The Most Haunted Cities in the World

Between ancient folklore, ghost stories, and unanswered questions there's something intriguing about the world's haunted cities. We've all heard of haunted houses, but did you know some people think that entire cities can be haunted too? These are our top 10 picks for ghost hunting around the globe.

October 27, 2021

By: Tatum Lenberg

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Forbidden City, China

The Forbidden City is located in the heart of Beijing, China. Formerly open only to members of the imperial family, this palace is the site of many executions and murders. With over 600 years of history, it's unsurprising many believe this to be the most haunted place in China. During long nights, guards report seeing a weeping female form dressed in all white.

Paris, France

The myths about Paris are downright bone-chilling! The catacombs are 180 miles of tunnels 65 feet below the streets of Paris, France. The walls are lined with the skulls and bones of the more than 6 million people buried there. Legend says if you are in the catacomb tunnels after midnight the walls begin to speak.

Poveglia Island, Italy

Formerly a place of exile and a dumping grounds for the sick and dying, Poveglia Island is considered one of the most haunted places in Europe. A quarantine colony during the Bubonic Plague in the 1300s, being sent here was considered a death sentence. Later from the 1800s to the early 1900s, the island was converted into a mental asylum. Now abandoned, both locals and tourists are prohibited from visiting. Recently, Italian construction crews tried to renovate the former hospital building but stopped the project suddenly and without explanation, leading some to believe they were driven away by the island's dark and mysterious forces.

Baguio, Philippines

Said to be highly haunted, Baguio is an urban city and noted tourist destination in the Philippines. The setting of brutal atrocities committed during World War II and victim to the 1990 Luzon earthquake, the city is home to many ghostly locations like Casa Vallejo, a former detention center for German prisoners of war, and the Philippine Military Academy, supposedly haunted by a faceless cadet.

Sighisoara, Romania

Scarier than Dracula? Sighisoara is a small medieval town. Located in Transylvania, the city is known for its rich history, medieval architecture, and of course, the legend of Dracula. The birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the real-life inspiration for Count Dracula, the city hosts a number of haunted spots including a cemetery, torture museum, and the Holy Trinity Church.

Port Arthur, Australia

50,000 tourists a year visit Port Arthur to experience the notorious ghost tours of Australia's penal colony. Described as "hell on earth," Port Arthur became a prison where chain gangs served as manual laborers toiling away in the hot Australian sun. The prison closed in 1877, and in 1989, the famous ghost tours started. The ghost stories are so frightening it is not uncommon for visitors to faint during the tour.

Norfolk, UK

Norfolk is a historic county in eastern England. Since the early 17th century, Norfolk has been a site of strife– battling hurricanes, fires, and fights. At Blickling Estate, Anne Boleyn is said to ride (carrying her head) every year on the day of her execution. Off the coast of Sheringham, visitors report a ghostly noise that some believe to be the haunted callings of mariners who perished after drowning in a storm.

San Francisco, California

From Alcatraz to Chinatown to the San Francisco Bay itself, this city has no shortage of ghost lore. Tourists to the site of Alcatraz, a former prison, report hearing rattling chains and phantom gunshots as well as feeling cold chills. Urban myth says that in 1942 the crew aboard the USS Kennison saw a ghost ship sail past them in the bay that read "SS Tennessee," a ship that had sunk years prior in 1853. Perhaps the most haunted of all is San Francisco's Chinatown where visitors can hear the endless clatter of mahjong tiles from former illegal gambling dens. Visitors bring firecrackers so they can ward the evil spirits away.

New Orleans, LA

New Orleans is a city with a rich, often dark, history. Many believe it’s the most haunted city in the US. Haunted spots include LaLaurie Mansion, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, Hotel Monteleone, and Tableau– an old theater locals say is haunted by union soldiers, a theater manager, a nun, and an actress who died there. The city is also home to the “Most Haunted Cemetery in the United States,” St. Louis Cemetry No. 1. Buried among the property are pirates, killers, politicians, yellow fever victims, and the Queen of Voodoo. It’s no wonder this cemetery has had more than its fair share of reported ghost sightings.

Kolmanskop, Namibia

Kolmanskop is a ghost town in southern Namibia. Once a wealthy town (home to the first X-ray machine in the southern hemisphere), the city was abandoned 100 years ago when the once-prosperous diamond mine ran out. Devoured by the desert sand, these sun-bleached ruins attract tourists and photographers from around the world. Walking through the former rooms, visitors report a cold and menacing feeling like the place is haunted.