Spooky Places To Visit Around The World

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Jenn: Welcome back to the travel mug podcast. Uh, Spooky season is here. And we thought it would be fun to look for some kind of spooky places around the world to visit.

Meggan: So that is fun.

Jenn: It is! Meggan, do you like scary paranormal things?

Meggan: Like quote unquote, like isn't probably a word I would necessarily use. Now, I think being a little scared without imminent danger is kind of fun.

Jenn: Mm-hmm

Meggan: like it's a little bit of an adrenaline rush, but I do scare very easily. I have to say, like in our apartment, Jokingly. If Peter chases me up the stairs, I howl like as if a complete stranger is chasing me and I can't control it. So how I say I like it at all. I have no idea. Like I'm okay with scary movies and I will go to haunted houses for like a bit of a fun scare. But also I'm terrified. So I guess I like it a little.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: What about you?

Jenn: Fair! I definitely am more of a chicken now than when I was younger. I used to love scary movies and then I got traumatized by the grudge.

Meggan: Right.

Jenn: And I slept in the living room with the light on for like a week. right. That terrified me.

That being said, like, I love a good ghost story. And like with most of the places that we chat about in this episode, it's really steeped in history as well.

Meggan: Yeah.

Jenn: Which is what I love. I find really interesting. I don't love the like haunted corn, maze-y things for people really like jumping out and like he chasing you with a chainsaw or whatever like that is. I have no interest in that.

Meggan: Yeah, I've done that actually. I have, and Peter's not scared. Peter's also scared of weird things that doesn't scare him at all. That scares me very much.

Jenn: Yeah. I'm, I'm, I'm not about that, but anyway, we're gonna go through, I think like nine or 10 places to visit and let's start it off with halifax slash Nova Scotia. Cause

Meggan: why don't we?

Jenn: How could we not? We had to do this one first. So Meggan and her husband, Peter and me and my husband, Ryan, we did the Halifax ghost walk together was fall 2020. Was that when that was?

Meggan: I thought it was 20, 21, but honestly,

Jenn: no, I, I was already living in Liverpool by fall 2021. So yeah,

I know. I was like,

Meggan: honestly, those years just blended. I have no idea anymore. I,

Jenn: two years gone by anyway. It was really fun. We got to learn about some Halifax history and some ghost stories. And it was a really good tour. I know that they've, they've been really busy this year and selling out, which is amazing.

Meggan: Oh, awesome.

Jenn: Yeah, you do have to book those in advance and they run all summer and into the fall. So it's not just spooky season where you can do that tour.

Meggan: Right.

Jenn: But I bet that October is probably more popular, so definitely book those more in advance for sure.

Meggan: Yeah, for sure.

Jenn: You can also do Halifax Citadel on certain nights in the summer and fall does a ghost tour there where you can go down into the Dungeons. It's very spooky and fun. We've done that one before as well. Okay. And then honestly, like all over Nova Scotia does different ghost tours. So there's like haunted Lunenberg there's valley ghost walk their graveyard, candlelight tours in Annapolis royal are still postponed in 2022. I know. I'm like, guys, come on, come on. But they're planning to be back for 2023 and it's been on my list now for like four years. So hopefully eventually.

Meggan: Better luck next year.

Jenn: Yeah. If you are looking for some recommended reading, I will recommend Bluenose Ghosts is it's quite a big book and it was written a little quite a while ago now, I guess, but lots of different ghost stories from all around Nova Scotia. And I remember loving reading that when I was younger. And then, like we said, if you're into really being scared and being chased by deranged people with chainsaws that I know they're not actually gonna hurt you, but. Ugh. Anyway, the river breeze, haunted corn maze might be for you. Their tagline is you'll pay to get in, but you'll pray to get out. So I think that tells you everything you need to know.

Meggan: Yeah. And I remember when we went to like, obviously, I don't think it's an event, you can buy tickets in line, but the line gets really long.

Yeah.

And of course in the evenings. So if you can like leave, like if you wanna attend that, I think it's just outside of Truro. Mm-hmm and if you do want to attend it, like you should probably leave, like right after work, if you can just to get there. Night comes fast in October. So I mean, you, it will still be dark when you do it, but get there as soon as possible to sort of not stand in a terribly long cold line

Jenn: for sure. All right. Where are we off to now?

Meggan: We're off to the US of A we're gonna go to Salem, Massachusetts. Of course. How could we not include this? I've been a couple times, however, during the time of like 1692, 1693, Salem, Massachusetts was a much scarier place than it is now. During that time, I'm sure as most people know, around 200 people were accused of being witches. They were tried. Some were found guilty. Thankfully one was too many, but I think like 16 or something were found guilty and then put to death in a number of like terrible ways. The internet mostly says people were put to death by hanging. However, when we did our witch walk. A tour actually led by a resident witch.

