Halloween in Sicily: 5 Haunted Places to See in Palermo

The feast of the dead is one of the most deeply felt in Sicily, a region that moves between sacred and profane, a region that has always paid great attention to the dead. The 31st of October also celebrates the Halloween festival, an excellent opportunity to go hunting for ghosts in the streets of the Sicilian capital, inside the historic buildings, places of worship, ancient castles in the territory, to discover the beauty of Palermo and the thrilling stories that are hidden in the many symbolic places of the Sicilian capital! A journey to discover the unsolved mysteries of Palermo.

The monachella of Teatro Massimo di Palermo

The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele in Palermo is a majestic and enchanting building, which is really worth visiting, the history of its construction is very troubled and is surrounded by an aura of mystery. To realize this lyrical building, it was necessary to demolish four churches, two monasteries and one of the historic city gates. During the demolition works, the tomb of a nun was desecrated, abruptly putting an end to the eternal rest of the Mother Superior of one of the demolished convents. The nun’s anger would then be hurled at the theater, whose construction work would last for 23 years and would remain closed for another 23 for restoration. It is said that the nun, better known to all as the nun, wanders around the theatrical halls, tripping on a particular step at the entrance, all those who do not believe her legend. In the most important lyrical building in Italy, as the curtain falls and the lights go out, the nun’s ghost continues to wander restlessly in its halls!

The ghost of the villa of Mondello

Mondello is one of the most interesting seaside resorts in the province of Palermo, overlooking a lovely beach and has a town with many Art Nouveau villas. Many villas in Mondello are the backdrop to tales of terror, in particular, Villa Caboto, built in the 1940s with the intention of creating a dating house. According to legend, the ghost of Villa Caboto is that of a young woman who was killed in cold blood by her father after having surprised her with a German soldier. Many claim to have seen the ghost of this woman sitting at the foot of the front door. The owners of the villa, who have succeeded each other over the years, have told of chilling noises, steps, hiccups, and even being attacked by a mysterious and invisible force.

The ghost of the Baroness of Carini

The castle of Carini is a medieval fortress located in the homonymous city a few kilometers from Palermo. On 4 December 1563, in the wonderful manor of Palermo, Baroness Laura Lanza was killed: a murder shrouded in mystery. The young Baroness was the victim of an arranged marriage with the Baron of Carini Vincenzo II la Grua. Imprisoned by an unhappy marriage, the Baroness then undertook an affair with Ludovico Vernagallo. Discovered by her father and her husband, the two lovers, guilty of adultery, would be murdered. According to legend, the dying woman, falling, left on the wall the bloody imprint of her hand. Since then, it has been said that the Baroness' ghost, on the occasion of the anniversary of the murder, left her bloody handprint on a wall in the room where she was killed.

The ghost of Matteo Bonello Caccamo

The castle of Caccamo is one of the largest and best preserved among the Norman castles in Sicily. Even the castle of Caccamo is surrounded by an ancient legend, which has its roots in a historical story. For a period the castle was owned by the Bonello family, the lord of Caccamo Matteo Bonello used it as a refuge, to escape the clutches of the people in revolt, but in the end the King’s army managed to take Matthew torturing him to death. With his face disfigured and unable to walk, Matteo Bonello died of hardship in the castle. It is said that his ghost is still there, forced to wander forever between the rooms of the castle of Caccamo, a left figure with a disfigured and angry face!

The mummy of Capuchin Catacombs

The Catacombs of the Capuchins of Palermo, are known throughout the world for the presence of a vast underground cemetery, macabre scenery that houses about 8,000 mummies. Among these, the most famous is the mummy of the little Palermo woman Rosalia Lombardo, who died in 1920 at the age of only two years. His embalming was so accurate that it allowed the body to perfectly preserve itself over time, around the figure of the little girl there is a legend: it is said that the little opens and closes her eyes during the day, as if she were still alive. Science explains this phenomenon by attributing it to the humidity of the place and the effects of light, the suggestion of the guests would then play a key role.

In addition to those mentioned, many other mysteries have wrapped the streets of Palermo and more generally Sicily, the complete list is available in the guide L’Isola Spettrale – Guida immaginifica ai fantasmi di Sicilia!