10 Of The Most Haunted Roads In Europe And The Spine-Chilling Tales Behind Them

Have you ever been driving alone at night and felt an eerie chill down your spine? You might have just passed along one of Europe’s most haunted roads without even realizing it! Scattered across the continent (particularly in the UK) are roads steeped in bone-chilling legends. Are you brave enough to find out which ones made the list?

The global car rental comparison site DiscoverCars.com has put together this list of some of the most infamously haunted roads across Europe, complete with the unsettling tales behind each one.

Note: Images used in this piece were created with AI.

Berkeley Square, London, England

A circular road in the middle of London may look inconspicuous during the daytime, but at night, you may start to feel an eerie sensation if you know about the square’s frightening past…

Berkeley Square has a harrowing reputation. Known as “the most feared place in Britain” during the 19th century, this square has several horrifying stories attached to it. The hauntings stem from one house in particular on the road, 50 Berkeley Square. Legend has it a frightened woman threw herself from the window of the top floor in order to escape her abusive uncle; her ghost is said to linger in the streets in the form of a brown mist or ghostly white apparition. An alternate version of this tragic tale is that a young man was said to have been locked in the attic room and fed through a small hole in the door. He was said to have eventually gone mad and passed away.

In 1859, a man called Thomas Myers occupied 50 Berkeley Square for around 15 years, in total isolation. After being left brutally heartbroken by his fiancée, he was said to have locked himself away, letting the house fall into ruin and despair as he slowly descended into madness…

A46, Leamington to Coventry, England

Up next is a long winding road that runs across the country, and through Warwickshire. The section of the A46 that's known to be particularly haunted is the part of the road that runs from Leamington to Coventry, as there’s a whole host of spooky happenings that are said to have occurred here.

In a private woodland just off the A46 is Gaveston’s Cross. The story is that in 1312, the Earl of Cornwall and favorite of Edward II, Piers Gaveston, was brought to this wooded area and beheaded. A sandstone cross was built, and legend has it you can hear faintly ringing bells on a quiet night, with no visible source.

Another frightening tale is about an athlete who allegedly haunts this stretch of road. In 1873, James Burne Worson was running along this road, allegedly after making a bet that he could run all the way to Coventry and back again. Suddenly, those witnessing the race heard James release a cry of terror and watched him fall, but he never hit the ground. James simply vanished into thin air, as if he had slipped through an invisible portal. The mysterious story of James has since become an urban legend in the area, but is actually a work of fiction by Ambrose Bierce, an author who himself disappeared without a trace – after writing a strange letter to a friend which concluded: “As to me, I leave here tomorrow for an unknown destination."

A12, Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft, England

If you find yourself driving down this stretch of road in the evening, especially as the nights draw in, you may be in for a fright. This road is infamous for ghastly encounters with the sneering ghost of Croton, a spectral figure that allegedly haunts this area. Drivers have reported seeing an unsettling sneering face as they drive by.

On this road, three people died under mysterious circumstances. The first was a lorry driver who knew the road well, until one night, for no particular reason, his vehicle careened off the road and crashed into the nearby trees in 1960. Sadly, two more people met the same fate on this road, with another driver and a cyclist both swerving into danger for no apparent reason.

One survivor who swerved off the same section of the road but lived to tell the tale recounts seeing the spectre of an elderly man before narrowly avoiding a crash. The man reports driving straight through the elderly man, as though there was nobody there, no living soul at least! This apparition may be the ghost of William Balls, a Hopton postman who was said to have worked himself to death in 1899. Could it be his restless spirit continuing his work beyond the grave?

Intersection of Cambridge Gardens and St Mark’s Road, Ladbroke Grove, London, England

Legend has it a phantom bus once haunted this section of Ladbroke Grove, and led to a fatal accident. In the summer of 1934 at exactly 1:15 AM, eyewitnesses reported seeing a car driving down the empty road towards the intersection of Cambridge Gardens. Suddenly, a red double-decker bus appeared out of nowhere, heading full speed towards the car. The driver of the car quickly swerved, straight into a nearby building, where the car caught fire and the driver passed away. It was said the bus then disappeared, with no passengers or driver to be seen. The legend of the number 7 bus to nowhere was created, with countless sightings and stories recounted.

