14 Eerie Abandoned Places in Europe That Will Haunt You

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Haunting reminders of the past lie hidden among the idyllic Irish countryside and charming Parisian streets.

Step into history at the most unsettling abandoned sites throughout Europe:

Craco, Italy

Craco is a fascinating slice of history set in southern Italy. The village suffered a severe landslide in 1963 and was completely abandoned by the 1980s.

Today, the hilly commune is only accessible via guided tour—otherwise, its locked gates keep curious tourists away. Walking through what remains of Craco is an unsettling yet captivating experience, thanks to its crumbling walls and overgrown gardens.

Le Jardin d’Agronomie Tropicale, France

Most Parisian tourists are unaware of Le Jardin d’Agronomie Tropicale. Situated on the city’s outskirts, it opened in 1899 as an experimental garden for crops like bananas and coffee.

Things took a dark turn in the early 1900s when the property became a human zoo, showcasing indigenous Asian and African peoples as “exotic” specimens for several years. The garden reopened to tourists in 2006 and is a dark testament to Paris’s troubling past.

Spreepark, Germany

The ruins of Spreepark, a former German amusement park, resemble a horror film set. Spreepark was once a lively destination for families, with roller coasters, kiddie rides, and miniature towns.

It closed in 2002 and has fallen into disrepair since. Much of the original infrastructure still exists, and the local government is refurbishing the park with plans to reopen it in 2026.

Hore Abbey, Ireland

Only a few remnants of the 13th-century Hore Abbey are still standing. The monastery once boasted a Gothic chapel, tower, cloister, and rooms.

Now, a few random structural sections are all you’ll find scattering the Irish countryside. It’s the perfect spot to get off the beaten path and return to a bygone era during your next trip to Ireland.

Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria

Atop Bulgaria’s Buzludzha Peak sits a strange, UFO-like building that the Communist Party built and inaugurated in 1981. Buzludzha Monument is a striking example of futurist architecture, with many murals depicting the politics and history of Communism in Bulgaria. However, since 1989, it has been left unmaintained and vulnerable to the elements.

Varosha, Cyprus

It’s hard to believe Varosha was once a bustling resort town. Located on the Cypriot coast, it was an exciting vacation spot that attracted thousands of annual visitors during its peak in the early 1970s.

Most of the residents left Varosha after rising tensions following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. While the waterfront locale reopened in 2021, many of the original buildings have decayed, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Pripyat, Ukraine

In 1986, the entire city of Pripyat was evacuated following the Chernobyl Disaster. Radioactive fallout blanketed the Ukrainian town after one of the nuclear power plant’s reactors exploded.

It remains the worst nuclear disaster of all time, forcing residents to leave most of their belongings and flee. Travelers can book specialty tours to visit the still radioactive destination.

Hotel Igman, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Though Hotel Igman hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, much of the infrastructure has been lost to time. The once-exciting ski destination was destroyed during the Bosnian War of the 1990s. Pieces of the hotel, including the ski jumps and Olympic podium, still exist, though mostly in shambles.

Skrunda-1, Latvia

Western Latvia is home to Skrunda-1, a training facility for the national military. The town was built in the 1960s to house Soviet soldiers.

Skrunda-1 was abandoned after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but military personnel still use it. Its 100 acres contain empty apartment blocks, schools, factories, and underground bunkers.

Hartwood Hospital, Scotland

Scotland’s Hartwood Hospital has a darkly interesting history. It opened in 1895 and operated as a mental asylum for over a century.

Hartwood is notably the first place in Scotland where lobotomies were performed—at one point, it housed thousands of patients. Though the hospital was abandoned in the late 1990s, many urban explorers still visit the property.

Belchite, Spain

Belchite ghost town is a haunting reminder of the Spanish Civil War. During the 1930s conflict, it became the site of a significant battle between Republican and Nationalist forces.

While a new town was eventually constructed, the old village ruins were left to memorialize the war’s significance. Belchite has remained largely untouched for decades, though visitors can take a guided tour of the former town.

Pyramiden, Norway

Amidst Norway’s Arctic landscape lies Pyramiden, a Soviet-founded mining camp. The settlement operated from 1910 to 1998 and is now abandoned.

Thanks to the freezing climate, Pyramiden is incredibly well preserved. Certain buildings, including the hotel and movie theater, have been restored as tourist attractions.

Imber, England

The English village of Imber has been a ghost town since military forces seized it in 1943. American soldiers trained there ahead of D-Day—while they promised residents they would be able to return, the military has maintained control ever since. Visitors can only see the village several weeks a year, though most properties are off-limits.

Haludovo Palace Hotel, Croatia

Croatia’s Haludovo Palace Hotel opened in the 1970s as a chic casino but quickly went bankrupt. The gambling getaway was only open for one year, and attempts to revitalize it have been unsuccessful.

Haludovo Palace Hotel’s future is uncertain, but it remains largely intact. Its captivating design still draws architecture enthusiasts to admire the extravagant hotel ruins.

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