Italy certainly doesn’t have a shortage of impressive architecture and gorgeous views. However, for travelers who want to enjoy these things and get a little spooky during their vacation, a trip to Vezio Castle provides everything they need.
Vezio Castle was built during the late 11th and early 12th centuries. It’s located on the hills above Varenna, Italy, a picturesque village that is also home to the beautiful Lake Como.
Every year, the managers of Vezio Castle make a series of ghostly figures from plaster casts. Tourists actually participate in the process and volunteer to have the paster fitted to them. The figures are left throughout the grounds during the winter until the new tourist season begins in the spring.
The ghosts of Vezio Castle are one of its most famous attractions. They’re a reference to the legend surrounding the castle’s initial construction.
In 1779, an Italian writer named Anton Gioseffo Della Torre di Rezzonico published a book titled “Larius.” In this book, he claimed that the castle was built at the request of Theodelinda, the queen of the Lombards, a Germanic people who spent hundreds of years ruling that part of Italy.
Legend has it that Theodelinda’s heart and soul are buried within the castle’s walls and that her soul wanders through its halls on dark nights. The ghost sculptures represent her spirit and add a sense of beauty (and a bit of spookiness) to the attractions.
Every year, Vezio Castle opens in March and is accessible through early November. Tickets cost €5.00 for adults and €3.00 for those over age 65, groups over more than 12 people, and students aged 7 to 18. Those who are disabled and traveling with a companion can tour for free, as can children under the age of 6.
Those who want to learn more before planning their visit can check out the castle’s website here.