Who said tourism has to mean theme parks and piña coladas? Cemeteries and crumbling mansions have their own charm, too. Some folks know how to find the fun in the terrifying, and that’s exactly why the line between the earthly and the supernatural gets so gloriously blurry in certain corners of the map. For all you thrill-seekers who like their vacations with a side of goosebumps, we’ve rounded up some of the world’s most haunted and cursed places. So grab your courage, pack your skepticism, and tell us in the comments which one is already burning a hole in your bucket list.
#1: Houska Castle – Czech Republic
While some castles were built to keep people out, Houska Castle, deep in the forests of northern Czechia, was apparently built to keep something in. Legend blames King Ottokar II of Bohemia, who founded the fortress around 1270, smack over a supposed gateway to Hell. The castle’s chapel supposedly sits directly on top of the hole, sealing it shut. Its design and lonely location, about 47 kilometers from Prague, only add to its mystique. With no strategic value and few occupants for long stretches of its history, the place seems purpose-built to guard its dark secret. Visitors go for the early Gothic architecture, but they stay for the chilling stories.
