At the end of October and beginning of November are festivals that honour the dearly departed: Samhain and its modern cousin Halloween with its skeletal references as well as Dia de los Muertos i.e. Day of the Dead. Though talk of the dead may seem macabre, it has been made more festive in various places around the world. Here are some suggestions of places for your Halloween trip treat:

• Salem, Massachusetts USA
  Witches are a ubiquitous symbol of Halloween and Salem is said to have had a few. Check out the Salem Witch Museum.
• Transylvania, Romania
  Visit the area of Transylvania and Bran castle in this former Eastern Bloc country.
• Mexico
  Engage in some skeleton love as cities are decked out in colourful skeletal displays and an abundance of sugar skulls. (Mmm) See Link on National Geographic online.
• Ireland
  A Samhain parade in Dublin would be very fitting as the land of the Celts is home to the ancient festival credited with the origins of Halloween.
• London England
  Visit the London dungeon or simply roam the streets of Jack the Ripper…at night, alone…if you dare…
• New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
  Take a cemetery tour or experience some ‘voodoo’ magic by local practitioners. See link, Top 10 Haunted Tours in the Big Easy.