Halloween Special - The Most Scary Places to Visit in Switzerland

Switzerland has it all for the perfect Halloween film set - dark forests - abandoned fortresses- castles and deserted mountain ranges. There are many myths and legends told over generations about spooky, haunted places all over Switzerland.

The Val Sinestra Hotel

Val Sinestra Hotel which is located in Engadine Valley, and was built in 1912 in order to take advantage of the springs located in the area. Many people want to experience its healing properties. The horror story begins when a Belgian guest, who fell in love with one of the hotel employees, badly treated by the hotel management, still keeps visiting after his death to check on whether the employees working there today are treated well. The staff always says that they hear the voice of Hermann in the corridors, who opens and closes windows and doors.

Location: Grisons  

The Belchen Tunnel 

This location is about a quite new ghost story, that will definitely give you goosebumps.The whole story has taken place in Northern Switzerland in a motorway tunnel. Two law students were crossing the tunnel when they picked up a pale woman, who said she was in need of help, and that something terrible was about to happen. She got into the backseat. While they were driving through, the strange woman disappeared, and the students quite under shock, stopped in a hostel and told the story to a couple.People still talk about it today and say that once in a blue moon, they run across a woman very pale dressed in a white dress….

Location: Basel - Land 

The Child Eater from Bern

A nearly 500-year-old sculpture depicts a man eating a sack of babies, and no one is sure why. One of the legends says that the Kindlifresser is supposed to be the older brother of Duke Berchtold, the founder of Bern. Apparently the jealousy of being overshadowed by his younger brother for so many years caused him to go mad, eventually sending him into a rage where he collected and ate the town’s children. 

Whatever the Kindlifresser represents, it has terrified Swiss children for nearly 500 years.

Location : Bern

Sanatorium Quinto

 In northern Ticino near Quinto there is an imposing, abandoned building on a steep mountain slope: the old Gotthard sanatorium.  The “Sanatorio del Gottardo” once served as a tuberculosis clinic and military hospital, but it has now been empty for more than 50 years.The Gotthard sanatorium has long since become a terrifying horror house with an apocalyptic atmosphere - including its own morgue. All sorts of spooky stories are reported from people visiting the abandoned place.

Location:Ticino

The Church of San Giuseppe

In Somazzo, right on the border between Ticino and Lombardy, is the Church of San Giuseppe.  Three young girls are said to have been immured alive there.Since then, they have been credited with the extraordinary power to send rain in times of prolonged drought.In fact, to this day people make pilgrimages to the church and testify that rain has fallen again after their visit.

Location: Ticino

The Linner lime tree

Linn's linden tree is also responsible for spooky stories that are said to have happened just under the tree. One of them says that several victims of the plague are buried there when one of the worst epidemics in Europe raged around 1350.  According to popular belief, it was the linden tree that kept diseases away and was supposed to protect the country from further harm.  Because of its overall appearance, the Linner Linde is one of the most impressive trees in Europe today - but it can take on spooky features in fog and darkness.  It is very popular as a retreat and the benches are rarely empty.

Location : Aargau 

The haunted heretic 

The sect leader David Joris (ca. 1502-1556) lived for years unrecognized as Johann von Bruges in Spiesshof am Heuberg. A few years later, the rich gentleman's double life became known, and his body was dug up to be cremated. During his lifetime he was not guilty of anything in Basel. On the contrary, he was known to be generous and kind. Nevertheless, he was condemned as an arch-heretic, which obviously angered him greatly. In any case, in the times after that he started to haunt the Spiesshof. Accompanied by two black mastiffs, he still walked through the rooms of his old property in the 19th century. Curiously, he carried his head under his arm, although he died of natural causes without decapitation. 

Location: Basel 

Fun fact

The Witch of Belalp

The witch of Belalp is said to have been burnt at the stake. Some say it was because she cheated on her faithful husband with a sorcerer. The lovers disguised themselves by turning into ravens so they could meet at the Aletsch glacier. This story has been commemorated for the past 35 years with a very unique ski race: every January, around 1,500 skiers – children and adults – whizz down the slopes dressed as witches.

Location: Valais 

Which story gave you the chills - leave your comment in the comment section

Good reads for Halloween:

- Doctor Sleep - Steven King

- Rest in pieces - Beth Lovejoy

- The haunting of Hill house - Shirley Jackson 

- The Bell witch - Brent Monahan

- Her fearful symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger