Top 10 Ghost Tours

A 2006 survey revealed that 36% of participants believe in haunted locations, while 20% are convinced that communication with the dead is possible [source: Clark Felty].

It’s no wonder that many dedicate their vacations to chasing the supernatural. Ghost tours offer the chance to encounter spirits or, at the very least, immerse yourself in eerie folklore. Some join these tours spontaneously, while others meticulously plan trips to explore multiple haunted sites.

The thrill of a ghost tour varies—ranging from a guide’s chilling narratives to actual paranormal encounters. For instance, on a Charleston, S.C., ghost tour, visitors have claimed to lose consciousness in the dungeon, alleging they were suffocated and felt ghostly breaths on their necks. Pregnant women on the same tour have reported being harassed by the spirit of a woman who died during childbirth, feeling their unborn babies kick and even experiencing contractions. Some left the tour early, and a few fainted.

In recent years, television programs such as "A Haunting," "Ghost Hunters," and "Most Haunted" have amplified the public's fascination with the supernatural. While modern technology and TV trends have fueled this interest, the allure of ghosts is far from new. Ghost stories have long been a cornerstone of ancient mythologies, and literature has always embraced spectral figures. William Shakespeare, for instance, used ghosts in plays like "Hamlet" to bridge past actions with present events.

If you're eager to join a ghost tour, where should you begin? Nearly every city boasts at least one company offering guided tours of haunted locations. However, ghost tourism thrives in areas rich with historical significance—places where architecture echoes the past and human tragedies. Enthusiasts claim spirits can appear anywhere, from private homes to prisons and public spaces. But is this true? Let’s delve deeper.

10: The Catacombs, Paris

The Catacombs of Paris, an extensive underground labyrinth holding the remains of over 6 million Parisians, have inspired writers like Victor Hugo and Umberto Eco. This site is also a prime destination for ghost hunters. Beneath Paris lies a sprawling tunnel system spanning approximately 185 miles, though much of it is off-limits due to safety concerns. However, the Catacombs, located deep within the city, remain open to those drawn to the eerie and mysterious [source: Associated Press].

The Catacombs originated in the late 18th century when the Cimetière des Saints-Innocents, a cemetery in use for over 10 centuries, became a health hazard. In 1785, the cemetery was emptied, and its remains were moved to abandoned quarries on the city's outskirts. For decades, horse-drawn carriages draped in black transported bones from various cemeteries to this underground resting place. Millions of remains were eventually arranged into intricate walls and pillars made of skulls and bones.

Due to the perceived disrespect toward the deceased, the Catacombs of Paris are often regarded as one of the world's most haunted locations. Visitors have recounted eerie experiences, such as feeling invisible hands touching them, being followed, or even sensing strangulation. Whether it's the overwhelming sight of countless bones or something more sinister, the Catacombs have left many visitors trembling with fear [source: Whittaker].

Curious to explore whether spirits inhabit the Catacombs of Paris? Embark on a self-guided tour at the Catacombs of Paris Museum. Descend over 60 feet (18.29 meters) below ground to witness walls lined with bones and walk through more than a mile (1.6 kilometers) of tunnels, where the remains of over 6 million individuals rest [source: Catacombs of Paris Museum].

9: Savannah, Ga.

The American South boasts a storied past, but few cities rival the intriguing history of Savannah, Ga. This charming mid-sized city is often described by the unofficial motto, "Savannah was built on its dead," as parts of the city were constructed atop vast cemeteries containing thousands of graves. This may explain why Savannah is renowned for its paranormal activity [source: Hoevel].

Several factors contribute to Savannah's reputation as a haven for ghosts and spirits. Established as a debtor colony in the 18th century, the city witnessed battles during the American Revolution and was occupied by General Sherman's Union Army during the Civil War. With countless reports of spectral sightings, the American Institute of Parapsychology declared Savannah America's Most Haunted City in 2002.

