Balestrino is composed by the old historic town, upon a hill, and the new town below it. Abandoned in 1953 for hydrogeological instability, the old center is a ghost town where the modern center is still inhabited today. Source
Europe
Varosha – Famagusta – Cyprus
Varosha is a quarter south of the Cypriot city of Famagusta. It is located within Northern Cyprus. Prior to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, it was the modern tourist area of Famagusta. Its inhabitants fled during the invasion, and it … Read More
The SS American Star – Fuerteventura – Canary Islands
SS America was an ocean liner built in 1940 for the United States Lines and was designed by the noted American naval architect William Francis Gibbs. She carried many names in the 54 years between her construction and her 1994 wrecking, as she served as the SS America (carrying this … Read More
Buyukada Orphelinat – Istanbul – Turkey
The film is about to start, the decor is already in place. On an island, miles away from everywhere surrounded by gates and barbed wire is one of the largest wooden constructions ever built. Built in 1898 as a hotel, … Read More
The Chateau de Noisy – Dinant – Belgium
The castle was built in 1866 by the English architect Edward Milner under commission from the Liedekerke-De Beaufort family, who had left their previous home, Vêves Castle, during the French Revolution. However, Milner died before the castle was finished. Construction … Read More
Tunnel of love – Klevan – Ukraine
It’s one of the most photographed places in Ukraine. Visitors travel from around the world to see the famous tree tunnel running through the small western town of Klevan. As RFE/RL’s Amos Chapple discovered when he explored the site, Ukraine’s … Read More
White Cliffs of Dover – Great Britain
The iconic White Cliffs of Dover are eroding nearly ten times faster presently than in the past thousand years due to heavy storms caused by climate change. Source
Glaciers of the European Alps – Switzerland
The Alps started melting 150 years ago at the end of the ‘Little Ice Age’, and since the 1980s the rate of glacial retreat has risen dramatically. One positive outcome of melting glaciers is that hundreds of new crystal clear … Read More
Places To See Before It’s Too Late: Dubrovnik – Croatia
Can Game of Thrones be too much of a good thing? The HBO mega hit has made the ancient Croatian city so popular that it is literally turning tourists away. Dubrovnik is blessed with idyllic weather and a stunning coastline … Read More
Places To See Before They Disappear: Vienna – Austria
From rococo palaces and Baroque castles to famed coffeehouses, world-class museums, and labyrinthine-like alleyways, Vienna’s appeal has endured for millennia. But last year, UNESCO added the beautiful historic center of the Austrian capital to the List of World Heritage in Danger due … Read More