Haunted Places in Europe to Visit (2026): Tickets & Opening Times

The courtyard of Château de Châteaubriant, France, photographed on 9 March 2019. Photo: Chin844 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized.

Europe's most atmospheric "haunted" places are real historic sites with ghost stories attached, and you can visit all of them. Edinburgh's Mary King's Close and the Paris Catacombs are open all year; Bran Castle in Transylvania is open daily; Burg Eltz in Germany and Berry Pomeroy Castle in England are seasonal and closed over the winter of 2026–27.

This guide was researched on 5 November 2026 using each site's official website. Opening dates and prices change, so check before you go.

The sites at a glance

Swipe or scroll horizontally to see the full table.

Haunted places in Europe: when they are open and what they cost
Site	Open	Adult price	The story
The Real Mary King's Close, Edinburgh	Daily	From £28.50	The spirit of a girl called "Annie"
Paris Catacombs	Tuesday–Sunday	€31	The remains of several million Parisians
Bran Castle, Romania	Daily (from midday on Mondays)	100 lei (Nov–Dec)	Linked with Bram Stoker's Dracula
Burg Eltz, Germany	Spring to early November	€14	A medieval castle that has never been destroyed
Berry Pomeroy Castle, England	Reopens 13 February 2027	Check when booking	"The most haunted castle in Devon"

The Real Mary King's Close, Edinburgh

Beneath Edinburgh's Royal Mile lies a warren of 17th-century streets, sealed off and built over. On a one-hour guided tour of The Real Mary King's Close, costumed guides tell stories of plague, crime and everyday life. Its best-known story is about "Annie": after a Japanese psychic said she had sensed the spirit of a young girl in the 1990s, visitors began leaving dolls and toys in one room. The site itself admits there is no historical record of a child named Annie.

Tours run seven days a week. Standard adult tickets start at £28.50 and children's at £21; book online, as tours sell out in peak season.

The Paris Catacombs

Under the streets of the 14th arrondissement, the Paris Catacombs hold the remains of several million Parisians, moved from overflowing cemeteries into former limestone quarries from the late 18th century. The walk through tunnels lined with bones is one of the city's most memorable visits.

The Catacombs are open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9:45 to 20:30 (last admission 19:30). Tickets cost €31 (€25 reduced, €15 for ages 8–17, free for under-eights), with an audio guide included in most tickets. Online booking is strongly recommended, as queues can be long. Expect stairs, narrow passages and a cool temperature underground.

Bran Castle, Romania

Bran Castle's white walls and red-roofed towers on a rocky hill among trees in Transylvania — Bran Castle, Transylvania, August 2012. Photo: Todor Bozhinov · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized.

Perched on a rock near Brașov, Bran Castle is marketed as "Dracula's Castle" because it fits the description of the Transylvanian count's home in Bram Stoker's 19th-century novel. The castle's own history focuses on Queen Marie of Romania, who made it a royal residence; as the site puts it, the castle owes its survival "not to legend but to a queen".

From November to March it is open on Monday from 12:00 to 18:00 and from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 18:00 (last entry times). In November and December 2026, a standard adult ticket costs 100 lei and a child's ticket (5–17) 40 lei. Halloween is the busiest time of year.

Burg Eltz, Germany

Burg Eltz castle with its many towers rising from a forested valley in early morning light — Burg Eltz in the early morning, 25 August 2017. Photo: Johannes Dörrstock · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized.

Hidden in a wooded valley above the Moselle, Burg Eltz has belonged to the same family for almost 900 years and is now owned by its 34th generation. With its towers, timbered upper floors and misty valley setting, it is one of the most atmospheric castles in Europe, and local ghost stories tell of a knight's daughter still guarding the castle.

It is closed for the winter from 2 November 2026 and reopens on 21 March 2027. In season, a guided tour (about 35–40 minutes, including the treasury) costs €14 for adults, €7 for students and €34 for a family; under-sixes are free.

Berry Pomeroy Castle, England

In the Devon countryside, the ruins of Berry Pomeroy Castle combine a medieval gatehouse with an ambitious Elizabethan mansion that was never finished. English Heritage notes that the castle is promoted as "the most haunted castle in Devon", and its audio tour tells the gothic tales of murder, revenge and ghosts that the ruins have inspired.

The castle is closed for the winter and reopens on 13 February 2027. Book online by midnight the day before to get the advance discount.

For more castles, see 6 castles worth planning a trip around.

Haunted Europe: FAQ

Is Bran Castle really Dracula's castle?

It is the castle most often linked with the novel because it fits the description, but Bram Stoker's Dracula is fictional. The castle's history is mostly royal.

Do I need to book the Paris Catacombs?

Online booking is strongly recommended, as the number of visitors is limited and queues can be long.

Which haunted places are open in winter?

Mary King's Close, the Paris Catacombs and Bran Castle are open all year. Burg Eltz and Berry Pomeroy close in winter.

Sources and planning checks

Facts were checked on 5 November 2026 against The Real Mary King's Close, the Catacombes de Paris, Bran Castle, Burg Eltz and English Heritage. Ghost stories are presented as legends, not fact.