As far as quintessential ghost experiences go, haunted castles are the crown jewel. Hidden passageways, dungeons frozen in time, and eerie corridors are like catnip for those with a proclivity toward the paranormal. If you identify as a supernatural superfan, a pilgrimage to one of the most notorious royal hauntings around the world is best enjoyed in October, the spooky season. And even if you’re a spectral skeptic, the best castles purporting to be haunted also happen to be set in beautiful landscapes and offer centuries-worth of historical context. (A well-rounded experience, if you will.)
From the English countryside to the green hills of India, all of these ghostly destinations below are open to visitors, with some even offering the rare opportunity to stay overnight—if you dare.
Leap Castle, Ireland
Hunched over an outcrop of the Slieve Bloom Mountains in Ireland’s County Offaly, Leap Castle is one of the country’s most haunted. The ghostly stories take root with the castle’s founding name—Leim Ui Bhanain—which translates to “Leap of the O’Bannons” and is a nod to the O’Bannon clan that built the castle in the early 1500s. As lore goes, two O’Bannon brothers were in conflict over chieftainship of their clan, which was settled by a horrific contest: the two leapt off the outcrop where the castle would eventually sit, the survivor winning the title. Over the centuries, Leap Castle stood as a strategic fortress, changing hands and enduring plenty of bloodshed within its walls. The castle burned to its shell in 1922 and is now part of an ongoing restoration effort by the Ryan family.
Ghosts: There are several documented hauntings within the castle’s walls, with The Elemental being one of its most fascinating. Some believe it has haunted the grounds since they were used for druid initiation ceremonies prior to the castle’s construction. Another theory is that the wife of a prior castle owner (who had a penchant for the occult) summoned The Elemental spirit.
How to Visit: Leap Castle is a private home, but owner Sean Ryan opens for visitors Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to share the estate’s haunted history and cultural significance with dark tourism travelers. A donation is requested to assist with restoration.
Tower of London, England
London’s iconic castle and World Heritage Site is also home to paranormal legends spanning almost a thousand years of gruesome history. In the late 11th century, over the course of about 20 years, William the Conqueror constructed a secure stone tower at the center of his London fortress that would go on to imprison and terrorize enemies within its walls. Many iconic deaths and executions ensued inside the Tower of London, from Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard to Thomas Cromwell and Henry VI, imbuing the notorious structure with a threatening atmosphere even to this day.
Ghosts: Anne Boleyn reportedly stalks the site of her execution on Tower Green, while over at the King’s House still, spine-tingling Arbella Stuart hauntings have been documented (she was the cousin of Elizabeth I who starved to death while under arrest for marrying without royal permission).
How to Visit: The Tower of London is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, with plenty to experience beyond its haunted history. For a unique perspective, join a Yeoman Warder tour to explore the grounds.
Bhangarh Fort, India
Between Jaipur and Alwar in the green hills of Aravallis, the fort of Bhangarh has stood since the 17th century when it was built as a royal palace. During its heyday, there were over 9,000 homes within the scenic township, which were protected by three fortifications and five gates. Bhangarh’s population began to wane starting in 1720, but visitors still flock to its impressive ruins. Also a draw: hauntings. As legend goes, a magician named Singhia placed a curse on the fort and its inhabitants after being rejected by Princess Ratnavati. Another tale claims that an ascetic, Balu Nath, cursed the town when the fort s shadow fell on his dwelling.
Ghosts: Visitors often report an unsettling sense of being watched or sudden drops in temperature while at Bhangarh, while others have spotted apparitions within the fort, including a woman wearing a black saree.
How to Visit: Jaipur is the closet major city and is less than a two-hour drive from the fort, which is open to visitors from sunrise to sunset (after which, it is illegal to enter the premises).
Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
Fans of ghost stories and historic architecture alike will find themselves bewitched by Edinburgh Castle. First constructed as a hill fort upon a strong rock and later developed into a royal castle around 1093, it s one of the oldest fortified places in all of Europe. Its current form is the result of centuries of modifications, destruction, and rebuilding. The castle claims to be the most besieged place in Britain, which helps shed light on why so many restless spirits wander its halls—allegedly.
Ghosts: A fan-favorite ghost of the castle is a piper. Several centuries back, a network of tunnels was discovered at the castle and a piper was sent inside to play, which would allow those at the surface to track him. About halfway through, however, the bagpipes stopped and the boy was never found. The tunnel was eventually sealed, but these days the faint sound of bagpipes is heard from time to time between the castle and palace.
How to Visit: The castle is open daily, and it’s recommended that visitors set aside at least two hours to explore all of the main attractions.
Corvin Castle, Romania
Though Bran Castle attracts hordes of tourists seeking gothic architecture befitting a vampire novel (some believe it inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula), Corvin Castle is arguably the more haunted of the two. This imposing Transylvania castle was erected around 1440 and is one of the largest Gothic-Renaissance castles in Europe. As construction and ownership evolved over the centuries, the fortress imprisoned iconic figures, including (allegedly!) Vlad the Impaler. As the name suggests, this evil figure was known for using gruesome methods of torture and punishment, which is a fate he s said to have endured while in captivity at the castle.
Ghosts: A monk who was sentenced to death for spying and bricked in the wall supposedly haunts the castle’s Capistrano Tower. Other visitors have reported being touched by unseen hands and hearing phantom footsteps.
How to Visit: The castle is open every day to visitors and can be reached by car or train.
