These spooky places in Italy can be visited any time of year and are especially good if you want to make your own Halloween itinerary. While some spots may be a little too scary for small children, older kids and teens often enjoy these creepy sights.
Mummies in Italy
The spookiest places I've visited in Italy are the mummy exhibits in Ferentillo's Mummy Museum below the Church of Santo Stefano in Umbria and at the Mummies Cemetery in Urbania's Church of the Dead in Le Marche. There are also mummies near Palermo, Sicily in the Capuchin Monastery and in the Capuchin Crypt in Rome's historic center (see photos). These mummies have been naturally preserved and the displays can be a macabre sight, not recommended for young children.
More: Mummies in Italy - Where and Why
Skeletons and Catacombs
Italy's most famous catacombs are the ones outside Rome on the old Appian Way but there are even some in central Rome, including the Jewish Catacombs at Villa Torlonia. See Catacombs in Rome for more information about Rome's catacombs. There are also catacombs in Sicily.
Rome Catacomb Guided Visits
Select Italy's Appia Antica guided tour includes a visit to one of the catacombs and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella (includes transportation from your hotel). Context Travel's Rome Catacombs Excursion is a guided visit of the catacombs of Saint Agnes.
Scary Places in Rome
Rome's scary places include catacombs and crypts, the Museum of Purgatory, a Monster House, and the Vatican necropolis near Rome. Some of the relics in Rome's churches can be pretty spooky, too, such as doubting finger of St. Thomas and a piece of John the Baptist's head.
Monster Park
Although not really scary, Bomarzo Monster Park is filled with sculptures of monsters and mythical creatures. This is a favorite spot to take the kids.
Witches in Italy
Benevento, in southern Italy, is called the City of Witches and streghe (witches) are a big part of their folklore. They are known for strega products, including candy and liqueur.
In northern Italy, near the Italian Riviera, the village of Triora is known for its witch's legend.
Venice's Quarantine and Cemetery Islands
San Michelle is Venice's cemetery island with two churches and many tombs. A good time to visit is in early November when the cemetery is full of flowers for All Soul's Day. See Visiting Venice Islands for information.
During the plague, Lazzaretto Vecchio was used as a quarantine center for victims and recently mass graves of plague victims were uncovered. Although you can't visit Lazzaretto Vecchio at this time, nearby Lazzaretto Nuovo was used as a quarantine and decontamination site and can be visited on a guided tour from April through October. Explore the role of the plague in Venice with Select Italy's Venetian Renaissance after the Plague walking tour.
Naples Cemetery Cave and Catacombs
More than 40,000 corpses were dumped into a cave just outside the city walls of Naples, most when the plague hit Naples. Nearby you can also visit the gruesome San Gaudioso catacombs. Details about how to visit these two unusual places on Walks of Italy Halloween Edition or take a Catacombs of Naples walking tour with Context Travel.
Medieval Torture Museums
Several towns in Tuscany and Umbria have torture museums housing items used to torture victims during the Inquisition. San Gimignano has one of the best museums and beneath the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Narni in Umbria, you can visit the underground torture chambers.
Halloween in Italy
If you're in Italy on All Saint's Eve (Halloween) consider Urban Trekking, special walks to special night visits to medieval towers, crypts, dungeons, or castles. See Halloween in Italy for details and more events.
