Halloween and the All Saints' Day long weekend have become one of the most evocative holidays of the year: with skeletons, spiders, masks, sweets, pumpkins, and so much more, the atmosphere is fun, entertaining, and sometimes scary, but above all, engaging for both children and adults. It's the best time to enjoy a short autumn break, whether it's a city break, a trip to the woods or a pumpkin patch, a walk to admire the foliage in Veneto and the autumn colors, or a wine tasting on the shores of Lake Garda.
Halloween can be the perfect opportunity for couples, friends, and families to experience something different or escape reality into a world of ghosts, witches, and spooky adventures, immersing themselves in the wildest fantasy that suddenly becomes real.
Still haven't decided on your destination? Don't worry, Veneto has tons of ways to have fun this Halloween, and you can find experiences in cities like Verona, Padua, Vicenza, or Venice, as well as nearby. Here are some great ideas.
Theme parks for adrenaline and thrills on Lake Garda
When you think of Halloween and the Veneto region, you can't help but think of the Gardaland amusement park in Castelnuovo del Garda, in the province of Verona. Every weekend in October and up until All Saints' Day, Gardaland Magic Halloween is decked out in Halloween theme with tons of pumpkins, giant cobwebs, and animated skeletons. In addition to the usual roller coasters, the autumn season welcomes horror maze rides for the more adventurous and the famous Scary Fridays, extended evening openings with DJ sets and traveling shows. There will also be haunted houses, breathtaking mazes like PREDA, and the Scary Friday events.
You can stay in Verona and spend a day full of fun and thrills just a few kilometers from the city, without missing a stroll along the scenic Lake Garda . Movieland Park in Lazise also dresses up for Halloween with special events on October weekends, shows, and much more.
Discovering the Pumpkin Patch of Veneto
Originating as an overseas custom, the pumpkin patch has taken deep root in the Veneto countryside. Pumpkin fields are the perfect place for a Sunday outdoors, filled with foliage, wooden playground equipment, food stands, and carving workshops. This year, you can immerse yourself in the orange of Nonno Andrea's Pumpkin Village in Villorba, now a landmark in the Treviso area. Nestled within the Villorba organic farm, it hosts dozens of pumpkin varieties of every shape and color, a corn maze, fairytale settings, and refreshment areas where you can enjoy cakes, cream soups, and hot spiced drinks. For information on hours and reservations, visit Nonno Andrea.
From mid-September to November 1st, you can find a large open-air autumn village at Flover Farm in Bussolengo. Here you can enjoy various hands-on pumpkin carving and decorating activities, watch shows with farm mascots, and walk among hay bales and tractors.
In the Euganean Hills, you'll find an location for this occasion: the Pumpkin Castle at the Castle of San Martino della Vaneza in Cervarese Santa Croce, in the province of Padua. This ancient castle hosts a pumpkin exhibition complete with guided tours, children's art workshops, and historical reenactments. The Pumpkin Castle awaits you every weekend in October for a fifth edition packed with events.
Along the enchanting route of the Venetian villas, the fields that host tulips in spring are transformed in autumn into an expanse of orange full of photographic installations and creative workshops: we are at the Corte delle zucche in Fiesso D'Artico, on the suggestive Riviera del Brenta, where you will find workshops, face painting, pumpkin decorating, music and a refreshment corner.
If you're passionate about pumpkins and are looking for a location near Vicenza, at the Peretti Farm in Dueville you'll find the Peretti Pumpkin Field, ideal for a more intimate and intimate experience where you can walk through the fields, take photos, and purchase ornamental and edible pumpkins directly from the producer.
Tour of ghost towns and manors in the silence of the woods
If Halloween rhymes with history, mystery, and exploration for you, the valleys and hills of Veneto hide ruins and forgotten settlements where time seems to have stood still. The most famous of the Veneto ghost towns is California di Gosaldo, in the province of Belluno.
Founded in the mid-19th century along the Mis Valley around a rich mercury mine, California was a lively mountain town with hotels and trattorias, known as the Little Venice of the Dolomites. It was completely swept away and submerged by the 1966 flood. Today, what remains of the stone buildings has been embraced by the forest: an evocative walk, full of memories and silence, ideal for those who love autumn trekking.
In Valbrenta, in the province of Vicenza, you will find Fumegai: a handful of dry stone houses nestled among the steep woods of the Brenta Canal.
Abandoned for decades and accessible only on foot via a mule track through the trees, Fumegai offers a true journey back to the rural past of the Veneto mountains. Remember to wear hiking boots with good soles; the trails can be slippery with wet leaves.
Perched on a rocky outcrop surrounded by the Terche River gorge, Zumelle Castle is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Belluno Valley. In addition to the charm of the manor and its tower, medieval murder mystery dinners, candlelit guided tours of the rooms, and themed tours related to the site's mysteries are regularly organized on weekends in late October.
Ghost Tours and Nighttime Legends in Art Cities
When evening falls and the autumn fog envelops the waterways and cobblestones of the historic centre, the Venetian cities reveal a mysterious and fascinating side made up of historical chronicles, unsolved crimes and ancient popular beliefs.
In Venice, for example, far from the tourist trails of St. Mark's Square, districts like Cannaregio and Castello hide dead-end alleys and quiet squares that are the subject of centuries-old tales: from the ghosts of the merchants of Palazzo Mastelli to the mystery of the Casino degli Spiriti, passing through ancient burial grounds and maritime legends. Several operators organize evening walking tours dedicated specifically to apparitions and lagoon folklore.
In Padua, however, dark chronicles are kept: guided night visits accompany the curious and enthusiasts through the dark porticoes of the Palazzo della Ragione, the Specola and the city underground and retrace the events of ruthless tyrants such as Ezzelino da Romano, ancient trials for heresy and historical convictions.
Your city retreat for an unforgettable long weekend
Whether you decide to ride a roller coaster on Lake Garda, lose yourself in the orange hues of a pumpkin patch, or follow the trail of ancient legends through the woods and medieval fortresses, one thing is certain: the magic of an autumn weekend also comes from the pleasure of returning, at the end of the day, to a welcoming environment where you can truly feel at home.
Choosing to stay in the heart of Veneto's art cities is the perfect way to combine convenience and exploration. Cities like Verona, Padua, Vicenza, and Venice offer the ideal strategic base: during the day, they allow you to easily reach the most unusual events and villages in the surrounding area, while in the evening, they welcome you with traditional taverns for a glass of red wine, warmly lit alleyways, and the authentic energy of historic centers.
A comfortable apartment in the city center gives you complete freedom to enjoy your holiday at your own pace, without a strict schedule, enjoying a slow awakening overlooking the historic rooftops before setting off on a new adventure.
All that's left to do is pack your bags, choose your preferred itinerary, and book the perfect accommodation for a Halloween weekend filled with charm, relaxation, and discovery in the Veneto region.
