The Ghost Villages of Europe

Why are people leaving entire towns behind?

Once brimming with community and the mundane routines of everyday life, thousands of villages across Europe now stand silent. Their stone houses sit empty, school bells no longer ring, and cafes serve no one. From Spain’s arid heartlands to Greece’s mountainous north, a growing number of ghost towns are emerging. But why are these places being left behind? And is there any hope for their revival?

The rapid increase in urbanisation has meant that small towns are being left behind, almost completely abandoned (Jayde Keroi)

The Shift

Many of Europe’s now-abandoned villages started off as vital rural hubs, just like anywhere else. But when it comes down to small-town semantics, younger generations look elsewhere when they can officially move out of their parents’ home. Better job prospects, education, and healthcare in cities, are just some of the reasons why they migrate to urban centres.

Known as urbanisation, this phenomenon has reshaped Europe’s demographic map. The hospitality sector has crumbled in areas where there are simply no tourists to serve. Small schools have shut down due to a lack of children. And despite government incentives, very few choose to return. Still, in many of these villages, a few loyal residents refuse to leave, determined to preserve their cultural heritage and way of life.

Let’s explore five of these hauntingly beautiful places.

Many towns and villages see a boom in tourism during the summer months. However, year-round residents always remain far and few between (David Iglesias)

Abelohori, Greece

Population: 7, Cafés: 2

Once a lively village in Northern Greece, Abelohori now counts only seven residents. Strikingly, it still maintains two traditional cafés, more out of nostalgia than necessity. Greece has been grappling with a steep demographic decline for years, accelerated by economic hardship and low birth rates. Young people have left for Athens or abroad, seeking stability. Whilst its few remaining inhabitants are surrounded by empty homes and fading memories, Abelohori will always remain their home.

Whilst some towns try their hand at revitilisation projects, finding ways to attract the younger generation is not always easy (VargaA under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license)

Garab, Hungary

Facing Extinction

The Hungarian village of Garab is on the edge of total abandonment, with as few as 44 residents left. As families move away and birth rates fall, entire communities are starting to disappear. As late as of 2023, the last time a child was born in the village was almost a decade before. The entire country's rural areas are suffering a silent crisis, where once-thriving agricultural hubs are now marked by locked doors and overgrown pathways. The prospect of ghost towns becoming the norm is no longer a distant threat and Garab proves just that.

A house in the village of Smochevo in Bulgaria (Klearchos Kapoutsis)

Smochevo, Bulgaria

A Fairytale Without a Narrator

In western Bulgaria, Smochevo is one of the many villages that started experiencing depopulation after the fall of socialism in 1989. Once home to bustling traditions and lively households, it's now nearly empty. Many buildings crumble under the weight of time, and the last few elderly residents live among ruins, cut off from modern conveniences. Bulgaria has one of the fastest-shrinking populations in the world, and Smochevo is a stark illustration of how cultural heritage vanishes when people do.

The town of Oliete is just one of the many, many villages under threat of total abandonment in Spain (B25es under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license)

Oliete & Acorrada, Spain

Entire Towns being Sold

Spain is home to more than 3,000 abandoned villages, and Oliete, in Aragón, was once one of them. However, this village has become a rare success story thanks to reforestation and social projects aimed at revitalising the area. Meanwhile, in Galicia, entire towns like Acorrada are on sale. Buyers can purchase entire hamlets for the price of a small flat in Madrid. Spain’s issue of rural desertification is so vast that some regions now offer financial incentives for families and entrepreneurs to move in.

Some say the €1 home scheme was too little too late for some of these towns (Luciano Bernardi under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license)

Vergemoli, Italy

Tuscany’s €1 Homes

Nestled in the hills of Tuscany, Vergemoli is one of the many Italian towns offering €1 homes to attract newcomers. The initiative drew headlines worldwide, but revitalisation remains slow. A mix of complex bureaucracy, restoration costs, and lack of year-round infrastructure discourages permanent relocation. While some tourists have bought and restored properties as holiday homes, few have committed to full-time village life. Vergemoli’s charm remains, but so does its loneliness.

Estimates suggest there are roughly 6,000 “extinct” hamlets in Italy (Steffen Lemmerzahl)

Between Preservation and Progress

Across Europe, the causes of urban depopulation vary. From economic decline, ageing populations, war, natural disasters, and the centralisation of modern life. Yet in many of these ghost villages, there are still flickers of life. These are the loyal residents who remember the village’s golden days and refuse to leave. Then, there are towns attempting reinvention through tourism and initiatives aimed at cultural heritage preservation.

These abandoned villages in Europe aren’t just relics of the past; they are warning signs for the future. They speak to the consequences of unchecked urbanisation, the fragility of rural economies, and the deep emotional ties people have to place. So will these villages fade entirely or can they be reimagined for a new era?