He described other methods. So I don't know. And over the year, Salem has become like a spooky destination for people, of course. At Halloween it's very popular, but really all year long. And there is poignant site on Liberty street you can visit, which is a Memorial to the people who were persecuted. You can learn their names and if you do a tour. You do get to learn a bit more about these people, but I mean, you could always Google them as well. If the tour is not in your budget,

Jenn: mm-hmm

Meggan: I think it's always important to put faces, you know, to names and not forget that kind of stuff. Cuz it is, it, it did actually happen. We've been to Salem like I mentioned, a couple of times once was actually at Halloween which was really cool and it does feel a little bit eerie. And of course that time of year anyway is more gray, more chilly. It just seems eerie. Um, And there's a few things you can do in terms of like spooky spots.

So there's the Salem witch museum. There is what is known as the witch house, which actually belonged to Jonathan Corwin, one of the most infamous judges of the witch trials. Um, And if that's not enough, like witchiness for you, if witchiness is a word you can also go to the witch dungeon museum. It's a bit kitchy, but it allows you to see witch trial and realize kind of like the absurdity and also real sadness of the times as well.

We also visited a haunted house when we were there in October. Again, I was scared and Peter was not but it did get the adrenaline pumping. It was fun. And of course, Salem really does, has a have a lot more to offer. But it has a spooky history, spooky attraction. So definitely add it to your list if that's kind of what you're going for.

One moment of levity though, was when we did leave a restaurant, there was a statue of Elizabeth Montgomery who of course played Samantha on the old show, Bewitched. So a bit of a lighter side of which is there as well. But it's, you know, it's overall a pretty cool.

Jenn: Yeah, it sounds really cool. And I know a lot of people tend to flock there in October. So if you're planning to do that book, book ahead, book,

Meggan: I know and plan to like, you know, find parking maybe more outside the downtown core. Cuz she gets busy.

Jenn: I bet I, yeah.

Meggan: Where to next Jenn?

Jenn: All right. Let's talk about universal studios and Disney. So if you're into things like the haunted houses and that sort of thing.

So universal studios is in Orlando Los Angeles, Japan and Singapore. So all of the, all of the. Universal studios do a Halloween horror nights. So it's a separately ticketed event, so it's not included in like a regular day park ticket. It happens on certain nights of the week in September and October, sometimes in early November. I think the, the first ones have already happened. Beginning of September. So basically they have like haunted houses that you can walk through and they have themes. And a lot of them are themed after like movies or TV shows or that sort of thing. So this year they have one themed after Halloween, like the classic horror movie with Michael Myers. One based on the Weeknd, like, the rapper. I'm not really sure what that one,

Meggan: like the Canadian rapper the Weeknd?

Jenn: Yeah. I don't know what that's about.

Meggan: What evs

Jenn: yes. One based on the horrors of Blumhouse, which I think is a horror movie that I have not watched. And then there's more, and then there's also scare zones where there's like scare actors walking around and they'll coming right up to you. Looks way too scary for me. but I do enjoy watching it on YouTube from the comfort of my own home. Um,

Meggan: From afar

Jenn: I would recommend vlogger named the Tim tracker. So he does basically exclusively Disney and universal studios in Florida. vlogging. So he's got lots of videos from, he already has ones from this year and then ones from years past. I haven't watched it yet, but he did have a, a video about Halloween horror nights for scaredy cats. So might have watch

Meggan: he found your people

Jenn: for something less terrifying. Disney does a Mickey's not so scary halloween party, which is much more my speed in Orlando, they do something in California. And I can't remember what it's called right now. Um, Oogie boogie bash. That's what it's called.

Meggan: You didn't remember Oggie boogie bash that would like, should be stamped in your brain.

Jenn: I know Oggie boogie bash so anyway, I'm going to, Mickey's not so scary in October, the end of October. So I will let you know all about it. I have done it before, but I'm gonna give you a fresh rendition of what it's like for this year when I come back.

Meggan: Excellent. Well, I look forward to that. So just gonna take away from the levity for a moment, because our next place is like truly kind of spooky, eerie, evil, cetera. So in Germany, off the beaten path without much signage. As deserve like zero fanfare. You can find the Bergoff, which is the former residence frequented by Germany's former leader during a dark history in time. I think I said this when we did my trip review, he who shall not be named Peter and I do watch a lot of historical shows from that time period, world war II. And we're true believers of sort of being able to face the history to ensure it doesn't repeat itself. To never forget. So on our most recent trip, we did just that.

