What Are the Most Haunted Places You Can Actually Visit Around the World?

Whether you’re planning a spooky vacation or just curious about the world’s most paranormal destinations, this guide takes you across every continent to explore real haunted locations open to the public. From abandoned asylums in the U.S. to ghost towns in South America, eerie castles in Europe to haunted forests in Asia, these are places where legends linger, shadows move, and history refuses to stay buried.
Each site on this list is accessible, documented, and steeped in ghost stories, making it perfect for thrill-seekers, paranormal enthusiasts, or anyone craving a travel experience with a supernatural twist.

Ready to build your haunted travel bucket list? Let’s begin 👇

What are the most haunted places in North America?

1. Salem, Massachusetts
   Historic town known for the 1692 witch trials. Museums, graveyards, and ghost tours.
   Open to visitors: Yes
2. St. Augustine, Florida
   Oldest city in the U.S. with haunted lighthouses and forts.
   Open to visitors: Yes
3. New Orleans, Louisiana
   Voodoo, haunted mansions, and eerie cemeteries in the French Quarter.
   Open to visitors: Yes
4. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
   Civil War battlefield with ghost sightings and nighttime tours.
   Open to visitors: Yes
5. Winchester Mystery House, California
   Maze-like mansion built to confuse spirits.
   Open to visitors: Yes
6. Lizzie Borden House, Massachusetts
   Infamous murder site turned B&B.
   Open to visitors: Yes
7. Eastern State Penitentiary, Pennsylvania
   Abandoned prison with ghost tours and Halloween events.
   Open to visitors: Yes
8. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia
   Former psychiatric hospital with guided ghost hunts.
   Open to visitors: Yes
9. Queen Mary, California
   Retired ocean liner turned haunted hotel.
   Open to visitors: Yes
10. Hotel del Coronado, California
    Historic beachfront hotel with ghost legends.
    Open to visitors: Yes

What are the top haunted places in Europe to visit?

1. Edinburgh Vaults, Scotland
   Underground chambers with centuries of ghost stories.
   Open to visitors: Yes
2. Château de Brissac, France
   Haunted castle with overnight stays available.
   Open to visitors: Yes
3. Ancient Ram Inn, England
   One of the most haunted B&Bs in the UK.
   Open to visitors: Yes
4. Catacombs of Paris, France
   Underground ossuary with millions of bones.
   Open to visitors: Yes
5. Poveglia Island, Italy
   Plague island and asylum ruins.
   Open to visitors: No (private tours may be possible)
6. Dragsholm Castle, Denmark
   Haunted by multiple ghosts, including a bishop and a noblewoman.
   Open to visitors: Yes
7. Leap Castle, Ireland
   Known for its “Elemental” spirit and bloody history.
   Open to visitors: Yes (by appointment)
8. Houska Castle, Czech Republic
   Built to seal a “gateway to hell.”
   Open to visitors: Yes
9. Burg Wolfsegg, Germany
   Haunted by the “White Woman” ghost.
   Open to visitors: Yes
10. Zvikov Castle, Czech Republic
    Paranormal activity in the tower and courtyard.
    Open to visitors: Yes

What haunted places in Asia can you actually visit?

1. Bhangarh Fort, India
   Abandoned city with a government warning: no entry after sunset.
   Open to visitors: Yes (daytime only)
2. Aokigahara Forest, Japan
   Dense forest near Mt. Fuji with eerie silence.
   Open to visitors: Yes
3. Lawang Sewu, Indonesia
   Colonial building with haunted basement.
   Open to visitors: Yes
4. Changi Hospital, Singapore
   Abandoned WWII hospital with ghost sightings.
   Open to visitors: No (urban explorers only)
5. Diplomat Hotel – Baguio, Philippines
   Once a wartime refuge turned abandoned retreat, this crumbling hilltop building draws ghost hunters with reports of headless apparitions and unexplained screams.
   Open to visitors: Yes (daytime access)
6. Himeji Castle, Japan
   Home of the ghost Okiku, from a famous legend.
   Open to visitors: Yes
7. Kuldhara Village, India
   Deserted overnight by its residents.
   Open to visitors: Yes
8. Ban Tha Rua, Thailand
   Haunted house with local ghost legends.
   Open to visitors: Yes
9. Seodaemun Prison History Hall – Seoul, South Korea
   Former colonial prison turned museum, known for cold spots, eerie sounds, and a heavy atmosphere in its solitary cells.
   Open to visitors: Yes
10. Manila Film Center, Philippines
    Construction tragedy led to ghost rumors.
    Open to visitors: Yes (limited access)

What are the most haunted places in Africa open to the public?

1. Castle of Good Hope, South Africa
   Colonial fortress with ghost sightings.
   Open to visitors: Yes
2. Groot Constantia Wine Estate, South Africa
   Haunted wine cellar and historic estate.
   Open to visitors: Yes
3. Menengai Crater, Kenya
   Volcanic site with mysterious disappearances.
   Open to visitors: Yes
4. Slave Lodge, Cape Town, South Africa
   Museum with heavy atmosphere and ghost reports.
   Open to visitors: Yes
5. Kyamwilu Hill, Kenya
   Gravity-defying hill with spiritual legends.
   Open to visitors: Yes
6. Kolmanskop, Namibia
   Ghost town buried in sand.
   Open to visitors: Yes

What haunted places in South America are open to visitors?

1. La Recoleta Cemetery, Argentina
   Ornate tombs and ghost legends.
   Open to visitors: Yes
2. Humberstone, Chile
   Abandoned mining town with eerie silence.
   Open to visitors: Yes
3. Sanatorium Durán, Costa Rica
   Crumbling hospital with ghost stories.
   Open to visitors: Yes
4. Palacio de Linares, Spain (often included in Latin lore)
   Haunted mansion with tragic history.
   Open to visitors: Yes
5. El Hotel del Salto, Colombia
   Cliffside hotel turned museum with ghost rumors.
   Open to visitors: Yes
6. Valparaiso, Chile
   Port city with haunted buildings and ghost tours.
   Open to visitors: Yes

What are the most haunted places in Australia?

1. Monte Cristo Homestead, NSW
   Victorian manor with tragic history.
   Open to visitors: Yes
2. Aradale Asylum, Victoria
   Abandoned mental hospital with ghost tours.
   Open to visitors: Yes
3. Fremantle Prison, WA
   Historic prison with night tours.
   Open to visitors: Yes
4. Beechworth Asylum, Victoria
   Former psychiatric hospital with eerie atmosphere.
   Open to visitors: Yes
5. Port Arthur, Tasmania
   Convict site with ghost stories and guided tours.
   Open to visitors: Yes
6. Old Melbourne Gaol, Victoria
   Execution site with paranormal activity.
   Open to visitors: Yes
7. National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra
   Haunted by former mortuary spirits.
   Open to visitors: Yes
8. North Kapunda Hotel, South Australia
   Haunted pub with ghost tours.
   Open to visitors: Yes
9. Q Station, Sydney
   Former quarantine station with ghost tours.
   Open to visitors: Yes
10. Gawler Railway Station, SA
    Haunted by a former stationmaster.
    Open to visitors: Yes

Is there a haunted place in Antarctica you can visit?

1. Whalers Bay – Deception Island
   Abandoned whaling station with tragic history.
   Open to visitors: Yes (via cruise expeditions)

Photo by Ján Jakub Naništa on Unsplash