A must-visit on any Savannah ghost tour is the Pirates' House, one of Georgia's oldest restaurants and taverns. A favorite among sailors in the 18th and 19th centuries, local lore claims that Captain Flint from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island" met his end here. The Pirates' House also features an underground tunnel leading to the Savannah River.

Another renowned spot for ghosts is the Sorrel-Weed House, a grand 1838 mansion featured on shows like "Ghost Hunters" and "The Today Show." Visitors have reported hearing phantom sounds of war, marching bands, or parties when the house is empty, while others have felt unsettling vibrations.

Paranormal activity often requires personal experience to be believed. Given its ghostly reputation, Savannah offers numerous haunted tours that delve into the city's most eerie locations. For a comprehensive exploration, Sixth Sense Savannah provides a two-hour guided tour, blending local history with chilling tales of ghostly encounters [source: Sixth Sense Savannah].

8: Whitechapel, London

London, with its shadowy, misty streets, seems an ideal setting for ghosts, and the city offers no shortage of ghost tours. Visitors can delve into London's haunted past through various bus and walking tours, covering everything from Bloody Mary to ancient plague pits. Richard Jones, a magician, storyteller, and author of "Walking Haunted London," leads some of the city's most sought-after tours. Known for his expertise in psychic and paranormal phenomena, Jones is particularly knowledgeable about Jack the Ripper lore [source: McLaughlin].

The brutal murders of five (or possibly six) women in London's Whitechapel district in 1888 sent shockwaves across the globe. The killer, known only as "Jack the Ripper," remains an enduring mystery, drawing ghost hunters, history enthusiasts, and fans of the macabre to Whitechapel. Between August and November 1888, the unidentified killer targeted prostitutes, mutilating their bodies in a manner that led some experts to speculate he had medical or anatomical knowledge [source: BBC].

The Jack the Ripper walk begins nightly at 7 p.m. from the Aldgate East underground station. This tour guides visitors through Whitechapel's historic streets, shedding light on the area's social history, the killer's clues, and the ensuing police investigation. A key stop on any Jack the Ripper tour is the Ten Bells Pub, where one of the victims was last seen before her body was found nearby.

7: Salem, Mass.

Over three centuries have passed since the Salem Witch Trials, yet this New England town remains deeply connected to one of America's darkest chapters. Between 1692 and 1693, more than 200 individuals in colonial Massachusetts were accused of witchcraft, with 20 ultimately executed.

In 1692, the young daughters of Reverend Samuel Parris, aged 9 and 11, began exhibiting bizarre behavior, including making strange noises and throwing objects. A local doctor attributed their actions to supernatural causes. Under pressure from magistrates, the girls accused three women of bewitching them. This led to the women's imprisonment and sparked widespread hysteria in Salem. By May 1692, Governor William Phipps established a special court to handle witchcraft cases, which convicted numerous individuals based on spectral evidence—testimony rooted in dreams and visions [source: Blumberg].

A must-visit for ghost hunters and tourists alike is the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, famously known as the House of the Seven Gables. Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose cousin Susannah Ingersoll once lived there, immortalized the house in literature. Legend claims Ingersoll's spirit still lingers, with visitors reporting unexplained phenomena. Today, the mansion serves as a museum and is part of the House of the Seven Gables Historic District.

To explore Salem's eerie past, Salem Historical Tours offers the Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour, an evening excursion through historic streets that recounts the events of the 1692 witch trials. The tour includes visits to Salem's oldest cemetery and the Witch Trials Memorial, a tribute to the innocent victims of the Salem Witch Trials [source: Salem Historical Tours].

6: Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Louisville, Ky.

Louisville, known for its horse racing and baseball bats, may not seem like a hub for ghosts—until you visit the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium on the city's outskirts. This vast, deserted building is widely recognized as one of the most haunted places in the U.S.

The original Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a two-story building accommodating 40 patients, was constructed in 1910. However, a tuberculosis outbreak led to its expansion in 1936. While abandoned hospitals often evoke unease, Waverly Hills carries a particularly grim legacy. Thousands perished here as tuberculosis ravaged Louisville and nearby areas in the early 20th century. To manage the high death toll, bodies were discreetly removed through an underground tunnel, now known as the "death chute," a focal point for ghost tours. Paranormal investigators believe the tunnel is haunted. Another notable spot is room 502, where, according to legend, a nurse took her own life.