And one of the sites we visited, like I said was the Bergoff. There's nothing left of it, mostly except a retaining wall. So we had to ask where to find it. The woman gave us kind of a strange look. And then we had to walk aways to get there. And even though nothing really remains it was one of the eeriest and spooky places I have ever been. So nature has grown up around it, trying to cover up the past. But honestly, I feel like I could really feel sort of the evil lingering. It was foggy. That was, it was evil. So while nature is doing its best to try to erase the past, like we really can't forget it and going to a place like that, steeped in a lot of history, even though, it's not great history. It's still history. And where some like horrific decisions were likely made. It's probably the spookiest place I have ever been.

Jenn: Mm-hmm that's fair. Yes. Yes. Definitely seems spooky. So

Meggan: it is, but where to next?

Jenn: Next we are going to Transylvania, home-

Meggan: as we should

Jenn: of Dracula or... sort of- at least Vlad the Impaler so Transylvania I hadn't really looked into it before doing research for this episode, but it looks fun to visit all year, but especially around Halloween. So you can visit Bran castle. They do a special Halloween experience, this year it's on October 29th. And they have like a nighttime party experience. For adults only that's like much scarier than the whole daytime thing.

Meggan: Right.

Jenn: There's a special vampire gourmet dinner. I dunno what they're serving there, but

yeah, I'd, I'd nervous I don't know if it would be vegan.

Meggan: No.

Jenn: Yeah. Around the city. There's a Dracula themed restaurant. It's like supposedly the house where Vlad the, I woo. Vlad, the Impaler was born. There's lots of castles and like just kind of places connected to him as well. The Citadel in the old town Sighișoara is a UNESCO world heritage site. It looks,

Meggan: I love that.

Jenn: Absolutely beautiful. They also host a Halloween party, but I couldn't find details online when I just saw like places that say they have a Halloween thing. I'm like, oh, tell me more. But there, there wasn't really more information. So if you have information let me know. But I would say Transylvania is now officially on my bucket list. It looks absolutely gorgeous.

Meggan: Yeah. We have a couple of friends who have been to Romania and that was one of the main reasons that they went there. Yeah. Romania is inexpensive, very inexpensive. And also of course, if this interests you as well, like they had a spectacular time so I could see why it would be for sure.

Jenn: Yes. All right. Next.

Meggan: Next. So we're gonna talk now about the Paris catacombs. Now, obviously we've talked about Paris just recently. I've been a few times once for a long period of time, but I never visited the catacombs also, I think like 2004, Meggan didn't really care about any of that kind of stuff. Like it wasn't on my radar, so I will give her a pass . Did you and Ryan visit when you went?

Jenn: No, we didn't. It was something that was on my list that we just kind of didn't make it to, and I am very sad. So one day we'll get back to Paris and we will do this for sure.

Meggan: Exactly. And well, since that time, Peter and I have actually watched a TV show about the catacombs and then wondered, you know, why didn't we go?

Although I have to say, we just went from London to Paris for a day trip. So, I mean, you couldn't do it all. Yeah. But a bit of housekeeping first about the catacombs. You have to buy a ticket online to visit. There's just no other option. The catacombs are open Tuesday to Sunday at the price for an adult it's a 27 or 29 euros. Not sure what the difference is. So just plan for 29 um, and you can get an audio guide to help you along as you go through the catacombs. So as for the catacombs themselves they are 20 meters underground. And it's actually called an ossuary I had to look up online how to say that word , which is a container or room where the bones of dead people are placed.

So the ossuary here has the bones slash sort of skulls, obviously, of millions of Parisians, and they literally line the walls with them. It is one of the world's oldest ossuaries, and also one of the few that's underground. So it's called the Paris catacombs, which got its mythical name from like the Roman catacombs.

And these were begun around 1785 due to public health problems with aboveground cemeteries. And the decision was made to move the remains underground, which was a quarry. So the workers at the quarry were then to stack the bones, which really sounds like a terrible job. No thank you. But you do what you gotta do, I guess.

They were open to the public the catacombs themselves by appointment in 1809. So people have been going a long time. It was very busy with both Parisians and also foreigners, which I'm sure is the case now as well, because now they do receive upwards of 550,000 visitors per year. If I may it back to Paris, I definitely want to go mm-hmm

And really the idea for people to visit is to encourage visitors, to reflect, take time to of course ponder death, and really that also, I think, often leads to pondering life. So I can imagine leaving there and just being really thankful to be alive. Yeah. So I am sure that is what happens when a lot of people visit.

Jenn: Hmm. Very interesting. And yeah, sad. Neither one of us have made it there, but eventually

Meggan: another thing for the list! Where are we off to?

