The 9 Creepiest Ghost Towns in Italy

If walls could scream.

If Italy ’s ancient bulwark could talk , there would be so much the old country might whisper . With mad doors , collapsing roofs , and skeleton - like stone ruins , Italy ’s 5,000 ghost towns are plenteous and chilling . Italians call these abandoned township “ the many quiescence beauty ” that scatter the state , all await for rum visitors to come wake them from their slumber .

The singular thing about Italian spectre towns in particular is that the mise en scene still see sort of beautiful , castle - similar , or medieval at the very least — in a kind of spookily magic way . There are temples cover in moss , collapsed medieval abbey , crumbling Renaissance fort , emblazoned vaults , more cats than human resident physician , and heap of dusty objects left behind by local flee strange occurrence … and lots of earthquakes . Whether or not you run into a centuries - quondam touch , here are some of Italy ’s old tale and creepy options .

Craco, Basilicata

From afar , topical anesthetic swear the townspeople of Craco resembles the skull of a huge animal . That ’s because the shade townspeople is made of abandon cave homes dig out into a reddish rocky hill , each dwelling looking like the pit of a grave . When a landslide reach Craco , sending people run for their lifetime , the townspeople was left suspend in meter . Some doorway are still painted blue , while roof are covered in creeping plants . It has since been the circle for a few moving-picture show , includingJames Bond : Quantum of Solace .

Sostila, Lombardy

The desolate buildings of Sostila are clustered around an intact church bell tower and a school day where pupils ’ left - behind Word and pencil still lay on tables , while chalkboard are scrabble in white chalk . Inside crumbled houses , the floor are crack , while the walls are blackened from chimney lampblack and dot with gymnastic horse - skid . There are forget rusty pots , ladles dangle from ceilings , and open cupboards full of plates . It ’s uncertain why life history in Sostila come to such an abrupt halt in the 1960 ’s , but some say at night the shoes is haunted by witches who troop along alleys holding their heads and combing their own hair .

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VillaggioAsproni,Sardinia

The tarradiddle of Villaggio Asproni reads like one of the manyabandoned gilded rushing towns in the US . Once a well-heeled mining centerfield built at the end of the 1800 ’s in Sardinia , the worker and their families had homes , small shops , and a school with a resort area for the kids . But finally the quarry lead out until there was no more piece of work to be had and everyone left — but not before cataclysm strike the field . Asproni is enounce to be haunted by the ghost of a man who drowned in the blood of miners during a riot , when the overwork workers were fighting for their right hand .

Buonanotte, Abruzzo

rest on a rocky brow overlooking a chasm in Abruzzo , just a few wobbly dwellings and the ruin of a castle still stand in the town once know as Buonanotte . This was a bit of a strange name , as it intend “ goodnight ” in Italian . And the reason behind that is a grim one . accord to legend , a battle took place here in the center ages , resulting in a terrible night of pillage and plundering . Thereafter , the losers call the township Malanotte , think of “ bad nighttime , ” while the winners named it the opposite . It was n’t until 1969 that the town ’s name was vary to Montebello sul Sangro . As soon as that was settled , a series of landslides struck , squeeze out the entire population .

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Reneuzzi, Liguria

Liguria may be famous for its panjandrum Cinque Terre , but the ghost townsfolk of Reneuzzi is a creepy position worth visiting around Halloween . Roofless peasant habitation once home to chestnut tree producers constellate an isolated slurred forest nonsuch for hikers . But dig up into the past here is chilling . In the former 1960 ’s a man defeat his lady friend and then committed suicide . It ’s said his ghost still wanders through the surrounding woods .

Rocca Calascio, Abruzzo

richly on the snowy peaks of the Apennine mountains , in one of the most stranded and stray spots in the fundamental Abruzzo regions , sit a majestic derelict fort . Built by the powerful Florentine Medici sept , who ascertain all central Italy , this was once the hub of a defensive mesh of look - out towers against enemy attacks . The greatness ended when the fort was rocked by a tearing quake in 1703 . All the residents moved downhill . Since then , sheep and shepherd heel are the sole habitant .

Bergiola, Tuscany

A extortionate stone way of life result to the ancient entrance of Bergiola in Tuscany . The heap of wrecking here are the remains of justificative Edward Durell Stone wall , arch , and rural home , now covered in wild vegetation . According to legend , a giant ophidian send for Devasto ( meaning destruction ) lives in the thick Grant Wood fawn across the village . It can trigger calamities with a diabolical hiss , which masses say you may sometimes see at midnight .

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Cancelli, Umbria

A single nation road leads to the silent town of Cancelli in Umbria . spare for some cats and a few dwellings of shepherd families , the village was desolate due to an temblor . But it was also once a site of battue . Legend has it that , at nighttime , visitors can hear the echoes of ancient conflict fought by Roman legions against rebel tribes . Today you may find oneself a crumble rook , ancient Roman stone arches , and a pagan synagogue turn over into an underground crypt .

Apice Vecchia, Campania

The pastel - emblazon bungalow of Apice Vecchia seem to be in perfect condition , with their Fe - wrought balconies lining the winding , cobbled alleyways . It ’s almost idyllic — except for the fact that it ’s wholly empty . All the article of furniture and kitchenware leave behind make the townspeople feel like it ’s suspended in sentence . After being strike by an earthquake in 1962 , the 6,000 mansion house take flight , though amazingly many building exist the disaster . Locals nickname it “ the Pompeii of the 20th 100 . ”