Villas inside and out

With shorter days and temperatures dropping by the day it's time to move forwards and start planning the next holiday. An obvious date is Halloween but, if pumpkins and Gothic paraphernalia are not your thing, these places and activities might inspire you:

MEXICO: Día de los Muertos, Mixquic (Mexico City)

Día de los Muertos is the Latin version of the Anglo-Saxon Halloween. In Mexico the Catholic tradition gets mixed with indigenous rituals and ends up in a surreal and colourful carnival that takes place in streets and cemeteries.

Celebrations are held all over the country but Mixquic is a place where you may experience a distinctive flavour. The place has been geographically swallowed up by Mexico City but retains the ambience of a rural village with strong indigenous roots.

A procession through a town packed with street stalls takes place, where a cardboard coffin leads the way to the cemetery. Once there, a candle-light vigil goes on all night.

ENGLAND : Halloween Week at Hellfire Caves (West Wycombe)

This is a place where witchcraft, black magic and murder have taken place. And it has hosted brothels and a gentlemen's club. The ancient hand carved caves and tunnels 300 feet below the earth's surface were extended in 1752 by Sir Francis Dashwood directly under St Lawrence's Church. He used them to hold meetings for the Hell Fire Club where, as you can imagine, nothing innocent ever happened.

Regardless of its history, times have changed and this is now a family- friendly venue. Halloween is the time to visit it.

SPAIN: Ritual de las Ánimas, Tajuelo (Soria)

Spain is not short of bizarre festivals and towns hold traditions that go from tomato armed urban guerilla warfare to goat-throwing from church spires.

Maybe this "ritual of the souls" is not that extreme, but its simplicity and sober manners have a spooky result.

There are two groups - single and married - that march in parade during the eve of November the 1st: through the village. Carrying candles, they sing an hymn alternating the chorus. At the end, a priest and the rest of the people join them to pray, eat cake and drink wine.

ENGLAND: Orphanage Halloween Masked Ball, West End (London)

If you don't make it any further than the capital that weekend, the options you have could be classier than visiting the London Dungeons or the Tower of London.

Last Tuesday Society presents on the 29th of October a decadent celebration at Adam Street members club, conveniently placed in Georgian tunnels beneath the Strand. They guarantee "feasting, dancing, freaks and blood." Masks are obligatory... but clothes are only optional.

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