The sanatorium ceased operations in 1961 and later functioned as a geriatric center until the early 1980s. Since its closure, the building has remained vacant despite multiple renovation attempts by developers. Its notoriety has attracted professional ghost hunters, and it has been featured on shows like "Ghost Adventures" and "Scariest Places on Earth."

Every Halloween, the former sanatorium hosts a haunted house, and the Waverly Hills Historical Society conducts various ghost tours year-round. For casual visitors, the Society offers two-hour daytime tours, while dedicated ghost hunters can participate in eight-hour paranormal investigations starting at midnight, exclusively for adults [source: Waverly Hills Historical Society].

5: Charleston, S.C.

Few U.S. cities rival Charleston, S.C., in terms of historical preservation and cultural richness. Much of the city's architecture and atmosphere has remained unchanged since its founding in 1670 and its peak as a cultural and social hub of the American South in the 18th century. Known as the Holy City for its numerous church steeples, Charleston also harbors a darker, enigmatic side.

Charleston was not only a hub for affluent socialites and politicians in the American South but also the gateway for nearly 40% of U.S. slaves through nearby Sullivan's Island. Almost half of African Americans can trace their ancestry to those who arrived via this port [source: Lee]. Additionally, Charleston was the site where pirates met their end.

Bull Dog Tours, the sole walking tour company in Charleston with exclusive nighttime access beyond sidewalks, takes visitors through haunted locations like the Old City Jail, Dungeon, and the city's oldest graveyard.

The Unitarian Church graveyard, one of Charleston's oldest cemeteries, is the setting for a chilling tale. Senior tour guide Stephen Beard recalls counting heads before leaving the graveyard with a group of 20. A woman asked if they were waiting for another woman still inside. Beard, confident in his count, looked back and saw a woman in a white dress—transparent enough to see the trees behind her. The group watched briefly before fleeing in fear.

The Old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon on East Bay Street was the final stop for many 18th-century pirates. Blackbeard himself was imprisoned here before his execution. The building also hosted numerous pirate hangings and served as a slave market on its north side.

Visitors to the site have reported poltergeist activity—angry ghosts creating loud noises or throwing objects to intimidate intruders. Some have claimed to be choked by spirits, while others have fainted, felt sudden temperature changes, or been touched by invisible hands. In one instance, a tour guest was scratched by a ghost, leaving red, raised marks on his back without damaging his shirt.

The Old City Jail operated as Charleston's County Jail from 1802 to 1939. The land, designated for public use in 1680, included a hospital, asylum, poor house, and a "workhouse" for runaway slaves. The term "workhouse" is misleading, as enslaved individuals were often worked to death as punishment. The site witnessed torture and executions, including burnings, brandings, and drawing and quartering. Overcrowding was rampant, with the jail often holding three times its capacity. An estimated 10,000 people died here.

Among the jail's notorious inmates was Lavinia Fisher, America's first female serial killer. Pirates also awaited execution here. During the Civil War, the jail held survivors of the 54th Mass, one of the few official African American regiments in the U.S. Army, later depicted in the film "Glory."

4: Gettysburg, Penn.

The small town of Gettysburg, Penn., became a site of immense tragedy during the American Civil War. Over 51,000 individuals—enough to fill a football stadium—were killed or wounded in just three days [source: Nesbitt]. Many died instantly from cannon fire, while others endured prolonged suffering from crude medical procedures and the emotional toll of leaving their families behind. Given the immense human suffering, it's no wonder the area remains haunted by the spirits of those who perished.

Beyond the immense suffering during the three-day battle, experts suggest Gettysburg's haunting is linked to the abundance of quartz-bearing granite in the area. Some theorize that quartz absorbs the energy of the dying and suffering, occasionally releasing it and causing supernatural phenomena [source: Nesbitt].

