Spain may not really celebrate Halloween like the US does, but it has more than its fair share of reportedly haunted spots and ghostly sightings. Here are some of the scariest places to visit in Spain if you’re on the hunt for paranormal activity.
Preventorio de Aigües, Alicante
This eery site built in the municipality of Aguas de Busot initially served as a luxury hotel in the 19th century. Later however, it was turned into a sanatorium for children who developed tuberculosis during outbreaks at the end of the Spanish Civil War.
The building has long been abandoned but is said to be a hotbed of paranormal activity, haunted by the ghosts of sickly children who still roam throughout its many rooms. There are also rumours that staff practiced black magic in the building’s church.
The Aguas de Busot Preventorium was abandoned after the Spanish Civil War. Photo: Public Domain/Wikipedia
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Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife
On March 27th 1977, two airplanes crashed into each other at Los Rodeos Airport in northern Tenerife and more than 583 deaths were recorded as a result of the accident, the worst airplane accident in history. Since that day, several soldiers stationed at a nearby military barracks (Garita sur) have reported seeing the ghostly apparition of a small girl walking past at night. It is said that when trying to identify all the passengers after the crash, one girl was reported missing and her body was never found. Could this be the same girl who still haunts the area to this day?
Photo showing the aftermath of the two Boeing 747 Jumbo Jets that collided at Los Rodeos airport in Tenerife. (Photo by AFP)
El Parador de Cardona, Catalonia
Spain’s Parador hotels are located in some of the most fascinating buildings in the country, such as mansions, former hospitals, castles and monasteries, so it’s not surprising that one of them is believed to be haunted.
The Parador of Cardona is housed in a huge castle, which was once a fortress that served as a prison and torture centre in Middle Ages Catalonia. It is said that spirits of the former prisoners still walk the halls, but most of the paranormal sightings have been reported in room 712. Hotel managers never rent our room 712 to guests unless they specifically ask to stay there.
Would you dare stay at Room 712 of the Parador de Cardona? Photo: Paradores/Wikipedia
La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas, Madrid
Located in the Plaza del Rey, the House of the Seven Chimneys is currently home to Spain’s Ministry of Culture, but it’s said to be haunted by several ghosts. The impressive building was constructed in the 16th century as a love nest for Philip II and his mistress Elena, but the young woman was ultimately married off a Captain Zapata before rumours about the affair could circulate. Shortly after the wedding, however, Zapata was killed in battle in Flanders and then, after giving birth to their daughter, Elena died too.
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Rumours began to fly between the servants that there were stab wounds on Elena’s body and that she was murdered to silence any claims that her daughter might belong to the king instead. It was then that her body went missing. Years later, people claimed they saw the ghostly figure of a woman floating above the chimneys. In the 19th century, when the building was renovated by the Bank of Castilla, the bones of a woman were found in the walls of the basement.
La Casa de las Siete Chimeneas (literally ‘the House of the Seven Chimneys’) was built in Madrid in 1577. Photo: Luis Garcia/Wikipedia
Isla de Pedrosa, Cantabria
Located off the coast of Cantabria, Pedrosa Island has become known as La Isla Embrujada (The Haunted Island) because of the strange occurrences that have been witnessed there. In the 19th century, the island was used to house sailors and others suffering from exotic and other rare diseases.
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People claim to have seen the so-called ‘bird girls’, two sisters suffering from Progeria syndrome, whose deformities locals wrongly thought were caused by the devil. Today, some buildings that housed juvenile and reintegration centres have been maintained, but many still lay abandoned, including a haunted theatre, which was once attended by the mentally and physically ill.
Getting stuck on Pedrosa Island on Halloween isn’t for the fainthearted. Photo: Vanbasten /WikiCommons
Belchite, Aragón
Belchite is not just one haunted house or building, no it’s a whole ghost town. The town, just south of Zaragoza was completely destroyed during the Spanish Civil War in 1937 and today remains largely the same as how it was left. Apparently, Franco had wanted horrifying ruins to be a reminder to people that he had the power to punish opponents. Although it remains uninhabited, the skeletal remnants of Belchite’s church, houses and school are said to be home to more than a few otherworldly spirits.
A group of visitors walks past the ruins in Belchite, in Aragón. (Photo by GERARD JULIEN / AFP)
La Boquería, Barcelona
Barcelona’s famous historic market, just off La Rambla, is probably a place that many of our readers have been to. But they may not have realised that it’s also home to several shadowy apparitions. The market was actually built over the ruins of a monastery, founded by the Carmelites in 1586. One night the building was attacked and set ablaze, killing all the friars inside. Legend says that on the anniversary of the fire each year on the night of July 25th, you can still hear the ghostly voices of the monks singing throughout the market.
Once the tourists have left La Boquería, you may feel a strange presence, especially on the night of July 25th. (Photo by QUIQUE GARCIA / AFP)
El Fuerte de San Cristóbal, Navarra
The mysterious Fortress of San Cristóbal near Pamplona was a military fortress built during the reign of Alfonso XII to defend the city against attacks. However, its main use was as a military prison, in which the prisoners were housed in horrible conditions. On May 22nd 1938, over 700 prisoners tried to escape en masse and more than 300 died while doing so. To this day, people claim to see have seen all kinds of paranormal phenomena around the fortresses, even though it remains closed to the public.
Do you have what it takes to venture through the gates of El Fuerte de San Cristóbal? Photo: Jorab/Wikipedia
