What if your future lies in a town everyone else has left behind? It’s not a provocation, but a question that many foreigners are asking themselves when faced with an opportunity as unexpected as it is fascinating: buying a house in a ghost town in Italy.
It can be a real estate opportunity—albeit an unconventional one—that means betting on the forgotten beauty of breathtaking villages steeped in history, where silence reigns. These are rural centers, scattered and abandoned for decades. If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a home in an ancient village, far from the noise, where neighbors know your name, you might just find your place here.
- Click here to learn more: Ghost towns in Italy
Who are the ghost town hunters
The real estate portal Gate-away revealed that 68% of foreign users who bought a house in Italy in 2023 did so to improve their quality of life. The regions with the highest growth in interest were Abruzzo, Molise, Puglia, and Calabria—often precisely for their lesser-known villages. There has also been a rise in demand for properties in need of renovation, in line with the trend of ghost town hunters. These are people who consciously choose to leave city life behind to start over in places full of potential, immersed in tranquility. These places are often not well connected by urban roads and typically require a significant investment.
If you too are driven by a desire to escape the frenzy and compulsive consumption, you’re not alone. If you love minimalism and a simple, slow-paced lifestyle, then these places might be just right for you.
Where are the ghost towns in Italy
ISTAT data from 2022 shows that more than 5,500 villages are at risk of depopulation, with hundreds already semi-abandoned. This represents an immense immovable and real estate heritage, unfortunately caught between abandonment and rebirth. The Ministry of Culture (2023) listed the regions with the highest number of depopulated villages:
- Molise: 136 villages
- Calabria: 317 villages
- Basilicata: 131 villages
- Abruzzo: 246 villages
- Sicily: over 300 villages
- Marche: 190 villages
Not all of these villages are completely abandoned. Many still have 50–200 inhabitants (mainly elderly people, shepherds, artisans…), no supermarket, and a church that is always closed.
In these areas, the structures already exist—ancient stone, solid foundations, unique aesthetics. What’s needed, of course, is renovation that complies with current safety regulations. You can take advantage of bargain prices to snatch up stunning stone houses for €10,000–€30,000, with tax incentives and simplified procedures for foreigners, as many municipalities are actively looking for new residents and won’t let a potential buyer slip away.
To find out more about ghost towns scattered across the regions, click here:
What it means to buy a house in a ghost town in Italy
Buying a house in a ghost town in Italy might sound like a dream—and in part, it certainly is—but it’s also a decision that requires careful consideration due to the challenges that may arise.
First of all, the allure of low prices is real, but these are not free homes. In many ghost towns, stone properties can be found for under €20,000. Alternatively, more than 70 Italian municipalities (confirmed in 2023 by the Ministry of Infrastructure) are offering homes for sale under the “€1 house” scheme, but there are many conditions attached—such as the obligation to renovate within three years, following the rules set by the local authority, which may not always suit the buyer.
Additionally, many of these villages lack immediate services—no supermarkets, hospitals, or schools. However, they are often located just 15–30 minutes by car from small towns that offer all essential services. In many cases, the local community warmly welcomes newcomers with curiosity and support. In some ghost towns—those better equipped than others—artisan workshops and studios are even being revived, thanks to people with the right entrepreneurial or artistic spirit.
It is certainly not a quick fix, nor a path without obstacles. It’s not for those who lack time or patience. Ask yourself if you’re willing to live for one or two years in rough conditions (or manage the entire renovation from abroad), and whether you’re looking simply for a house to live in—or for a place to truly belong to and be part of.
