Halloween: discover 9 ghost towns and villages around the world

There are countless ghost towns and villages all over the world, places so abandoned that they are truly amazing. Discovering the stories behind these buildings and strolling through the deserted streets in eerie silence is a unique experience for those who love Halloween and unusual destinations to visit. So, in honor of Halloween , we've listed 9 abandoned cities and towns around the world that certainly look like horror movie scenes . Check them out!

1. Saint John Mark - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Founded in 1739, the city of São João Marcos reached its peak in the 19th century, when it had more than 15,000 inhabitants. However, between 1905 and 1907 , the Canadian concessionaire "The Rio de Janeiro Tramway, Light and Power" leased and flooded a rural district of São João Marcos to build a hydroelectric plant, which led to the formation of the Ribeirão das Lajes Dam lake and triggered several epidemics in the area. The city came to an end with the construction of a dam in 1940. Today it is possible to visit its ruins in the São João Marcos Archaeological and Environmental Park .

2. Kayakoy - Fethiye, Türkiye

A few kilometers from Fethiye, one of the most famous cities on the Turkish Riviera , lies the ghost town of Kayakoy. Walking through the streets of the town, which were completely uninhabited in the 1920s as a result of the Greco-Turkish conflict, is an experience that will be hard to forget. Today, travelers from all over the world come to the site to see with their own eyes how the ruins of hundreds of stone houses with no roofs have resisted the passage of time amidst the undergrowth; a truly apocalyptic sight.

3. Nelson Ghost Town - Nevada, USA

Located in El Dorado Canyon , Nelson is the perfect destination for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the Wild West . Home to one of the largest gold and silver deposits in southern Nevada, the region was rife with conflict and strife . After the mines closed in 1945, the town began to decline, and years later a severe flood signaled its end . Today, thanks to the buildings, machinery and Texaco station that still stand, the town of Nelson has become a popular tourist spot for photo shoots.

4. Belchite - Zaragoza, Spain

The village of Belchite, or rather what remains of it , is a faithful testimony to the ravages of the Spanish Civil War . In the ruins that still remain, it is possible to glimpse its rich architecture , mostly Mudejar and Baroque. Strolling through the empty streets, among the ruins of the Clock Tower or the Church of San Martín de Tours is a spine-chilling experience . And as if the spooky atmosphere weren't enough, there are those who claim to have witnessed paranormal activity in the area.

5. Old Sinies - Corfu, Greece

The ghost village of Old Sinies is located at the foot of Mount Pantokrator in northwest Corfu. The village's origins date back to the Middle Ages. At that time, its strategic location and difficult access made it the perfect place to protect against pirate attacks . Little by little, as the coastal areas became safer, the inhabitants of Old Sinies abandoned the village, leaving it completely deserted . The ruins of the stone houses surrounded by vegetation and the three temples still standing, defying the passage of time, create an image that is hard to forget.

6. Fatehpur Sikri – Agra, India

Between 1571 and 1585, the Mughal Emperor Akbar ordered the construction of this spectacular city with the intention of making it the capital of the Mughal Empire , and this was only a short period of time, as due to water shortages, Fatehpur Sikri was completely abandoned a few years later. However, it was never destroyed and the precious red sandstone buildings, which combine elements of Islamic and Hindu architecture, have remained virtually intact over the centuries , making this ghost town a must-see place.

7. Spinalonga - Crete, Greece

The deserted island of Spinalonga is a must-see on any ghost town list, and Halloween is the perfect time to discover its dark secrets. Although it is now a popular tourist destination, the truth is that Spinalonga has a long and turbulent history . In addition to being the scene of countless battles , this small island was home to a leper colony during the first half of the 20th century. Today, visitors can stroll among the abandoned houses , the old hospital and the school of the old village, and learn more about the history of the patients who lived there .

8. Rhyolite - Nevada, USA

Rhyolite is one of the most well-known ghost towns in the Death Valley region. The town sprang up virtually overnight due to the growing popularity of the area's mining operations, especially the Montgomery Shoshone. The town became filled with buildings, including hotels, a hospital, a school, two power plants, machine shops, and several saloons. The financial crisis of 1907 marked the beginning of the end for Rhyolite. In the following years, as the mines closed and the banks went bankrupt, the village gradually emptied out, until in 1916 the electricity supply was permanently cut off. Today, you can still see several remnants of its glory days , such as the ruins of a three-story building that housed the bank and parts of the old prison.

9. Craco - Matera, Italy

Perched on a hill almost 400 metres high and surrounded by ravines, Craco enjoyed a period of splendour in the Middle Ages, and much of its current layout dates back to that period. A violent land displacement in 1963 changed the fate of the village forever, and a few years later its residents were forced to leave their homes . Today, the deathly silence of this village that stood still in time attracts travelers from all over the world.