Celebrated every year on 31 October, Halloween is known as a commercial festival where children (and adults!) dress up to scare people and ask for treats! Very popular across the Atlantic, it is also widely celebrated in European countries. Halloween is a chance to discover mystical places, attend scariest fancy dress parades and delve into chilling old legends… So you’ve got a hankering to get into the Halloween spirit in your car? In this article, CaraMaps gives you the 6 best Halloween destinations in Europe to discover by motorhome!
👻 Where does Halloween come from?
Halloween originated as a pagan celebration practised by the Celts around 2,500 years ago. At the time, the Celts, who were spread across Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Brittany, held an annual festival called Samain on the evening of 31 October.
This festival included rites and banquets and celebrated the start of a new year. To protect themselves from the evil spirits who, according to one belief, would take advantage of the night to try and enter the world of the living again, people dressed up in frightening costumes and lit fires to prevent them from doing so.
Nowadays, Halloween is a mainly commercial event that is celebrated in many countries, with Anglo-Saxon countries being the most popular!
Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪
Head to Dublin for the most authentic Halloween experience! You can attend the Bram Stoker Festival, a festival devoted entirely to the story of the vampire Dracula! You can also take the ghost bus, which will take you through the dark alleys of the city, complete with terrifying stories told by a guide. Don’t miss the famous Samhain Halloween parade, where you can admire the most terrifying costumes! You’ll also be able to sample Halloween specialities such as colcannon, a traditional dish made from potatoes and cabbage, in which you can hide a ring or coins, or Barnbrack, a traditional cake in which it is also customary to hide objects!
🚐 Where can you park your motorhome in Dublin?
You can go to the Camac Valley Tourist Caravan & Camping Park, slightly out of the way, where you will have access to many services (electricity, water..) and will have the possibility of reaching Dublin by transport. You can also use Dublin’s pay car park, located in the city centre.
Londonderry-Derry, Northern Ireland 🇬🇧
You may not have realised it, but Derry is considered to be the best place to celebrate Halloween! Every year, the Derry Halloween Festival takes place over the course of a week. Don’t miss the big parade on 31 October, where you’ll have the chance to admire floats decorated for the occasion, dancers, musicians and terrifying costumes!
🚐 Where to park your motorhome in Derry?
We recommend you to go to the St Columb’s Park parking, ideally located for touring the city.
Edinburgh, Scotland 🏴
Edinburgh is an ideal destination if you want to celebrate Halloween in your motorhome! With its dark, narrow streets, dark stone buildings, castle and foggy days that often darken the city, it’s the perfect setting for fans of horror stories! And don’t forget that Scotland, like Ireland, is the birthplace of Halloween! There’s plenty to do here, including visiting cemeteries, Mary King’s Close, the ghost bus tour and, of course, the parade on 31 October!
🚐 Where to park your motorhome in Edinburgh?
To make the most of your stay in Edinburgh, you can stay at Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park, which has twice been awarded the CaraMaps Certificate of Excellence 🥳. To park for free, you can go to the Edinburgh Parking.
London, England 🏴
With its dungeons, narrow streets and the morbid story of Jack the Ripper, the English capital is the perfect place to celebrate Halloween! You’ll have the chance to celebrate Halloween in the Harry Potter studios, on the theme of the Forces of Evil, visit the London Dungeon and its bloody reproductions, or discover the Tower of London, with its bloody reputation!
🚐 Where to park your motorhome in London?
We recommend staying at Abbey Wood Caravan Club, a campsite located 5 min from the train station that will take you straight into London city centre. For a free option, head to the Riverside Thames parking!
Venice, Italy 🇮🇹
Italy might not be the first destination you’d think of for Halloween, but think again! With its autumnal mist and its many legends, Venice is the ideal setting if you’re looking for a mystical atmosphere for Halloween. Many themed parties are organised for the occasion, the shops are decorated and you can also take a special tour of the Doge’s Palace.
🚐 Where to park your motorhome in Venice?
For your Halloween stay in Venice, we recommend Camping Rialto, highly praised by the CaraMaps travelers’ community for its ideal location near the city of Venice. You can also park for free at the Venezia parking.
Transylvania, Romania 🇷🇴
You’re no doubt familiar with the famous legend of Dracula, but how about following in the vampire’s footsteps in Transylvania? This region of central Romania is home to Bran Castle, better known as Dracula’s castle… Transylvania is also home to other medieval towns and castles that will immerse you in a mystical atmosphere… Perfect for a successful Halloween! As well as visiting Bran Castle, you can also discover Hunedoara Castle or the town of Brasov!
🚐 Where to park your motorhome in Transylvania?
When you’re in Transylvania, you can park at the Vampire Camping, located not far from Bran Castle!
👻 So, have you made your choice of destination to celebrate Halloween? Tell us in the comments! 😄
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Also check out our other blog articles, «Top 5 autumn destinations in a motorhome», «Motorhome rules in Italy» and many more.