Rick Steves Recommends This Eerie, Enriching Type Of Experience That's Popular Across Europe

Jacques Tourneur's "Night of the Demon" is a delightfully spooky movie based on "Casting the Runes," the classic tale by the father of the modern ghost story, M.R. James. The film contains a line that best sums up the attitude toward things that go bump in the night in the British Isles. Brash American skeptic Dr. John Holden (Dana Andrews) arrives in London to expose a witchcraft cult, where a reporter gently implores him: "Take it kind of easy on our ghosts. We English are sort of fond of them." Such fondness for spirits and chilling tales extends across Continental Europe, too, and Rick Steves recommends a ghost tour for an eerie and enriching experience.

As Steves notes, Great Britain is loaded with ghost walks, which makes it the ideal place to start. Even today, a significant amount of British people are believers. A 2023 survey (per the Independent) revealed that over half of all respondents had experienced supernatural incidents first-hand. There are hundreds of pubs and hotels across the nation that lay claim to the "most haunted" title, and Britain is generally considered one of the most ghostly countries in the world. Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, ghost stories form a rich part of the country's cultural heritage. Whether it is white ladies, silent monks, poltergeist activity, or phantom dogs, these tales speak to a strong tradition of folklore and myth, and your tour guide will surely let you know about all the ghastly details.

Rick Steves notes (per his website) that ghost tours are very popular in Britain and Ireland, especially in ancient cities like York and Edinburgh. York dates back over 2,000 years to Roman times, and it is one medieval town you shouldn't skip while visiting Europe. Its charming streets belie a dark and bloody history –– the International Ghost Research Foundation recorded over 500 hauntings and declared it Europe's most haunted city. Now, you can find a variety of guided ghost walks and stay overnight in famous old, haunted pubs. These tours can certainly cause goosebumps: Steves reports that he woke up screaming in the middle of the night after tour-hopping in the city.

North of the border in  Scotland, Steves calls Edinburgh "Europe's witch-burning mecca" due to its disturbing history of executing poor souls accused of witchcraft. Such an unnerving track record provides fertile ground for blood-curdling stories, and Mercat Tours have been terrifying tourists since 1985 with their range of walks exploring the secrets of the Royal Mile and the city's underground vaults.

Other cities good for ghost tours include Cambridge, Bath, and Oxford. London is naturally a hotspot for the supernatural: A lot has happened in the capital over the centuries, and it is home to some of the best haunted pubs in Britain. Aside from regular ghost walks, the Big Smoke also offers several Jack the Ripper tours, delving into the gruesome exploits of Britain's most notorious serial killer.

You can also find some interesting ghost tours in Continental Europe. Paris may be known as the City of Light, but it also has its fair share of dark tales. You can enjoy some of the best on a Haunted Paris Tour. This guided walk will tell you all about Marie Antoinette's abrupt demise and the many spooky stories related to Notre Dame Cathedral, which officially reopened to the public in December 2024. Elsewhere, a tour of the famous catacombs isn't specifically a ghost tour, but walking through the labyrinthine passageways makes for a wonderfully eerie experience.

Heading east, the Czech capital of Prague is steeped in over 1,000 years of history, and its soaring spires and gothic architecture provide an evocative backdrop for spooky tales. Myths and legends such as Rabbi Loew and his Golem are part of the city's fabric, and you will learn about centuries of murderous history on the Ghosts, Legends, and Dungeon Tour through the ancient streets of the Old Town and the Jewish Ghetto. Mysterium Tours also offers a range of uncanny night walks in the city, along with similar perambulations in Krakow, Budapest, and Madrid. Finally, while there is no evidence that Vlad the Impaler (Bram Stoker's inspiration for Dracula) ever lived at Bran Castle in Transylvania, you shouldn't let that spoil your fun. The 14th-century citadel, located a short way outside the beautiful Romanian city of Brașov, is a fascinating place to explore, and Dracula Tours are available.