You are running out of idea about where you should go next for your trip. Well, if you’re so into ghost story, why don’t you create a trip where you could hunt the ‘ghostly spirit’? So, where you should go to start the hunting? Actually, Portugal has some ghost towns that are free for you to explore. Although there is no such ‘ghostly spirit’ in those town since there is no bloody event in the past. The reasons why those towns are abandoned and earned the name as ghost town is caused by economic changes where the urban lifestyle becomes more dominant so people left their rural region to be more urban.
Table of Contents
PICOES
Do you ever have a plan to buy an entire village? Why don’t you consider Picoes? This village is located in Portugal but not so far from Spain. However, you’re going to be the only villager living since this place has been abandoned for years. As long as you could live only with the beauty scenery and stunning mountain terrain around you and then you’ll be fine.
COVELO DO MONTE
This village has been abandoned by the villagers for more than 50 years. Though perhaps there is nothing like bloody event in the past, still this place is kind of creepy to be explored. Just like Picoes, this village is also for sale for those who don’t mind to live in a village full of crumbling stone houses.
ROCHA AMARELA
Rocha Amerla means yellow rock, this village is located in the east of Alte. Aside from being abandoned, this village has a stunning natural beauty. If you’re looking for a peaceful place to let your mind wandering for a while, there is no better place you should go but Rocha Amerla. However, the fact that this village is located not really far from Algarve is kind of ironic, since Algarve is so populated and perfect place for partying.
VILARINHO DAS FURNAS
This village is located in the outskirt of Peneda-Geres National Park and this village has been abandoned since 1971. Since then, started from 1972 this village spends most of its time underwater. That’s why this village is so popular today but it’s kind of hard to visit. So if you want to visit this village, you have to come in right time when the water level is low enough for you to explore the village.
JUROMENHA
Juromenha is probably one of the oldest village you could find in Portugal. It has been around since the 9th century where you could find the 10th century Arab castle is still standing tall in the village but due to the economic changes, this village is also suffering the same problem. Right now, the popularity of Juromenha as ghost town is increasing though only as a place to visit not as place to live.
There are a lot of towns and villages in Portugal and some of them are going to suffer the same problem as the ghost towns mentioned above. Some villagers are still visiting those places occasionally only for the sake of childhood memory but most of them are just moving on without looking back. Fortunately, some ghost towns are lucky enough to get the second chance like Pedralva but it is only the few while more villagers are going the opposite way.
