Castle of Good Hope, Capetown, South Africa.
Built by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century, this star fort is South Africa's oldest colonial building. This majestic edifice is notorious for its supernatural activity and has some of the standard ghosts — a tall gentleman who reportedly walks the ramparts and has been seen leaping off the side; a crying woman (the spectral lady in grey, ghost of Lady Anne Barnard) whose haunting ceased when her body was discovered in later excavations; and the ghostly bell ringer who’s chimes echo in the dead of night. But this castle also claims a supernatural canine that jumps up on guests as they walk the halls.
Tower of London, England.
Medieval England was not a warm and fuzzy place, especially under the rule of power-hungry and often insecure kings. This historic castle on the banks of the River Thames has witnessed over 1,000 years of England's turbulent history. Centuries of imprisonments, beheadings, and betrayals imbue the Tower with a spectral ambiance. The most infamous phantom is Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's beheaded queen, who's said to roam the grounds, head in hands. The Tower of London also claims the headless ghost of Lady Jane Grey and several other royals who were murdered by their more powerful husbands or uncles.
Island of the Dolls, Xochimilco, Mexico.
The creepy factor with this one is pretty high. Located within the canals of Xochimilco, the island is known for the hundreds of dolls hanging from its trees. The trees, festooned with dilapidated dolls weathered by time, create an eerie atmosphere. In the 1950s, a man named Julian, who was the caretaker of the island, sensed the spirit of a young girl who had drowned was also present on the island. In an attempt to calm her spirit, he bought hundreds of dolls and hung them from the trees in an attempt to make her happy. Some say he was driven mad by the thought that he could not save her. Later, Julian was found drowned in the same spot the girl had died. Today, residents of the island say many spirits haunt the dolls, and at night, some claim these dolls whisper and move, driven by unseen forces.
Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta, Canada.
This majestic hotel, set against the dramatic and moody backdrop of the Canadian Rockies, claims a few friendly spirits and a few cranky ones. One kindly ghost is a former bellhop who reportedly offers to help guests with their luggage. And guests report sightings of a ghostly bride, who tragically died on her wedding day, dancing alone in one of the ballrooms.
Catacombs of Paris, France.
Beneath the vibrant boulevards and picturesque cafés of Paris lies a dark, sprawling realm of the dead: the Catacombs. This extensive underground ossuary holds the remains of over six million souls, giving it the chilling epithet, "The World's Largest Grave." Visitors often feel unseen eyes upon them, watching from the skeletal-lined walls, occasionally interrupted by inscriptions and other memento mori. The Catacombs came into existence in the late 18th century as officials decided to exhume skeletal remains from the overflowing cemeteries of Paris and store them in part of the abandoned quarries that underpinned much of the city.
Over the years, the Catacombs have become the subject of countless legends. Whispered tales speak of individuals who've gotten lost in its labyrinthine tunnels, wandering in the dark until they met their untimely end. The ghostly presence of these lost souls, and perhaps others from centuries past, are said to haunt the tunnels, their whispers echoing in the cold, still air. The Catacombs provide a haunting, unforgettable journey into the city's shadowy underbelly and its storied past, which has inspired numerous works of literature and film, acting as a haunting backdrop for tales of horror and suspense.
Port Arthur, Tasmania.
Once an inescapable penal settlement, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Port Arthur has a rich and eerie history. Visitors today report seeing apparitions of long-departed convicts and hearing the eerie sounds of chains and disembodied cries. The staple nighttime ghost tours, a 90 minute lantern-lit tour of Port Arthur after dark, gives you exclusive nighttime access to the World Heritage-listed historic site. Stories are told of the paranormal, documented from convict times to modern-day, while you make your way through some of Port Arthur's most haunted buildings and ruins.
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