring 50 out of 60 points. The city is said to be home to some of the most haunted structures in Europe, including Sedlec Ossuary, a small chapel housing over 40,000 human bones.
In addition, the city offers thirty-four ghost tours, with visits to Prague’s Old Town and an underground dungeon that’s popular among travellers. Visitors can also expect to bump into a cemetery on their stroll of the city, with twelve in total located across Prague.
On average, there are 10.7 hours of daylight in the Czech capital, creating the perfect environment for a creepy get-together post-sunset.
3. Paris, France
In third place, Paris scored 49 out of 60 points, making it another great option for a Halloween holiday. Known as the ‘City of Love’, Paris has a dark side and is home to frightening catacombs that tempt visitors throughout the year.
Furthermore, with twenty-five ghost tours to choose from, this city isn’t short of frightening excursions. Popular choices include a nighttime walking tour and a visit to the city’s Père Lachaise Cemetery. Overall, Paris is home to thirteen graveyards.
There are also 10.8 hours of daylight in Paris throughout October, on average, creating a spine-tingling evening atmosphere, suitable for trick or treating or taking in the sights!
4. Bucharest, Romania
Creeping closely behind, Bucharest, Romania’s capital city, scored 46 out of 60, placing joint fourth in the rankings. The country has a rich gothic history and is home to Transylvania, the home of Dracula, so it’s no surprise to see the destination rank so highly!
Bucharest is a great location to spend Halloween and is home to some mysterious buildings, such as The Palace of the Parliament, which urban legends say is haunted by ghosts. Additionally, Bucharest offers an impressive seventy-seven ghost tours while also being home to three cemeteries.
With its combination of eleven daylight hours, eerie history, and wide range of ghost tours available, Bucharest is an incredibly suitable location for a scary Halloween stay
5. Berlin, Germany
Berlin ranks as the joint fourth-best destination for a haunting retreat this Halloween, with the German capital scoring 46 out of 60. Steeped in historical significance, the location is home to numerous potentially haunted spots, including Spandau Citadel, a fortress dating back to the medieval era.
There are three ghost tours to take advantage of throughout Berlin. A walking ghost tour that takes place throughout the city at nighttime is a brilliant way to set the scene for a spooky stay. Berlin also has twenty-four cemeteries, adding to the eerie vibe.
With 10.6 daylight hours on average - one of the lowest in the entire ranking - Berlin proves to be a unique and captivating choice for anyone looking for a frightening holiday this Halloween.
6. Vienna, Austria
In joint fifth place, Vienna, the capital of Austria, scored 43 out of 60 points. The city has its fair share of haunted locations, such as Belvedere Palace, which is supposedly home to the ghastly remains of Prince Eugene of Savoy.
Additionally, travellers in Vienna can choose between seven ghost tours, with a guided tour of the city’s underworld a popular choice. There are also twelve cemeteries around the iconic city.
On average, visitors can expect around 10.8 hours of daylight throughout October. It’s easy to see why Vienna is such a suitable choice for travellers this Halloween.
7. Budapest, Hungary
Next, Budapest ranks joint-fifth with Vienna, also scoring 43 out of 60 points. Home to underground cave systems and gothic architecture, the city sets the scene perfectly for a hair-raising trip around Halloween.
In the city, there are twelve ghost tours on offer, including the nighttime dark history and vampire tour, which provides insight into Budapest’s rich folklore and dark legends. In addition, there are six cemeteries around Hungary’s capital city, giving it that extra creepy feel after hours.
Like Vienna, there’s an average of 10.8 daylight hours, so it’s safe to expect dark evenings and an unnerving atmosphere.
8. Venice, Italy
The second Italian city to feature and next on the list, is Venice, scoring 39 out of 60 points overall. The narrow canals and alleyways are the perfect backdrop for a sinister holiday while the city is also home to various haunted establishments such as Doges’ Palace.
Throughout Venice, visitors can enjoy one of twenty-two thrilling ghost tours on offer, including walking tours of the city at night and visits to the mysterious Cannaregio District. Nestled within the city, Venice contains a singular cemetery.
On average, there are around 10.9 hours of daylight each day in October in Venice, making it the perfect choice for a scare-cation.
9. Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Dutch capital, Amsterdam, also scored a scary 39 out of 60 points. If partying is more your style, the city has a vibrant nightlife and a wide range of parties to celebrate Halloween, in costume or without!
Six ghost tours are available to travellers including incredible walking tours of Haarlem and Utrecht - available during both night and day. Additionally, there are three cemeteries to be found throughout Amsterdam.
Throughout October, Amsterdam experiences an average of 10.6 daylight hours, setting the tone for mysterious and eerie evenings on this spooky Halloween holiday.
10. Oslo, Norway
Finally, the tenth city in the ranking is Oslo, scoring 37 out of 60 points. The city is home to several reportedly haunted historic buildings, most noticeably, Akershus Fortress and The Oslo Cathedral.
However, there is only one ghost tour available to travellers, which provides a walking tour of Oslo’s most viral myths and legends and offers chilling insight into popular Norwegian tales. In addition, there are three cemeteries around the city.
Interestingly, with 10.1 average daylight hours, Oslo has the longest nights out of all ten mentioned cities, making it a suitable destination for a frightening adventure.
Methodology
The Spooky Travel Index, created by Riviera Travel, assesses a range of factors to highlight the spookiest destinations around the world, perfect for spending Halloween.
We examined three key areas: the number of ghost tours, cemeteries and the average daylight hours throughout October.
Each destination was then given a score out of 60 and ranked in accordance with the other findings.
The number of ghost tours and cemeteries was sourced from TripAdvisor, while daylight data was obtained from WeatherSpark.
