🎃 Top 5 countries for an unforgettable Halloween
I believe that in the fall there are not enough themed holidays that would disperse the seasonal blues and help somehow cheer up. Therefore, Halloween with its mystical decorations, costumes, pumpkins and watching horror films fits perfectly into my soul. I dream of going to Ireland for a holiday someday, because it is essentially the founding country of the terrible night from October 31st to November 1st. But there are enough other places in the world where they love and expect the atmosphere of everything mysterious and otherworldly.
Halloween is incredibly popular in the USA. And many people associate it with this country. But the holiday dates back to Celtic Samhain, which originated more than 2,000 years ago. Then it was the harvest festival and the beginning of the new year, which fell on October 31st. People divided the collected grain and decided how many livestock to keep for the winter. On the night of Samhain, the Celts burned bonfires, and the Druids predicted the future from the patterns that the fire left on the bones of animals. With the adoption of Christianity, Samhain coincided in date with the eve of All Saints' Day, and over time turned into Halloween.
Therefore, the tradition of celebrating Halloween migrated to America with immigrants from Ireland and Scotland.
Ireland
With its ancient castles, crypts and ghost stories, Ireland is one of the best places in the world to spend Halloween. Everything is celebrated there on a grand scale. A festival named after Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, is held every year in Dublin.
And in neighboring Great Britain, in Northern Ireland, London Derry annually hosts the unique Derry Halloween festival. It lasts from October 29 to 31. Then performances, concerts, themed fashion shows, and a parade of costumes for witches, vampires, ghosts and zombies are held throughout the city.
Scotland
The region's capital, gothic Edinburgh is the perfect place to spend Halloween. And you can stay at the Dalhousie Castle Hotel, which is rumored to be haunted. Excursions to find them are included. The Scots are also descendants of the Celts, so they honor the traditions of Samhain. At the end of October it gets hot there: festivals, zombie brunches, quests, masquerades, concerts, for example, electronic music. Even the local zoo is changing its scenery.
To the list of mystical places we will add a network of centuries-old caves under the South Bridge. Previously, there were storage facilities there, but now ghosts live there. So I recommend taking a ghost tour through the dark dungeons. And for fans of the Harry Potter universe, there is a unique excursion called The Potter Trail. On it you will walk along Diagon Alley, find out where the Dark Lord is buried, and drink a cup of tea in the legendary cafe where JK Rowling wrote her first book.
Holyrood Park hosts the Samhuinn Fire Festival on Halloween, a modern reimagining of the ancient Celtic festival. There you will see more pagan symbols than modern decorations, but this will not make the holiday any less vibrant. Moreover, there is also a fire show waiting there.
Romania
I couldn’t get to Transylvania’s “Dracula’s Castle” exactly on Halloween, but I still managed to go there a week later, on November 8, Bram Stoker’s birthday. So Bran Castle was still themed: with cobwebs, skeletons, pumpkins and blood – I squealed with delight.
There are many manors, chalets, houses and apartments for rent in the mountains of Transylvania, even close to the famous Gothic castle, which several centuries ago belonged to the bloodthirsty Vlad the Impaler – the prototype of Dracula.
So come there on Halloween and enjoy the atmosphere, themed excursions and chilling legends to help.
France
Paris alone is a collection of Gothic stories: the hunchback of Notre Dame, the Phantom of the Opera, characters from the fairy tales of the Bois de Boulogne.
The list of places to visit can also be supplemented with local cemeteries. For example, Père Lachaise is a real open-air museum of tomb sculpture . Thousands of people are buried there, dozens of them are celebrities, whose monuments attract tourists from all over the world every year.
An equally exciting experience is visiting the ancient catacombs, where the bones of millions of Parisians rest. It was this place that inspired Edgar Allan Poe more than once. Paris itself is transformed on Halloween: themed exhibitions, concerts, creepy photo zones, special menus in cafes and costume parties. You won't get so bored for sure.
USA
In this large country, every city comes up with something of its own, so if you’re in the States on Halloween, you won’t be left without your share of glowing pumpkins and skeletons at every turn. But there are places with a particularly mystical history. And there the scale of celebrations is slightly different.
For example, in Salem (Massachusetts) dozens of “witches” were once burned, so today they light up things that are not childish: excursions and reconstructions of execution scenes, fire shows, fireworks, parades of witches and their allies, parties and concerts. Stop by the witch museum, drink a blood cocktail, listen to local legends and be sure to buy yourself a wide-brimmed magic hat.
New Orleans can also be creepy (in a good way). “Swamps of Ghosts”, a local cemetery, the French Quarter – dozens of mystical excursions and stories about the otherworldly are guaranteed to you.
Halloween is also fun in Jamaica. Although the stories can be quite sad, for example, about a cruel plantation owner who tortured her slaves and practiced voodoo. But wandering through dungeons and hunting ghosts is still welcome.
You can also stop by the Stanley Hotel. Stephen King himself once stayed there. He lived in room 217, where he came up with the idea for his famous book, The Shining. The hotel is said to be haunted by at least three ghosts. Even if you don’t meet them, you will admire the creepy decorations of the rooms and the hall.
NY
In the Big Apple, everything happens in a big way, which is why one of the largest Halloween parades in the world also takes place there – the Village Halloween Parade. This year the parade is an anniversary – it turned half a century old. The anniversary is sure to be spectacular. On October 31, New York is noisy: themed attractions, movie nights with horror films, masquerades, master classes, exhibitions of luminous sculptures – you will certainly find activities to suit your taste.
It also makes sense to stop by Sleepy Hollow. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington and Irving is a famous American ghost story. New York has a huge selection of excursions; you can even walk through the cemetery of the same name at night. But on Halloween, the demand is much higher, you know, so book everything in advance.
Las Vegas
Themed parties in Sin City are an established trend. On Halloween, Vegas is transformed: unique decorations, festivals, parades, competitions, even with substantial cash prizes. On Halloween you will see more than one Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Darth Vader – the best look-alike shows in Vegas are also respected.
St Helens
The small town in Oregon is so atmospheric that it has more than once become the location for themed films. Halloweentown was filmed there, some from the Twilight saga. They will also take you to the filming locations if you want. During the holiday there will be fairs, pirate camps, ghost games, music shows, costume contests and much more.
Mexico
In Mexico, Halloween coincides with the religious holiday Día de Muertos, which runs from October 31 to November 2. One of the best places in the world to celebrate the Day of the Dead is the city of Oaxaca, which is located in the south of the country. Both locals and tourists, dressed in costumes from ancient Aztec and Mayan legends, visit cemeteries and decorate the streets with skulls and skeletons.
Of course, there are many more places to celebrate: from Canada to Australia. And those who like to tickle their nerves will always find a fun place to celebrate Halloween. So let all the horrors be only in movies and gloomy settings, and you will be left with sweets, ripe pumpkins, good mood and unforgettable trips!