There are always those tourists who look for exciting new places to visit. For some eager tourists, ordinary places just won’t cut it. Sometimes it takes exotic and banned locations to get their adrenaline pumping. This has led to the popular trend in what is called dark tourism, where travelers visit places that have been abandoned for the most ominous reasons. From Chernobyl to abandoned islands, here are some of the hottest dark tourist spots on the planet.
Chernobyl
While the Chernobyl nuclear reactor is the site of a damning nuclear disaster, there are still certain spots where you can go on a tour. For a short period, it is safe to tour the abandoned town of Pripyat. The town is located near the infamous reactor, and because of its eerie vibe and abandoned playgrounds, tourists love to visit the spot. Several tour companies offer tours to only the bravest travelers. Would you be brave enough to visit a town in a nuclear fall out zone?
Pompei
Located near the town of Naples lies Pompeii, an ancient town that has literally been frozen in time. For those who are unfamiliar with the story, the town of Pompei was the site of an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
The eruption covered the town and all its inhabitants with a thick layer of volcanic ash that froze everything in place. Today tourists can visit the excavated town and see the buildings and streets just as they were in ancient times. With Vesuvius due for another eruption, this trip also carries some risk as any minute, the volcano could erupt again.
Poveglia Island
Located in the Venetian lagoon, Poveglia Island has a rather haunted history that attracts thrill-seekers from all over the globe. The island served as a plague island during medieval and renaissance times, and many were abandoned there. Centuries later, the state built a mental hospital on the island where Italy’s most disturbed minds ended up.
The island is said to be haunted, which only attracts even more thrill-seekers. While the island is off-limits to visitors, tourists frequently visit the island in the dead of night, hoping to get evidence of the paranormal.