According to a survey, around six families out of ten take part in some kind of activity on the evening of 31 October: some celebrate at home preparing sweets and costumes, others attend organised parties, others still parade through the city streets, and then there are those who plan a weekend in a motorhome, discovering places and locations with great visual impact.
And it is precisely to this category of travellers that the 10 destinations selected for a... different kind of weekend are dedicated!
But for those who still don't know the origins of Halloween, here's a brief summary.
It is a festival with roots stretching back to ancient times, one that has transformed over the centuries and today represents the perfect occasion for families to spend time together, have fun, be amazed and, last but not least, bring generations together.
The word “Halloween” derives from the English contraction of
All Hallow’s Eve, the eve of All Saints' Day, celebrated on 1 November. Its origins date back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated over 2000 years ago in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The night of 31 October marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter, a moment when, according to the Celts, the boundary between the living and the dead became thin, allowing spirits to return among the living.
To ward off spirits and protect themselves, people lit great bonfires, wore frightening masks, and carved vegetables, turnips and pumpkins to resemble faces and heads. It is precisely from these natural lanterns that the modern “jack-o’-lantern” was born.
The original meaning of the "festival" was twofold: to celebrate the harvest just gathered and to prepare for winter, but also to come to terms with death, spirits and the mystery of passing.
Over the centuries, the custom blended with Christianity, with the festival of All Saints, and with other rituals from neighbouring England and Scotland, but it was only from the 19th century onwards, when waves of Irish migrants crossed the ocean bound for the United States, that it began its evolution into the festival known today, celebrated with the phrase «trick or treat?».
In Italy, Halloween in the form of "trick or treat" became popular from the 1990s onwards, thanks to North American cinema. In fact, even in Italy in the early 1900s, celebrations or rites welcoming the dead between 31 October and 2 November, although differing from region to region, drew their roots from pagan customs and traditions.
The ten ideas recommended for motorhome enthusiasts on how to spend Halloween evening and the weekend mainly focus on initiatives and events held in a castle or historic villa: perfect locations for the typical gothic settings in which darkness and the supernatural intertwine.
The electrifying sensations will begin right from the journey to the
stopover in one of the locations chosen to take part in the evening event, where anything can happen, and the next day waking up surrounded by history, woods and mystery.
Here are the opportunities to spend an unusual weekend, frightening (in the right way) and fun.
Now is the time to choose your destination, prepare your costumes, and load up the motorhome ready for the imminent departure.
Costumes, pumpkins, stories and plenty of atmosphere — but above all, time to spend together with your family.
Happy Halloween!
Note: for many locations, the availability of
motorhome areas varies, some are simply unequipped car parks or areas near the locations, please check the
website or the
CamperOnLine app).
We recommend always checking the event's official page and/or contacting the venue well in advance to confirm space availability.
App Camperonline