Do you like Halloween?
Halloween is a very old tradition that dates back to the celebration of the Celtic New Year, Samhain, which celebrated the end of the summer. Back in those days, the time between summer and winter belonged neither to the old nor the new year, and in some way was considered an opening for the dead to reappear and visit the living.
Tradition now dictates that you visit the cemetery on All Saints Day, and some cemeteries open their gates for a series of special tours. Most people wouldn’t include a cemetery on their list of things to do when visiting a new city, but during Halloween, it's a must!
Below is out selection of the best cities and hostels to visit along with the Spookiest Cemeteries during Halloween. Wanna know where?
Pere Lachaise, Paris
Pere Lachaise in Paris is one of the most romantic and mysterious sites of the city. This place is a very famous attraction in Paris, as Pere LaChaise is home to 70,000 dead, including some of the most famous artists, writers and musicians the world has ever known. Some of the famous graves are those of Frederic Chopin, Marcel Proust, and Oscar Wilde, along with Sarah Bernhardt, Maria Callas, Edith Piaf, and Jim Morrison.
Highlight: Discover one of the greatest and most tragic love stories of all time - that of Heloise and Abelard, now buried side by side after long years of separation.
Visit Pere Lachaise on the day after Halloween (All Saints Day) and join Parisians as they pay homage to the dearly departed and lay wreaths on tombs. To get in the “All Saints Day” mood, HostelsClub recommends Woodstock Hostel located at the back of the Montmartre Hill, a famous district of Parisian Bohemia.
Non-Catholic Cemetery, Rome
One of the worlds most beautiful cemeteries to visit for all Saints Day, La festa di Ognissanti is the Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome, Italy. When Rome became a popular destination for intellectuals and north-Europeans in the beginning of the 19th Century, there became a need came for a resting place for all those not worthy of the sacred grounds of the Catholic church, so here lie the protestants, Jews, orthodox, communists, actors, and suicides.
Highlight: The most famous graves include the two poets, Keats and Shelley.
Visit Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome and discover its romantic and melancholy beauty. Stay in Rome.
Highgate Cemetery, London
Highgate Cemetery in London is one of the most popular attractions in the City: this cemetery has served as a location for movies such as 'Abominable Dr. Phebes,' 'Taste the Blood of Dracula', and other cult horror films. The cemetery opened in 1839 is the final resting place of Karl Marx, George Eliot, and ex-KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who was killed with polonium and is entombed in a lead coffin to prevent radiation from leaking out.
Highlight: the vampire novel Those Who Hunt The Night by Barbara Hambly has the main characters visiting Highgate to examine the remains of a vampire who had taken over an abandoned tomb.
Visit Highgate Cemetery in London during Halloween, it's a big event in the city. Stay in Clink78 Hostel in London, it's a former courthouse and you can sleep in an authentic prison cell!
Cementerio de la Recoleta, Buenos Aires
La Recoleta Cemetery is a famous cemetery located in the exclusive Recoleta neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The most famous tomb inside is of the legendary Eva 'Evita' Peron. It's an amazing place in Buenos Aires and the entrance to the cemetery is through neo-classical gates with tall Greek columns. The cemetery contains many elaborate marble mausoleums, decorated with statues, in a wide variety of architectural styles. The entire cemetery is laid out in sections like city blocks, with wide tree-lined main walkways branching into sidewalks filled with mausoleums.
Highlight: Don't miss the Memorial to José Clemente Paz, designed by Jules-Felix Coutan.
When visiting Buenos Aires, stay in Pampa Hostel located in the Belgrano neighbourhood. Pampa Hostel is one of the best places to enjoy the delights of Buenos Aires, the city that never sleeps.
