Photo: bluestardrop - Andrea Mucelli [Flickr]
Balestrino, Italy, has got to be the most picturesque ghost town I've ever seen. Read all about that and 7 other ghost towns in Europe over at Bootsnall:
Balestrino is a very curious case of ghost town particularly because it’s hard to find information about the city. Records date back to the 11th century when the city was owned by the Benedictine abbey of San Pietro dei Monti. In late 19th century the area was struck by a series of earthquakes, although it’s not sure how they affected the city. Records show repairs being done in the city at about the same time. Finally, in 1953 the town was abandoned. About 400 inhabitants left moved to a safer area (to the west) where the city still exists.