Real life vampire burial sites are unusual vacation destinations

Not everyone is satisfied with all the ‘usual suspect’ places for a vacation destination. Interested in something new, something really ‘out there’ or something no one else is doing?

How about adding a little supernatural twist to your vacation plans? Search for vampires at these unusual vacation destinations. The myths and legends of vampires have beginnings in cemeteries all over the world. You can visit these amazing places in person. Are vampires real? Visit these spots and decide for yourself.  One of these unusual vacation destinations could be the best vacation spot ever!

Unusual Vacation Destinations – Lesbos, Greece

Vampires were found in Lesbos, Greece! Archaeologists from the University of British Columbia discovered a 19th-century grave for an adult male. Iron spikes had been driven through his neck, pelvis, and ankle. While most corpses at the time were simply wrapped in a cloth for burial, this man was buried in a heavy wooden casket.  These were all efforts to keep him from escaping the grave. But, why? He was a suspected vampire.

Supposedly, vampires cannot stand iron! (Though when asked about iron stakes through hearts Dracula, from the movie Hotel Transylvania, makes a good point, “Who wouldn’t that kill?”)

Unusual Vacation Destinations – Lazzaretto Nuovo, Italy

Vampires in Lazzaretto Nuova, Italy! Archaeologists from the University of Florence discovered another vampire burial. An elderly woman was buried with a brick in her mouth.

Vampires are thought to literally chew their way out of coffins. So the reasoning was if you put something in their mouth they can’t use their teeth to get out. Hmm, why didn’t they just use their hands to remove it the brick from their mouth?

Unusual Vacation Destinations – Griswold, Connecticut

Yes, vampires apparently ‘jumped the pond’ from Europe and were also thought to be here in the US. Click here to some interesting sites about people who think vampires are still here.)

Again, archeologists (Is this sounding like a really cool job to anyone right about now?) found a vampire grave. A 50+-year-old man’s bones had been laid out in a skull and crossbones pattern.

Some of these unfortunate ‘vampires’ died of real-life consumption. Consumption is now called tuberculosis. People suffering from consumption grow pale and lose a lot of weight….both attributes of vampires and vampire victims.

Tuberculosis is very contagious. Back in the consumption days, families would often have more than one family member sick. If you became sick after one family member died of consumption, they would dig up the body and remove the innards, cook them, and then feed them to you as a cure. Now seriously, who came up with this idea?

When they dug up the person they observed ‘vampire’ clues. When a body decays, the gastrointestinal tract produces a dark fluid….that can be mistaken for blood. If they found vampire clues….did they feed you the body anyway? Does this mean they were more worried about consumption than you becoming a vampire? Or did they figure cooking cleansed the vampire cooties so there was nothing to worry about? Or did they just put the body back in the grave sporting some iron spikes and wish you luck with your consumption?

Note to self.…sunscreen and dieting NOT a good idea back in the days of consumption lest you freak out the neighbors who will surely think you are a vampire.

Unusual Vacation Destinations – Celakovice, Czech Republic

Here archeologists found an entire graveyard of vampire burials. Fourteen graves were found with metal spikes in the body or heavy stones placed on the body. The graves date to the 11th and 12th century and are both male and female. It seems all the victims died at the same time, perhaps of an epidemic, but the villagers clearly thought there was a reason to believe vampires had something to do with it.

Unusual Vacation Destinations – Sozopol, Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a hot spot for vampire burials. The practice of jamming iron spikes into dead bodies for burial was common in Bulgaria until the 20th century. Yes, 20th century.

Unusual Vacation Destinations – Gliwice, Poland

Graves here were found in Poland with bodies chopped into pieces and people buried with their head between their legs. I’m thinking if you are worried about vampires rising, chopping their limbs off would be a better deterrent than putting their heads between their legs, right?

Any other creepy spots you want to talk about? Halloween brings out the creepiness in all of us!

Happy Vampire Travels,

Natalie, The Educational Tourist