What makes this tale even more eerie is the fact that there wasn’t a number 7 bus route in the area at the time. Sightings of this phantom bus thankfully stopped when this road was redesigned with traffic lights added in the 1990s. But are you bold enough to drive past this area at 1:15 AM?

B1249, East Riding, Yorkshire, England

In East Riding up until the 15th century, wolves roamed through the area, evading hunters and wandering into the woodland. Since the extinction of wild wolves in the area, it’s been said that something sinister emerged instead: a terrifying werewolf that lurks around the B1249 at night.

In the 1960s, the most terrifying account of the "Werewolf of the Wolds” was reported by Charles Christian, who wrote about the moment he found a spooked lorry driver who had his vehicle destroyed by a “red-eyed hairy creature” that had smashed his windscreen. A much more recent sighting occurred in 2016, when a young driver reported seeing a Bigfoot-like figure, which she described as “like a big dog, probably bigger than my car, but with a human face”. This haunting account is enough to keep you up at night.

Belchen Tunnel, Switzerland

In Switzerland, on the A2 motorway from Basel to Chiasso, is the Belchen Tunnel, a landmark that's been crowned “one of the most haunted tunnels on Earth”. This spooky tunnel gets its reputation from sightings of a ghostly woman in white.

The most infamous sighting of the woman in white happened in 1983, when two lawyers spotted a ghostly pale old woman hitchhiking on the side of the road of the A2. They stopped and let the woman into their car, watching as she settled into the backseat in total silence. While driving, the woman then spoke to the men, saying that something really awful was going to happen. Upon entering the Belchen Tunnel, silence ensues once more and the men look back and realize that the woman has disappeared from the back of the car. Some say this spirit means no harm, and is warning drivers and protecting travelers from harm. It’s been speculated that the paranormal activity in this tunnel is caused by the restless spirits of those who were crushed in collapses during the Belchen Tunnel’s construction.

Liliová Street, Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is known for its Gothic architecture and has many ghost stories to go with it. Near Old Town Square, Liliová Street contributes to this chilling reputation through sightings of a headless Knight Templar. Visitors exploring the city between midnight and 1 AM have stumbled upon a headless knight with a steel sword and red cross painted across his chest, galloping through the street on his white horse while holding his own head. The legend goes that this knight is destined to haunt the streets of Prague until a living warrior steals his sword and murders him with it, putting his spirit to rest.

What is even more compelling is that the identity of this knight remains a mystery to this day, despite the many sightings of this headless horseman.

Hangman’s Hill, Essex, UK

On the cusp of Epping Forest is Hangman's Hill, a narrow, winding road that has a chilling reputation. It’s been said that cars parked in neutral at the foot of the hill on this road slowly start being pulled up the hill towards an ancient tree that's said to be the place where several people have lost their lives. An innocent man and a trio of witches are said to have been hanged here, and another story recounts a rogue hangman with a ghostly noose pulling people up towards the hill.

Locals in the area describe an “odd feeling to the place”, with some people reporting feeling eyes watching them from the nearby woodland. From unexplainable flashes of light to strange reflections in the rearview mirror, this place is sure to give you the chills! And it’s no wonder why Epping Forest has a rich history of the occult, where legends of witchcraft and folklore run deep. If you’re interested in all things weird and paranormal, you can book a ghost tour to witness the spookiness for yourself.

A3 Highway, Croatia

There's a road in Croatia that's infamous for strange happenings and “dark forces”. It's been said that the A3 highway running through northern and eastern Croatia is “cursed”, as drivers report hallucinations, feeling overcome by insanity and other unsettling phenomena. There have been many accidents and fatalities on this stretch of road, and it's been thought that some of them were from paranormal activity.

What’s even more disturbing is that legend says that when this road was built in the 1940s, workers “used cement from tombstones and material from monuments and graves to make the highway”. Could the alleged hauntings be from disturbed spirits?

