halloween

Samhain (Ireland/Scotland)

Over the next year, the courts would hear from over three hundred witnesses, and the nature of Bathory’s atrocities began to emerge from the darkness that had hidden them. She was reported to have burned the flesh of servants whose work displeased her. She would also strip young women naked, drench them in water, and then leave them out to freeze in the snow. Other accounts record her biting the faces and limbs of her victims—thus connecting her to other vampire legends from that part of the world.

There is something about dark and macabre stories that draws people in. Halloween has become a major commercial market in the United States over the last century, and the 2017 horror film Get Out was even a strong contender for the best picture academy award. Like it or not, humans are drawn to darkness. One of the most notoriously spooky places in the world is Transylvania, a region of modern day Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Transylvania is the legendary home of Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula and the historic home of Vlad the Impaler—the main inspiration for the vampiric folk tale.

Sinister secrets shroud the city of New Orleans, making it the ideal Halloween hideaway. Macabre attractions—perfect for the horror buff and light-hearted traveler alike—lie hidden in its winding streets. Add an element of intrigue to your vacation by experiencing the darker side of New Orleans’ history and culture.