Oct
31
Written by:
REL Blogger
RailEuropeUK
Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:38:02 GMT
Ghouls and ghosts, witches and warlocks. It’s not just the kids that love Halloween. Go on, admit it, you do too. We’ve come up with our top 5 creepy places to visit in Europe. Think we’ve got it wrong? Tell us what you would have in your top 5.
- Hallstatt Ossuary – Austria
A truly bizarre, yet popular, tourist attraction, the Hallstatt Ossuary is home to over 600 painted human skulls. Centuries ago the bodies of village folk were exhumed to make room in the cemeteries. Their skulls would then be bleached and painted by family members before being placed in the ossuary. The best way to get to Hallstatt is by local train from Salzburg. It’s a straightforward train journey from London to Salzburg, with just two changes – at Paris and Munich.
- Bran Castle – Romania
Home to the legendary character Dracula and alleged home to Vald the Impaler, Bran Castle is well worth a visit. The fortress’ lofty position, its labyrinth of narrow corridors and imposing woodland coupled with tales of vampires and devils makes for a very spooky experience. An InterRail pass is a great way to see Romania, head towards Brno station to visit the castle.
- T’Spookhuys – Belgium
T’Spookhuys (the spook house to you and me) is also known as the House of 1000 ghosts. The restaurant was designed to spook its customers but has been abandoned since 2008 due to rumours of satanic rituals and devil worship. Experience this creepy restaurant for yourself, a Eurostar train from London to Brussels starts from just £69 return.
- Paris catacombs – France
Popular with tourists all year round, the catacombs in Paris are especially spooky around Halloween. Bones of the dead line the walls of these underground tunnels. Rumour has it vampires used to seek refuge amongst the bones. Day or night, these catacombs are pretty terrifying. It’s just over 2 hours by Eurostar to Paris. Dare you go alone?
- Capuchin Crypt – Czech Republic
Visit the Capuchin Crypt in Brno and you’ll see mummified bodies of monks. Creepily the bodies are pretty much intact; their sunken cheeks and leathery skin are still visible. This is definitely not for the squeamish. Brno is a two-and-a-half-hour train ride from Prague.
