The scariest night of the year is approaching when ghosts and ghouls come out to play. To add some historic horror to your Halloween celebrations this season, why not visit one of Europe’s most haunted sights?

From the site of gruesome murders to an abandoned plague island, here are five of the spookiest destinations in Europe compiled by booking platform .

Slains Castle, Scotland

Slains Castle crowns a lonely clifftop that juts out dramatically into the sea on the coast of Aberdeenshire’s Cruden Bay. Its empty windows and crumbling walls have helped weave a legend of a haunted ruin. When it still had a roof, the castle hosted many rich and famous guests in the 19th century. Bram Stoker was one of the most notable visitors and the eerie castle became the inspiration for the setting of his horror novel Count Dracula.

Château de Brissac, France

Château de Brissac is known as one of France’s most haunted buildings. Despite its pretty carved windows and fairytale turrets, the 17th-century castle hides a gruesome history. Its halls are said to be haunted by the ghost of the green lady after a grisly double murder took place there in the 15th century. If the spine-tingling stories become a bit too much, you can escape to the Château’s scenic parklands for some relief.

Poveglia, Italy

Wander the canal city of at night and you’ll already feel a little spooked in the dark alleys. But out in the lagoon is something much more chilling. Poveglia is an abandoned island that some local residents refuse to set foot on. In the Middle Ages, it was used as a plague quarantine island. In the 20th century, it housed an infamous asylum whose patients claimed to see the ghosts of plague victims roaming the hall. If you dare to visit, you can peek into the overgrown ruins of the hospital and see abandoned beds and medical equipment. Be warned though, visitors still report hearing disembodied voices and strange cries.

Bran Castle, Romania

Bran Castle rises high on a rocky outcrop in the Romanian region of Transylvania. The structure is marketed as the home of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, although evidence is scant that the author knew of the castle. It is also dubbed the home of the ‘original’ Dracula, Vlad the Impaler. The blood-thirsty Wallachian ruler probably never set foot in the castle, but the myth has continued steeping the place in stories of vampires and evil spirits. Local legends tell of the existence of ‘strigoi’ - living people whose souls left their bodies at night to torment villagers in their sleep.

Zvíkov Castle, Czechia

Dubbed the ‘king of Czech castles,’ Zvíkov Castle lies on a steep, difficult-to-access promontory at the confluence of two rivers. It is said that strange events still occur at the site. Travelers have reported cameras breaking and fires extinguishing, while people living in the area tell tales of spectral dogs and magical imps which are said to haunt the castle. Legend says that anyone who sleeps in the main tower will die within a year, so you might want to consider making alternative accommodation arrangements when visiting.