The origins of Halloween can be traced back to Samhain, an ancient Celtic pagan festival. Celebrated on 31 October, it is a point in the year that is dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (Hallows) and martyrs. The Travel Corporation (TTC) shares Halloween highlight experiences from across its family of brands, perfect for celebrating this spooky holiday. Book them now…if you dare!       

Explore Eastern Europe's frights with Busabout

Busabout, the Hop-on Hop-off flexible coach network, is bringing the horror back to Halloween with its seven day Transylvanian Halloween Trek which travels through Eastern Europe paying visit to the home of Vlad the Impaler and Dracula's castle. Travellers will finish their trip in the clubs of buzzing Budapest having indulged in ghost stories by the campfire and had their fill of frights in Romania. The special Halloween trip departs from Budapest on 27 October 2017.  

Prices start from £559 for the seven day trip and include all accommodation and transportation as well as daily breakfasts, entrance fees, orientation walks and tours. For more information please visit www.busabout.com

Stock up on witchy wares in Bolivia with Contiki

Youth travel expert Contiki's NEW Bolivia trip visits the Witches' Market in La Paz. Boasting brews and potions which can curse a cheating spouse, help find love or become filthy rich, the market is a treasure trove of the weird, the ritualistic, and the macabre. Selling their wares are the yatiri, the last witch doctors in South America who wander through the stalls offering to perform pagan rituals on anyone who needs a little magic in their lives. The market sells items like dried llama foetuses, owl feathers, armadillos and snakes, but be warned… if guests don't act respectfully, a curse may be placed! 

Prices for Contiki's 13 day Bella Bolivia trip start from £1,835 per person which includes all on-trip accommodation and transportation, daily breakfasts and selected dining experiences. Travellers are led by an expert Trip Manager and enjoy entry to some of Bolivia's most iconic sights. For more information please visit www.contiki.com   

Indulge in a Halloween Afternoon Tea at The Milestone Hotel in Kensington

Forget the tricks, it's all about the treats this Halloween at The Milestone Hotel in Kensington which is offering a wickedly delicious afternoon tea complete with ghoulishly decorated sweet treats. For something a little stronger, the hotel's Stables Bar have whipped up a devilishly delicious cocktail for the occasion; 'Some Of Us Live' (S.O.U.L) is a heady mix of Mount Gay Rum and Orange Curacao Liquor topped with a citrus and berry flourish.

Prices for The Milestone's Halloween Afternoon Tea start from £48 and the S.O.U.L cocktail is priced at £18. For more information, or to book in, please visit www.milestonehotel.com

Uncover London's sinister side with Evan Evans Jack the Ripper Tour

Explore London's darkest secrets with Evan Evans' resident Ripperologist on the Jack the Ripper Tour. The three hour tour visits the site of numerous public hangings at the Old Bailey, before driving along Fleet Street, home of Sweeny Todd and his accomplice, Mrs Lovatt. On to London's East End, a hotbed of crime and vice in the 19th Century. During the autumn of 1888, terror struck when Jack the Ripper came out of the fog and dimly lit alleys just long enough to stalk and butcher his five victims. Guests will leave the coach and walk his death-trail inspecting the murder sites, deciphering the evidence and discussing the suspects. Finally, visit the 10 Bells Pub, built in 1752, where many of Jack the Ripper's victims were said to have drunk. To this day the case remains unsolved.

Prices start from £36 per person and includes transportation to all of the sights as well as the guidance of Evan Evans' 'Ripperologist'. For more information, and to make a booking please visit www.evanevanstours.com

Go in search of Dracula with Insight Vacations

Known throughout the world as 'Dracula's Castle', Bran Castle has been widely purported to have been a source of eerie inspiration for Bram Stoker when writing his iconic novel Dracula. On Insight Vacations' 19 day Treasures of the Balkans, wander through the 600-year-old gothic fortress into dark, stone-walled secret staircases and cavernous rooms once occupied by Romanian royalty. Explore its haunting intrigue, mystery, and learn about the ghosts of the fictitious undead and the cryptic local evil spirits called “steregoi” that seem to resemble vampires…

Prices start from £3,128 per person and includes all accommodation and on-trip transportation as well as daily breakfast, selected lunch and dinner experiences and entry into highlight sights (including Bran Castle). For more information please visit www.insightvacations.com

Walk through China's Forbidden City with Uniworld

It's near impossible to have a 600 year history devoid of a few bone-chilling tales, and the Forbidden City is no exception. Centuries of assassinations have led to myriad ghost sightings including a weeping woman in white, long believed to have been a murdered concubine. The Forbidden City, which closes at 5pm sharp, is so haunted that high steps were built between doorways throughout the city to “trap” the spirits. Uniworld guests visit the Forbidden City on the 18 day Grand China & The Yangtze luxury river cruise.

Prices for the cruise start from £6,399 per person and include accommodation onboard the Century Legend ship, and at the best addresses on-land, immersive excursions, selected sightseeing and an array of dining including daily breakfasts. For more information please visit www.uniworld.com.     

Tour the Church of Bones with Trafalgar

Like the most unsettling scenes from a horror movie, the Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic will be something you see in your nightmares for days to come. Also called the Church of Bones, this perplexing chapel is adorned by more than 40,000 human skeletons that make up every part of the décor including a coat of arms, and a chandelier that contains at least one of every human bone. On Trafalgar's Prague Vienna Budapest 10 day trip, travellers will experience this historic site that proves to be supernaturally peaceful.   

Prices start from £1,305 per person for winter departures and include all on-trip accommodation and transportation as well as daily breakfasts, selected dining throughout the trip and the services of a dedicated Travel Director. For more information, please visit www.trafalgar.com

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IMAGES:

You can find a Dropbox of imagery for all of the trips here.

For a Dropbox of Afternoon Tea and Cocktail imagery for The Milestone, see here.

About The Travel Corporation:

The Travel Corporation (TTC) is a highly successful international travel group. Our philosophy is simple – to create enriching experiences for our travellers by combining an unbeatable mix of exceptional service and quality at great value, driven by a passionate global team who are driven to deliver memorable experiences. No matter what your taste, whether you are a family or a couple, a group or traveling solo – TTC offers something for everyone. Our multi-award-winning portfolio ranges from luxury hotels and boutique river cruises, to independent holiday package companies and a variety of guided travel experiences. For more information, visit www.TTC.com.

About TreadRight:

Created as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation's (TTC) family of brands, the TreadRight Foundation is a not-for-profit that works to help ensure the environment and communities we visit remain for generations to come. Founded by Brett Tollman, Chief Executive Officer, TTC, to date TreadRight has supported more than 40 sustainable tourism projects worldwide. As an official Diamond Sponsor of the UN International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, TTC is dedicated to bringing the industry together with a shared goal of benefitting local communities and the environment.  To learn more about our past and current work at TreadRight, please visit us at TreadRight.org.

Media Contacts:

Caroline Calvert | PR Director | 020 7201 3505 | caroline.calvert@ttc.com

Chloe Davison | PR Manager | 020 7201 3506 | chloe.davison@ttc.com

Annalise Bertram | Senior PR Executive | 020 7958 7737 | annalise.bertram@ttc.com

Victoria Riglen | PR & Digital Media Executive | 020 7958 7737 | victoria.riglen@ttc.com