Jenn: Next up we're off to Ireland. Meggan, did you know that Ireland is known as the birthplace of Halloween?

Meggan: I didn't,

Jenn: no. Halloween can be traced back to Celtic festival. Called Samhain which was held on the night of October 31st to celebrate the end of the harvest season.

Meggan: Okay.

Jenn: And welcome in the dark part of the year, which

Meggan: yes.

Jenn: You know, winter is coming they also believe that the barriers between the physical and the spiritual world would break during that time, which is why you get sort of the spiritualness of that night.

So,

okay.

In today in Ireland, there is the Púca, Púca, P something P U C a Halloween festival. Which takes place in different locations around Ireland, they have like live music, haunted walking tours, a parade processional thing. Apparently the food is really good. They have really good food scene here. Other events there's like tricker treat trails, pumpkin carving workshops, a haunted maze called farmaphobia. That looked absolutely terrifying.

Meggan: farmaphobia. Wow.

Jenn: It was like, the picture was like a terrifying scarecrow that it was. Mm,

Meggan: not your jam

Jenn: not for me. and then also in Northern Ireland, no, Nope. Northern Ireland. The mouthful. My mouth is not working today. You can go to Europe's biggest Halloween festival in Derry, London derry

so they have parades fireworks, workshops St. Tour storytelling. Oh my God. Live music.

Meggan: You got this

Jenn: and the awakening of the walls.

Meggan: I don't know what this is, but that already sounds terrifying to me. I don't want that to happen.

Jenn: It's a walled city. So they have like haunting tales of the past see spooktacular, haunted windows, and alleys and performances by local and international artists. So the festival takes place over four days. This year in 2022. It is October 28th to 31st. It does look very fun and fun for all levels of scariness, I think,

Meggan: right.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: Right. You can be a little scared or like a lot scary

Jenn: or like you can go to farmaphobia. Um, no, thank you.

Meggan: Sounds like people are scared of like pharmacies, but it's farm with an f

Jenn: yes, yes, yes. Like a farm it's it's not for me anyway.

Meggan: That's okay. And that is okay. You can choose your own adventure with those goings ons. Yeah. . All right. Well, next we're gonna go to Turkey cuz why not? Although it's not called Turkey anymore, but I do not know how to pronounce Turkey -yay I really don't know how to pronounce the way they've changed their country name. So I do apologize, but there is a Cistern in Istanbul that I wanna talk about. So it is a country that's definitely on my list of places. The history there is incredible. And as we've talked about in the past, in our buckets list, episode, Cappadocia is definitely on my bucket list. And recently Peter and I were watching one of our favorite YouTubers that I've talked about before Gabriel traveler.

He was in Istanbul and he loves a church or a Basilica. Honestly, if I'm visiting myself, that's one thing, but he goes to them a lot. So sometimes I just tune out. I'm gonna be really honest but he was really insistent for this one that even though the line was long, he really wanted to visit. So I'm like, well, maybe there's actually like a, a bigger reason.

And so. I did a bit of research and there are actually hundreds of ancient cisturns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, but this one has a spooky element to it. And for those who don't know, specifically cisturns are reservoirs that are built to catch in store rainwater. They aren't Wells because they actually have like waterproof linings. So it's a little bit of a different system, right? So this one now serves as a museum. So people aren't trouncing around like the city's drinking water, which

Jenn: cool. My gosh,

Meggan: which I think is key to mention.

Jenn: Yes, yes.

Meggan: This one is very old and it actually so old that it was rediscovered in 1544.

Jenn: Wow.

Meggan: Right? Right. So in watching the videos and reading a little bit about it, it's a very like peaceful seeming place. It is dark. It has like high, high ceilings. The pictures are beautiful. And how it is lit already gives you this like spooky vibe. However, on the Northwest edge of the cisturn and you will find two Medusa heads, which are used to support under two different columns in case you aren't aware. The myth of Medusa or one of them is that she was incredibly beautiful. And in love with Perseus who is the son of Zeus, cuz why wouldn't he be? There was another chick though. Her name was Athena also in love with Perseus so the myth is that Athena cursed Medusa. Turning her beautiful hair to snakes and her glance would turn men to stone.

That's just one of the myths of Medusa. So to walk around really this cistern with its low lighting, high ceilings, it's very quiet. Apparently like people talk in hush tones and then to come upon two statue heads of Medusa really only adds to sort of the spooky mood

Jenn: mm-hmm .

