Looking for a good old Halloween thrill or chill? Plenty of European cities have their dark sides, and there are quite a few of them that eagerly put their pasts out into the light. Even when fact and reality get tangled up in legend and fantasy, the resulting tour or experience can pack a punch.

Belfast, Ireland: Ireland’s appeal at Halloween is something the country’s tourist board aspires to market, and with many Halloween traditions tracing their rites of the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, the fit is a natural one. The city of two names, Derry and Londonderry, uses both its past and present to lure tourists at Halloween. Considered one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe, it’s the ideal setting for both gruesome and family-friendly fun. From Oct. 28-31, the city hosts what’s billed as the Continent’s largest Halloween festival. Over four days and nights, spooks, spirits and otherworldly beings cast the spell of the scary season over the bustling city streets. Things to do include listening to tales and legends about Derry while walking along the Awakening the Walled City Trail, watching performances by aerial artists, or taking in the fantastic illuminations. The House of Horrors is designed to leave even big boys and girls shaking in their boots. For the younger kids, there are mad scientist-style experiments to conduct and creepy ghouls to construct. Festivities reach their peak on Halloween night itself, as the Derry Halloween Carnival Parade makes merry mayhem in the streets and fireworks light up the sky. Online: derryhalloween.com

Transylvania, Romania: While there’s scant hard evidence to prove that Bram Stoker’s classic gothic horror novel Dracula is based on the real character Vlad the Impaler, it’s indisputable that the 1897 publication draws heavily from Transylvanian folklore and history. Dracula tourism, involving travel to sites associated with the bloodthirsty vampire, is a segment of travel tended to mainly by private, non-governmental suppliers. While tour packages ease most of the logistical challenges, travelers who prefer the do-it-yourself approach can cobble together custom itineraries following in the legend’s footsteps. Essential Transylvanian sites on the trail of Dracula include the massive, broody Bran Castle and delightfully medieval Sighișoara in which Vlad the Impaler was born. On Nov. 2, Bran Castle hosts a variety of themed events, including a castle tour featuring darkened rooms and live actors; a gala party in a tent; and the ultimate experience, a Halloween party set inside the castle. Tickets to the latter were on sale for 2,000 Romanian Leu (roughly $450) at the time of this writing. Online: tinyurl.com/bddvpwau

Edinburgh, Scotland: A Halloween highlight here is a modern-day re-imagining of an ancient Celtic festival, conjured into being by the untiring, enduringly creative souls behind the non-profit charity Beltane Fire Society. On Halloween night, the symbolic transformation from summer to winter will play out once again. This age-old story of the eternal battle between darkness and light takes form in the overthrow of the Summer King by his wintry rival, overseen by the Celtic Goddess Cailleach. In the ample space beneath Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park, revelers will gather to enjoy neo-pagan theatre, drumbeats, fire-dancing, acrobatics and more. Festival aside, there are plenty of authentically spine-tingling sights to explore, from the Greyfriars Kirkyard cemetery in the Old Town to the Blair Street Underground Vaults, a warren of hidden chambers beneath South Bridge, home and stomping grounds to the downest of the down-and-out and members of the criminal underworld. Online: mercattours.com

Borgo a Mozzano, Italy: This town in the province of Lucca in northern Italy hosts what it terms the biggest Halloween party in Italy, quite an achievement for a town that’s home to less than 7,000 residents. Party people are sure to outnumber the locals come Oct. 31, when the big bash unfolds. Things kick off harmlessly enough with a kids’ party at Piazza XX Settembre set for 4 p.m., followed by trick-or-treating. At 8:30 p.m., a group of scary fanged and furry Krampus will chase down naughty children, and at 10:30 p.m., a parade based on the legend of Lucida Mansi will culminate in a pyrotechnical spectacle. In between expect rock band performances, food trucks serving creepy street foods and a macabre dance party. Showing up in costume is highly encouraged. Online: halloweenborgo.it