The Ghosts of Gettysburg Tours, covering the battlefields and town, is uniquely based on the six-volume series "The Ghosts of Gettysburg." Authored by Mark Nesbitt, a licensed Battlefield Guide and former National Park Service Ranger, the series draws from thousands of haunting accounts. In 2007 and 2008, this tour was named the "Best in America" by Haunted America Tours.

Tour participants have reported a range of experiences, from being touched and hearing sounds to spotting orbs or shadowy figures in the distance. Nesbitt recounts one group witnessing a large, blue column of light descending onto a monument at East Cemetery Hill. Another instance involved two groups observing hazy figures in Civil War attire moving around a historic home for 45 minutes.

Another common phenomenon is the sighting of the phantom battalion, with six documented instances. This spectral group appears, marches in formation, and then disappears. The woman in white, believed to be the spirit of a nun who tended to the wounded, is often seen near Spangler's Spring. Near Gettysburg College, visitors report seeing individual soldiers escorting women in a blue haze and hearing ghostly noises in dorms and fraternity houses. The college's administrative building, once a Civil War hospital, is said to reveal visions of gruesome medical scenes, including soldiers suffering from disease and amputation.

The Ghosts of Gettysburg tour attracts tens of thousands annually. Costumed guides, carrying candle lanterns, offer four walking routes and a bus tour to distant sites. Additionally, in partnership with the Gettysburg and Northern Railroad, a ghost train tour takes visitors through a haunted engine house, where they listen to EVP (electronic voice phenomena) recordings captured during paranormal investigations.

3: Prague, Czech Republic

Angelo Ripellino once said, "When I search for another word for mystery, the only word I find is Prague" [source: Banville]. Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic and the historic heart of Bohemia, is a city steeped in mystery and magic, making it a perfect backdrop for ghost tales. Its shadowy, winding alleys and ancient bridges are rumored to harbor some of Europe's most peculiar spirits.

Prague Experience Tours offers the Prague Ghost and Medieval Mysteries Walking Tour, guiding visitors through the city's most historically significant and paranormally active locations.

One of Prague's most iconic landmarks is the stunning Charles Bridge. Spanning the Vltava River since the 14th century, this bridge connects the city's two sides and is said to be inhabited by spectral figures. Lined with statues of saints, the bridge is believed to bless those who cross it. However, not all saints rest peacefully. St. John of Nepomuk, who heard the confession of Queen Johanna, wife of King Wenceslas IV, was tortured and thrown from the bridge after refusing to reveal her secrets. Legend says his spirit wandered the bridge for 300 years until it was captured in his statue in the 17th century. Touching the statue is said to ensure your secrets remain hidden.

Alongside St. John of Nepomuck's restless spirit, the Charles Bridge is also haunted by 10 lords executed during the Middle Ages. Their heads were displayed on spikes along the bridge, and it's said they now sing mournful ballads to frighten anyone daring to cross at midnight.

After crossing the bridge from Old Town, the tour reaches the Little Quarter. Here, a headless Swede from the 30 Years War is said to ride his horse, carrying his head in a sack. The tour then moves to Josefov, the historic Jewish ghetto. Legends of Rabbi Loew and the Golem of Prague dominate this area. In the 16th century, Loew created the Golem from Vltava River clay to protect Jews from false accusations of murdering Christian children. After bringing it to life with Hebrew incantations, the Golem grew uncontrollably, prompting the Emperor to demand its destruction. Loew eventually placed the Golem in the attic of the Old-New Synagogue, where it supposedly remains. Loew forbade anyone from entering the attic, a rule even the Nazis couldn't break.

The Old Jewish Cemetery, home to over 100,000 bodies, is rumored to be filled with spirits. As Europe's oldest Jewish cemetery, it was in use from 1439 to 1787. Despite the Nazis' efforts to destroy Jewish cemeteries, Hitler preserved this one, intending to create a Jewish museum in Prague after exterminating Europe's Jews.