Meggan: So I did look at prices for a self-guided tour. The cost converted into Canadian from Turkish Lira was a $1.36

Jenn: oh,

Meggan: so it's very budget friendly. Yeah. And a guided tour does range around 12 euros. So the line, when we were watching, of course the video was long. So it will depend, although from my, what I recall, even though the line was very long during the video, it took them about 30 minutes to get in. So not too, too bad,

Jenn: not bad. No, don't be scared of the line! Right on.

Meggan: All right. Where are we off to

Jenn: we're back in the US of A, at sleepy hollow,

Meggan: of course

Jenn: is a real place. I, I did know that, but anyway, here we are real place and you could actually take the train there in just after an hour from Manhattan, which I was like, oh, ,

Meggan: I didn't know this either.

Jenn: It sounds really cool. Anyway, what has turned this seemingly normal small town into a Halloween destination? It is, of course, the legend of sleepy hollow. Which was a book written by Washington Irving it's a collection of short stories, but of course the most famous that we picture is the headless horseman.

Meggan: Right.

Jenn: So every year Sleepy hollow kind of comes alive with Halloween festivities. So they do cemetery tours, haunted hayrides, parades, street fairs, farmer's markets, and the great Jack'o'latern blaze, where more than 7,000 hand carved, illuminated pumpkins are set against the mysterious backdrop of 18th century buildings.

Meggan: That sounds really cool.

Jenn: It looks super fun. Events apparently do sell out. So buy the tickets in advance. It just like, it looks so fun that after I looked this up, I was like, well, I think I know where I'm going next october.

Meggan: no, that, that does sound really cool. The only thing about such cool things is other people find it cool too. So it's always, usually busy.

Jenn: That's true, but this looks really cool. And being only like an hour by train for Manhattan, it's a really easy add on to a trip to New York city as well, and nice to get outside of the city too.

Meggan: Yeah, no, it'll take away from that for sure. That sounds, that sounds awesome. I, I had no idea it was so close.

Jenn: No me either. Oh, there you.

Meggan: All right. Well, finally our last suggestion is really to look for spooky tours where you are visiting. So just as an example Jack the ripper tour in London, so lots of cities and towns have historical events that kind of Teeter on the paranormal or spooky or tragic side of life.

So suggestion, we have. To look into the history of where you're going and see if there's a tour you can join. I've already of course mentioned the witch walk. Jenn's talked about the ghost tours in Halifax. And another tour that I did, like I mentioned, was the Jack, the ripper walking tour in London in 2016.

So of course it was the greyest of London days.

Jenn: Cool.

Meggan: It just, it was so fitting. Our guide was Steve. I remember this very clearly and he took us to all the various sites of interest in regards to Jack the ripper, which was in the events took place in and around white chapel. He Jack the ripper was an unidentified serial killer who terrorized the neighborhood in 1888. Now there's lots of rumors who he could have been, et cetera, but nothing's ever been a hundred percent determined. So that, for that one, while it was spooky, you at least know it was many, many years ago. yeah. That particular rampage happened. So it didn't freak me out as much as something that would've, let's say been more recent. Yeah. But still it was worth doing. And the, and the cost I saw online as low 12 pounds. So it, it is also affordable. Mm-hmm and so really these kind of tours are prevalent in other cities and countries. So if you do your research, you can find something that's right for you.

Jenn: Mm-hmm

Meggan: I've even seen ghost tours walking through the streets in the evening in bar Harbor, like literally it's everywhere. So if the city you're visiting has a particular event it was big in history. Take a look around it might it might allow you to find something unexpected and something you of course could attend during your time there. And if a big event happened, you know, that place we'll try to capitalize on it.

Jenn: Oh yeah. That's I mean, of course. Yeah, of course. When we visited Edinburgh just a couple of months ago, there were lots of like ghost tours and they of course had witch trials there as well. And I think Edinburgh is known as being one of the most like haunted places in Europe. So yeah, it's, it's wherever you look, right? Like you can probably find anything. I even know my tiny town of Liverpool has done some kind of spooky things in the past. I don't think they're doing anything this year, but. You can find things. Google is your friend.

Meggan: Oh, definitely. For sure.

Jenn: All right. On that note, we'll leave you with your spooky thoughts and maybe some places to add to your travel bucket list. Come hang out with us on social media at travel mug podcast. Let us know what you're doing to celebrate the spooky season this year. Let us know it's on your bucket list. We'll be sharing some pictures of some stuff that we've done.

You can support the show on buy me a coffee.

Meggan: Why wouldn't you wanna do that, right?

Jenn: No, we love coffee. Yeah. Leave us you on apple podcast or Spotify. Share the show with a spooky travel loving pal and we will talk to you again soon.

Meggan: Bye everybody.

Jenn: Bye!