43 Spooky Cities Around the World People Would Not Go Back To

In the watery labyrinth of Xochimilco’s canals lies a spine-tingling spectacle: the Isla de las Munecas, or “Island of the Dolls.” This Unesco World Heritage Site’s eeriest corner is shrouded in hundreds of dolls and their severed limbs, dangling like macabre ornaments from trees and strewn in the grass.

Far from a deliberate horror attraction, this chinampa (a man-made island) was once home to Julian Santa Barrera, who adorned it with these eerie figures to appease the spirits after a tragic discovery in the canal. Those with nerves of steel can negotiate a boat ride to witness this chilling tribute from the safety of the water. This surreal experience blurs the line between the otherworldly and the historical.