Houska Castel, Czech Republic
Constructed in the first half of the 13th century a little over an hour north of Prague, Houska Castle is an enigmatic Gothic structure that was constructed for reasons uncertain—its geographical location appears to have no strategic significance, it wasn’t built as a royal castle, and the remote landscape has no available water sources. According to folklore, the castle was built to seal a gateway to hell, which is covered up by the castle’s two-story chapel.
Ghosts: A supernatural, faceless figure draped in a monk’s hood is said to appear in and around Houska at night.
How to Visit: The castle is best reached by car, and there are guided tours every hour (and only with a guide). Just outside the castle and inside the former carriage house, guests can also visit a hand-carved lime wood inferno inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy.
Franklin Castle, Ohio
You won’t have to travel far to reach this 19th-century castle that looms large on Franklin Boulevard in Cleveland. Its story begins in 1860 when four brothers from Ontario moved to Ohio for school and built a traditional wooden house. When they enlisted as teamsters in the Civil War and only two returned alive, the dark period began. The home was later owned by German immigrants, who tore down the house after the mysterious death of their daughter and rebuilt it as a castle. Franklin Castle changed hands a few more times, and in 1975 while knocking down a wall, human bones were found within the walls. It was made a historical landmark in the ’80s, but in the late ’90s, an arsonist set the castle on fire, causing extensive damage. (He supposedly did so because the property was “pure evil.”) The castle has since been restored and has over 15 rooms, secret chambers, 60 windows, and double brick walls.
Ghosts: Paranormal researchers claim that Franklin Castle may alter a person’s state of mind. The current owners say this can be both a positive and negative experience, calling it an “energetic amplifier.” In other words, don’t come to the castle in a bad mood.
How to Visit: For those brave enough, overnight rooms can be booked, as well as a full buyout of the castle. There are also late-night tours on select dates.
Casa Loma, Canada
Standing tall on a hill in Toronto’s midtown, Casa Loma is a unique architectural landmark that dates back to 1914 when financier Sir Henry Pellatt commissioned the Gothic Revival mansion. It took three years and $3.5 million to build Casa Loma with its stone walls and secret passageways, which paid homage to castles and knights of yore and ultimately earned the nickname of Toronto’s Camelot. Due to crippling financial difficulties, Pellatt was forced to abandon the property less than 10 years later. There are no documented deaths at Casa Loma, yet unexplained phenomena such as disembodied voices and doors opening on their own have continuously been reported by both visitors and staff.
Ghosts: A common sighting takes place in the basement where a woman in white supposedly appears, usually around the end of the day. Some believe she is the spirit of a maid who worked at Casa Loma in the early 1900s when more than 60,000 locals died of influenza.
How to Visit: The castle’s reputation for supernatural encounters is best experienced in October when Casa Loma hosts its Legends of Horror. This theatrical presentation takes the audience through castle tunnels and dark gardens, with characters revealed in an eerily immersive environment.
Himeji Castle, Japan
Hailed as Japan’s best-preserved feudal castle, Himeji is known for both its spectacular white facade and its haunted history. The first fortifications built on the hilltop site were chosen as a strategic defense point to the west of Kyoto and completed in the 1400s, but the castle as it stands today dates back to 1609. Another main draw for visiting Himeji Castle are the over-1000 cherry trees, which are superb to see during sakura cherry blossom season.
Ghosts: A ghost named Okiku is said to haunt the halls of the castle. The woman was allegedly unfairly accused of a crime, executed, and disposed of in the castle’s well.
How to Visit: The castle is open daily and offers tickets to both the castle and nearby Kokoen Garden.
Burg Eltz, Germany
Deep within the Elz Forest, this dreamlike castle has been owned by the same family since construction began in the 12th century. The medieval structure soars atop a high rock and offers dazzling views of the Elzbach Valley and River Eltz (which flows around the base of the castle on three sides). Miraculously, Burg Eltz has remained largely unscarred by wars, and much of its original furnishings and details from the last eight centuries can still be admired by visitors. But despite this, a ghost is still said to haunt one area of the castle.
Ghosts: The ghost of Agnes, the 15th count’s daughter, is said to haunt Burg Eltz after being killed while defending it from the Knight of Braunsberg, her rejected suitor. An insulted Braunsberg attacked the castle, and Agnes, disguised in armor, fought him but was killed. Her spirit is now believed to inhabit the Countess Room.
How to Visit: The castle is open to visitors daily from April to November, and an entrance fee includes a guided tour of the castle, inner courtyard, and treasury.
Chillingham Castle, England
Just 20 minutes from the coastline and surrounded by parkland and historical gardens, you’d never guess this picturesque castle was so notorious for its hauntings. Chillingham Castle began as a monastery in the late 12th century, but soon became a stronghold on the Anglo-Scottish border. After a Scottish raid destroyed the original manor in 1296, a heavily fortified castle was built. A few of Chillingham’s claims to fame include the fact that King Edward I stayed at the castle on his journey to confront William Wallace. There’s also a rare and ancient breed of wild white cattle that have lived in the park for centuries. And most importantly: Chillingham is often described as the most haunted castle in England, with over one hundred alleged ghosts.
Ghosts: Spend some meditative time in the chapel to listen for the voices of two men who are often heard chatting.
How to Visit: The castle offers a robust assortment of ghost tours and hunts, as well as the option to book a three-course meal before or afterward in the Minstrels’ Hall.