EX-204 Highway, from Aceitunilla to Nuñomoral, Spain

One of the most haunted highways in the whole of Spain is undoubtedly EX-204 (Extremadura) in Las Hurdes, a land steeped in mystery and intrigue. This stretch of road between Aceitunilla and Nuñomoral is known to be a ghostly hotspot for paranormal happenings.

Many drivers have reported seeing ghostly apparitions of women dressed in period clothing, wandering along the road. There have been several sightings of spectral children running along the road from a nearby cemetery. What's more, travelers have heard blood-curdling screeches from "monstrous" babies when driving down this stretch of road, as well as creepy red-eyed animals seen alongside the ghost children. You don’t want to find yourself driving down these roads on a pitch-black night; you may just see two red eyes staring back out at you!

We hope you enjoyed this terrifying roundup of some of the most haunted roads across the UK and parts of Europe. If you’re planning a road trip this Halloween, we hope you consider booking with us. We were the most visited global car rental comparison site in February 2026 and can help you find the perfect rental car in 164 countries around the world.

Top related locations

• Edinburgh, Scotland (Edinburgh Airport): Explore the city's haunted underground vaults, shadowy closes, and ghost stories surrounding Greyfriars Kirkyard.

• Glasgow, Scotland (Glasgow Airport): The Victorian Glasgow Necropolis, with its Gothic tombs and elaborate monuments, makes for an eerie stop.
• Inverness, Scotland (Inverness Airport): Misty Highland roads lead toward Culloden Battlefield, the site of a bloody battle in 1746.
• Belfast, Northern Ireland (Belfast International Airport): The former Crumlin Road Gaol is known for its dark history and chilling tales of ghostly encounters.
• Dublin, Ireland (Dublin Airport): Take a spooky detour to the ruins of the Hellfire Club in the Dublin Mountains, a place steeped in sinister legends.
• Vienna, Austria (Vienna Airport): Beneath St. Stephen's Cathedral lie centuries-old catacombs filled with burial chambers and unsettling history.
• Paris, France (Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport): Beneath the bustling streets, the famous Paris Catacombs contain the remains of millions of people.
• Berlin, Germany (Berlin Brandenburg Airport): The historic Beelitz-Heilstätten sanatorium complex outside Berlin offers an atmospheric glimpse into the city's darker past.
• Rome, Italy (Rome Airport Fiumicino): Drive along the ancient Appian Way, passing centuries-old tombs and entrances to underground catacombs.
• Venice, Italy (Venice Airport): The mysterious island of Poveglia is surrounded by haunting legends, adding a sinister side to Venice's famous canals.
• Naples, Italy (Naples Airport): Discover the city's underground catacombs and the unsettling history of the bone-filled Fontanelle Cemetery.
• Palermo, Italy (Palermo Airport): The Capuchin Catacombs house hundreds of preserved bodies, making them one of Sicily's most macabre attractions.
• Krakow, Poland (Krakow Airport): From the legendary Wawel Dragon to atmospheric medieval streets and ancient crypts, Krakow has plenty of spooky stories.
• Ljubljana, Slovenia (Ljubljana Airport): Dragon legends, a medieval hilltop castle, and winding old streets make Slovenia's capital a fitting destination.
• Oslo, Norway (Oslo Airport): The medieval Akershus Fortress has a grim history and several legends involving restless spirits.
• Sofia, Bulgaria (Sofia Airport): Explore ancient burial chambers beneath the Basilica of Saint Sophia for an eerie glimpse into the city's past.
• Dubrovnik, Croatia (Dubrovnik Airport): The nearby island of Lokrum is said to be cursed by Benedictine monks who were forced to leave centuries ago.
• Barcelona, Spain (Barcelona Airport): The narrow medieval streets of the Gothic Quarter and the city's historic cemeteries provide a suitably spooky atmosphere.
• Funchal, Portugal (Madeira Funchal Airport): Drive through Madeira's winding mountain roads toward the ancient Fanal Forest, where thick mist creates an otherworldly atmosphere.
• Luqa, Malta (Malta Airport): Nearby Mdina, known as the Silent City, has deserted medieval streets after dark, while Rabat is home to ancient underground catacombs.