One of Prague's most popular walking tours, the ghost tour draws many visitors, especially during peak tourist seasons. Tour organizers note that many participants become too frightened to walk the streets alone after learning about the city's dark and mysterious history.

2: Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh is infamous for its ghost sightings, making ghost tours a popular way to explore this historic Scottish city. As a cultural and political hub for centuries, Edinburgh also has a dark history of murder, plagues, and torture, making it a hotspot for paranormal activity.

Mercat Tours, a leading ghost tour operator in Edinburgh, offers various walking tours that delve into the city's most macabre legends. The "Ghosts and Ghouls Tour" is particularly popular, blending dramatic storytelling with historical facts. These tours, led by university-trained historians, provide both a comprehensive overview of Edinburgh's history and spine-chilling ghost stories, focusing on the Old Town area.

The tour includes visits to the Royal Mile of Old Town and the haunted vaults beneath South Bridge. Built in the late 18th century, these underground vaults were abandoned by the 1830s and have remained largely untouched for over 200 years. In the overcrowded Edinburgh of the 18th century, families lived in cramped, windowless rooms lit by fish oil lamps, with the stench of waste permeating the air. Visitors to these vaults report hearing unexplained noises and experiencing sudden temperature changes, as the passageways are said to hold the memories of those who once lived there.

In Edinburgh, it's hard to walk far without encountering a site rumored to be haunted. This is partly due to the city's extreme overcrowding in the 17th century, which led to rampant disease and plague. Additionally, Edinburgh had its share of infamous murderers, such as Deacon Brodie, who inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Brodie's residence is a stop on Mercat Tours, and legend claims he led a double life—respectable by day and a brutal killer by night.

The tour also includes visits to cemeteries where some of Scotland's most notable figures, such as Adam Smith, author of "The Wealth of Nations," are buried. You'll also hear tales of the body snatchers who once roamed these graveyards, stealing freshly buried corpses to sell to medical students.

This tour runs for about an hour and 30 minutes. Due to its popularity, it's advisable to book tickets early. At the tour's conclusion, you can opt to extend your experience with a visit to Megget's Cellar, where a complimentary drink awaits to calm your nerves.

1: Venice, Italy

Beyond its reputation as one of Europe's most romantic and picturesque cities, Venice is also shrouded in mystery. The canals of this water-bound city are said to be haunted by legends ranging from sea monsters to heartbroken lovers and even the ghost of Marco Polo's wife.

Tours of Italy presents The Venice Ghost Walking Tour, a ghost tour that combines eerie legends with visits to the city's iconic landmarks and hidden corners.

The tour starts at the Rialto Bridge, leading you through Venice's labyrinth of canals and campi. You'll hear tales of a prison where inmates endured rat-filled cells that often flooded with the tides. The journey continues to the Street of the Assassins, infamous for its history of murders and dark deeds. The tour also explores a "campo" (an open area) that once held many of Venice's cemeteries and includes a secret passageway used as an escape route from palaces.

A highlight of the tour is the Bovolo staircase, constructed by a wealthy Venetian who rode his horse up the stairs to reach his private palace quarters. This intricate staircase stands as one of Venice's many architectural marvels.

One of the tour's most haunting stops is the Milione area, named after Marco Polo's memoirs. Here, you'll learn the tragic story of Polo's wife. After spending 25 years traveling, including 17 years in service to Kublai Khan, Polo allegedly fell in love with Khan's daughter, Hao Dong. Though undocumented, Venetian lore claims he married her, and she accompanied him on his journeys.

Upon returning to Venice, Hao Dong faced mistrust due to her foreign appearance. She secluded herself, finding comfort in her singing. When Marco Polo was imprisoned by the Genoese, his sister Lucia falsely told Hao Dong of his death. Overcome with grief, Hao Dong set her clothes on fire and leaped into the canal. Legend says her sorrowful song can still be heard by the canal, and some claim to see a figure holding a blue flame floating in the night sky.

The tour concludes with a stunning view of the Grand Canal's main bridge. For a more personalized experience, private tours are available. Due to its popularity, it's recommended to book early.