We admit it. We’re suckers for sweet, Instagram-able chunky sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes. However, our favorite part of autumn – without question – is the ghastly delights of Hallow’s Eve. So today, as we celebrate its culmination on All Saints Day, we have gathered our favorite tricks and treats from around the world for all you daring souls full of wanderlust. From dark tours of maniacal medieval experimentation to ghost walks and voodoo, here are Shefari’s top four “tours of terror” to spook your socks off.
1. ROMAN HORRORS – Rome
Our dark Rome tour takes you on a journey back centuries to see two crypts morbidly decorated with the bones of over 11,000 bodies. The crypts stand as a reminder of the historical reverence for the afterlife. Next, walk the rooms of the little-known Criminology Museum. What began as a teaching tool of “rehabilitation” at a prison, the museum’s collection contains artifacts of execution and torture. Ask to see the macabre Milazzo Cage on this unique Rome city tour.
2. WHISPERS AFTER DARK – Paris
Just as the City of Light darkens, explore its mysterious and murky past by lamplight. This Paris walking tour sheds light on unanswered questions surrounding the Holy Grail and the violent demise of King Henri IV, to the rise of the gruesome guillotine during the French Revolution where blood streamed in the city’s popular squares. Uncover the truth about the spooky catacombs that lie beneath Paris, and the unidentified corpse found drowned in the Seine with a bizarre expression. This is a great combination of all of Paris’ most terrifying tales.
3. THE LONDON DUNGEON – London
A theatrical blend of fun and fright, this London attraction features audience interaction and performers that bring to life some of London’s most horrific past events. From wandering down alleys with rotting bodies and black rats as the Black Plague runs rampant, to the sheer terror instilled by Jack the Ripper, and a narrow escape from the Great Fire…the London Dungeon is two rides and 19 shows that make it eerily entertaining for a group.
4. SPIRITS OF NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans
This haunted New Orleans tour highlights the Creole Queen of Voodoo Marie Laveau, and this often misunderstood religious practice. Featured on American Horror Story, Marie Laveau still enthralls visitors. On this New Orleans walking tour, visit two famous “cities of the dead” – cemeteries with elaborate tombs and shrines built above ground, due to the swampy climate. Traditionally, on All Saints Day, cemeteries are filled with crowds visiting their departed loved ones. Fun extra: learn how to make your very own voodoo doll in a workshop.
The tours are truly fa-boo-lous, so give us a shout to book your very own nightmare.