When you think of Italy, you may dream of visiting the beautiful cities of Rome, Venice and Florence, but what you probably don’t hear about are the stories behind some of the haunted locations that exist in these areas. Some of these tales deal with witches, ghosts, as well as corpses that seem to move when you pass by them.
If you are traveling throughout Florence, you will find the Belvedere Fort located on the other side of the Arno River. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, this location was the site of numerous witches being burnt at the stake, as well as the occurrence of many murders. Today, this location produces a variety of unexplainable noises, such as children’s laughter and singing. Voices can be heard throughout empty alleyways, as well as a variety of ghost sightings.
Florence is also home to the Pensione Burchianti, which is a location where Mussolini once stayed. In the same room where he resided, a small male “pink-looking” ghost can be spotted within the room. Some have claimed to have felt cold breath on their faces, as well as the feeling of being watched when they were the only ones in the room. There are others who have reported seeing a child ghost in the hallway area, as well as a ghost of a maid who can be seen cleaning rooms during the night. Even the owner takes heed to these spirits and refuses to stay a night at the pensione due to the ghosts.
It is said that at night, that the sound of clashing swords and snorting horses can be heard throughout the Coliseum in Rome. One woman claimed to have felt her hair being pulled back into the coliseum. Numerous ancient Roman homes can be found surrounding the Forum where the occasional ghost can be spotted. Since most of Rome is illuminated, it is hard to encounter such a sight, but it is possible to view one of these figures in sections of the ruins that do not display any lights.
While visiting the Palermo Catacombs in Sicily, there are corpses that you will encounter that are hanging on the walls. Whether or not this sight plays tricks on your mind, there have been accounts of visitors claiming to have seen the corpses move slightly as they walked by them. Upon walking through the main door, an uneasy feeling sets in. In one of the rooms, unexplainable sounds can be heard.
There is an island in Venice called Poveglia that is not available for tourists to visit. It is truly a site of tortured and unhappy souls. Psychics were allowed to visit the island and were easily frightened by the vibes that they experienced. Why such an uneasy feeling? When the country suffered from the Black Plague, thousands of dead and alive bodies ravished by the plague were dumped at this island. Some of the bodies were set on fire or buried, while others were left to decay on their own. Centuries had passed and a hospital was built on the island, but not to cure and help the sick. It was used to torture and experiment on mental patients. Today, the island is used for farming, but the hospital, crematorium and the doctor’s office, still remains on the island.